Informational Interviews: What They Are and How to Request One
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In this article
Informational interviews are low-pressure conversations that can open unexpected doors. Learn what they involve and how to approach someone for one.
Key Takeaways
- An informational interview is a conversation you initiate to learn about a role, industry, or career path — not to ask for a job.
- A clear, concise outreach message that respects the contact's time dramatically improves your response rate.
- Preparing specific, thoughtful questions signals professionalism and makes the conversation more valuable for both parties.
- Following up with a thank-you note within 24 hours keeps the relationship warm and reflects well on you.
- Informational interviews complement — not replace — formal job searching and direct applications.
What an Informational Interview Actually Is
An informational interview is a structured yet informal conversation in which you meet with someone working in a field, company, or role you want to learn more about. You initiate it. You set the agenda. And critically, you are not there to ask for a job.
The goal is intelligence-gathering: understanding what a career path really looks like from the inside, what skills employers prioritize, how someone broke into the field, or whether a particular company culture aligns with what you want. This kind of firsthand insight is rarely available in job postings or company websites.
Informational interviews are a form of proactive networking that fits within both active and exploratory career strategies. If you're weighing how much effort to invest in networking versus applications, see active vs. passive job searching for context on how these approaches differ. For a broader view of how direct networking compares to job boards and recruiters, weighing your main search channels is worth reading alongside this guide.
These conversations typically run 20–30 minutes, take place over video call, phone, or coffee, and are almost always conducted at no cost to either party. The person you're asking gives time; you bring curiosity and preparation.
How to Find the Right Person to Contact
Effective outreach starts with identifying someone whose experience is directly relevant to what you want to learn. A few reliable sources:
- LinkedIn: Search by job title, company, or industry. Alumni filters (if you attended college) can surface people who share a common background and are often more receptive to requests.
- Professional associations: Many industry groups publish member directories or host events where introductions happen naturally.
- Warm referrals: Ask friends, former colleagues, or professors if they know someone in the field. A mutual connection dramatically increases response rates.
- Company pages and team bios: If there's a specific organization you're interested in, identifying employees by team or function gives you a targeted starting point.
Aim for people two to five years ahead of where you are now — close enough to remember the path you're on, experienced enough to offer genuine perspective.
Alumni networks are underused gold mines
If you attended a college or university, the alumni network is one of the most receptive audiences for informational interview requests. Shared alma mater creates an immediate point of common ground, and many alumni volunteer specifically to help current students and recent graduates. Check your institution's alumni portal or LinkedIn alumni search before reaching out cold to strangers.
How to Request an Informational Interview
Your outreach message does most of the heavy lifting. It needs to be short, specific, and clear about what you're asking. Here's what to include:
Craft a specific, low-ask subject line
Email subject lines like "Quick question" or "Coffee chat?" are easy to ignore. Instead, be specific: "Informational interview request — transitioning into UX research" or "20-minute conversation about your path into supply chain?" Clarity signals that you've done your homework and respect the recipient's time.
Open with a clear, honest introduction
In the first one or two sentences, say who you are and how you found them. If a mutual contact referred you, lead with that name. If you found them through LinkedIn or a published article they wrote, say so. Transparency builds immediate credibility.
Example: "My name is Jordan Lee. I came across your profile through the SHRM alumni network and have been following your work in people analytics for the past year."
State your purpose and your specific ask
Explain briefly why you're reaching out and what you want to learn — not just that you're "interested in their career." Then make a concrete, low-commitment ask.
Example: "I'm exploring a transition from operations into HR analytics and would love 20 minutes to hear how you made a similar move and what skills mattered most in your early roles. Would you be open to a brief call or video chat at your convenience?"
Prepare five to seven targeted questions in advance
Before the conversation, write out your questions. Focus on things you genuinely cannot find through research alone:
- What does a typical week look like in your role?
- What surprised you most about this field when you entered it?
- What skills do you wish you had developed earlier?
- How did you land your first role in this area?
- Are there resources — communities, certifications, publications — you'd recommend for someone at my stage?
Avoid questions that feel like a job interview in reverse, such as "Are there any openings on your team?" That shifts the dynamic and can make the contact uncomfortable.
Send a thank-you note within 24 hours
After the conversation, send a brief, personalized thank-you by email. Reference one specific thing they said that was useful or that you plan to act on. This shows you were genuinely listening and closes the loop professionally.
Example: "Thank you for taking the time today. Your point about the value of getting a data visualization certification before applying was exactly the kind of specific guidance I needed. I'll be looking into that this week."
Once the conversation is confirmed, keep your request front of mind: you asked for their time, so be on time, lead the conversation, and stay within the agreed window. For guidance on how cold outreach principles apply more broadly, cold outreach to hiring managers covers the same respectful-contact framework in a job-application context.
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Career Editorial Team is the collective byline for our editorial team and contributor network. Articles published under this byline or an editorial pen name are researched, written, and reviewed according to our editorial standards for clarity, consistency, and independence before publication.
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