What to Cover in an Informational Interview
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Informational interviews are a great way to get leads and, often, they’re with people that you don’t know particularly well or haven’t been in contact with in a long time.
Here is an agenda for the meeting because most people start getting antsy when you start crossing over the 30 minute mark.
The first part of the conversation is chit chat “hi! How are you? thanks for making time to meet with me,” if it’s an old acquaintance, friend colleague to get caught up with them. If it’s a new acquaintance, gush profusely over them and their willingness to meet with you.
From there, you talk about why you wanted to meet with them, what you were hoping to learn from them. From there, start going into your questions which are designed to flush out more about what they know about this profession, what they know about the market for what you do, people and opportunities . . . things along those lines. The goal here is not to focus on people and opportunities. It’s to focus on answers to questions in general and cause them to start thinking of you and, in their mind, what you can do for someone else.
Then, start thanking them profusely and ask them if there’s something that you can do to help them. For example, if they need support on something or your help with something. Express that you’re very willing to do it, not just while you’re sitting there but they can text, call or email you help or advice at some point time in the future as a way of reciprocating their generosity with you
Remember, it is not just what you say that matters. It’s how you say it to communicate sincerity that matters.
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