What is an Information Interview?

• a conversation with someone in the field you are interested in working in, intended to help you learn what it is really like to work in that field
• an opportunity to identify organizations you might ultimately like to work for
• an opportunity to better prepare for a subsequent job interview by helping you to gather "on the spot" information

• Read everything you can find about the organization BEFORE the interview, so that you can ask really useful questions. Use the Internet.

• a typical day?
• the kinds of people who suceed/fail in this kind of job?
• the kinds of credentials or degrees required to start in this work?
• the skills that are needed in this work? the skills that one develops?
• the kind of training that is available?
• typical entry and mid-level earnings?
• what surprised/pleased you about this work?
• the kind of advancement in this work? typical career path?
• how long people tend to stay in this position? with this organization?
• the atmosphere in this office/organization?
• how you got started?
• would you choose this field again? if not, why not?
• what prior experiences prepared you for this work?
• what do you like/dislike about this organization?
• what do you think about the future of this work? this industry? this organization?
• the value system of this organization? the culture?
• how has the recession impacted your industry?
• whether you feel this work has made you more or less marketable outside this organization?
• how has this position effected your personal life? is there much overtime?
• what do you wish someone had told you before you entered this field?