Informational Interview

A conversation with a professional to learn about their role, industry, or company — distinct from a job interview and valuable for both exploration and networking.

An informational interview is a structured conversation you initiate with a professional to learn about their career path, role, industry, or company — not to apply for a specific job. The goal is information and relationship-building, not immediate employment. Informational interviews are particularly valuable when you are exploring a career change, researching a new industry, trying to understand what a role actually involves beyond its job description, or building connections at a company you are targeting.

Informational interviews are more accessible than most people assume. Professionals who are willing to spend 20–30 minutes sharing their experience are common — particularly if you approach them with a specific, genuine question and make clear it is not a covert job ask. The request is fundamentally flattering: you are asking someone to share their expertise and perspective, not asking them for a favor. Warm introductions through mutual connections significantly increase the acceptance rate, but cold outreach through LinkedIn or email works more often than people expect when the message is specific and respectful.

The return on a well-conducted informational interview extends beyond the information you gather. The person you spoke with now knows your name, your professional context, and that you are thoughtful and easy to talk to. When a relevant opportunity arises at their company, you may be the person they think of. When you are ready to apply, you have a genuine reason to reach out again. Informational interviews that feel purely transactional — where the subject becomes obvious you are really just trying to get a referral — produce none of these returns.

The most common informational interview mistake is treating it as a job interview. Asking about job openings, sending your resume unsolicited, or ending the meeting with 'so is there anything at your company?' signals that the informational framing was a pretext — and damages the relationship it was intended to build. The right sequence: have a genuine informational conversation, build the relationship over time, and let job-related asks emerge naturally and separately — or wait until they offer to connect you with someone.

How to Request an Informational Interview

  • Be specific about what you want to learn: 'I am exploring a transition into product management and would love 20 minutes to learn about your path from engineering' is easy to respond to.
  • Make clear it is not a job ask: 'I am not expecting any job referrals — I genuinely want to understand the role and your experience.'
  • Warm introductions work best — a mutual connection who can introduce you increases response rates significantly.
  • Keep the initial ask short: a 3–4 sentence message is enough. Long initial messages are harder to parse and respond to.
  • Offer scheduling flexibility and a specific format: 'I am happy to do a short phone or video call at whatever time works for you.'

Questions That Make the Most of the Conversation

  • How did you get into this role — was it a planned transition or did it happen organically?
  • What does a typical week actually look like, and how does it differ from what the job description suggests?
  • What skills or experiences proved most valuable that you did not expect going in?
  • What do you wish you had known before making this transition?
  • Who else would you recommend I speak with — is there someone whose path is particularly relevant to what I am trying to do?
  • Is there anything I should be reading, watching, or doing to build credibility in this space before formally applying?

Example

A teacher exploring a transition into UX design reaches out to three designers on LinkedIn, explaining she is researching the field and asking for 20 minutes to learn about their path. One agrees. She prepares five specific questions, listens more than she talks, and ends by asking who else she should talk to. The designer connects her to two others. Over two months, she builds a small network in a field she knew no one in when she started.