Author: Lavie Margolin, Career Coach
An informational interview is an opportunity to meet with a professional in your field of interest to learn more about his/her job and garner any advice they may have for you. Remember, this can be an excellent chance to talk with a person in a position to help you in your job search. Here is a true story:
A few years ago, Beth was interested in breaking into the media field. An associate had a contact in the Human Resources department at a major company. Before the session, Beth went to the company website and looked into what job opportunities were available. Beth geared her resume to emphasize the points to discuss that she felt would be most appropriate regarding this position. During the interview, she answered every question to emphasize the background and skills needed for the position of interest.
At no point did she say that she had seen a job opening and would like to apply. After all, this is an informational interview (where you are not supposed to ask for a job)! The interviewer mentioned that she sounded like a great fit for a job that they had available and the interviewer would forward Beth’s resume to the appropriate manager. Needless to say, the job seeker was very interested and got a call back the next week.
About the Author: Lavie Margolin is a New York-based Career Coach and the author of Lion Cub Job Search: Practical Job Search Assistance for Practical Job Seekers. To learn more, go to Lavie’s website, Lion Cub Job Search:www.Lioncubjobsearch.com