How can informational interviews help you make a successful career change?

In my experience, informal informational interviews are a key part of getting the job you want. I hear it all the time, that the job process is unfair, that the hiring manager knew who they wanted to hire before the job was posted. My reply is, you didn't separate yourself as the person they wanted to hire. And the person they did hire did a better job than you in making themselves the choice. What are you doing to make yourself the person the hiring manager wants to hire, before the job vacancy exists? Informational interviews are a good step to take.

As a career counselor, I highly recommend informational interviews to fuel your career change journey for the following: Reality Check: Chatting with professionals in your target field gives you a firsthand look at the day-to-day, challenges, and rewards. This can adjust your expectations and confirm if it aligns with your interests and skills. Insider Knowledge: Know industry trends, career paths within the field, and valuable skills you might need to develop. Networking: Conversations open doors! Confidence Booster: Talking to people who've made similar transitions validates your aspirations and provides valuable encouragement. Their stories and advice can empower you to take the leap with more confidence.

Successful career changes are facilitated by informational interviews, offering crucial insights into a new field. Connecting with professionals provides firsthand knowledge to assess the alignment of the field with your interests and skills. Networking during these interviews can lead to mentorship or job referrals, enhancing the chances of a smooth transition. Leveraging these insights, you can tailor your resume, identify skill gaps, and strategize a targeted approach for your career change.

Informational interviews are a wonderful way of getting primed for actual interviews wherein we are able to go prepared based on the information we have gathered during our informational interview. This helps us to deeply review ourselves

Las entrevistas informativas son valiosas para ampliar tu comprensión del campo laboral deseado, establecer conexiones profesionales y obtener información directa de profesionales con experiencia. Estas entrevistas pueden proporcionar perspectivas únicas y consejos prácticos para guiar tu desarrollo profesional y tomar decisiones informadas sobre tu carrera.

Informational interviews allows you to "look under the hood" of any industry or company. If you can connect with someone you trust or have a rapport with at a company or within a department you're interested in, you'll want to ask / say: 1. Tell me about the leadership. What's the leadership style? What's their vision and priorities for this year? What are their biggest pain points? 2. What's the culture like? How diverse and inclusive are they? What are the demographics like? What are the relationship dynamics? 3. What's career growth like? Are the leaders enthusiastic about mentorship and sponsorship? WHO do they typically mentor and sponsor? How is advancement specifically for Black and Brown folks?

Informational interviews are an important tool in career development, career change, and career maintenance. They offer a valuable opportunity to: - Gain wider and more diverse perspectives on career experiences. - Ask creative questions, and the potential to gain further referrals. - Widen your knowledge of the hidden job market. - Practice articulating your value by highlighting and connecting some of your own experiences to your current value and expertise. - Describe what you are interested in and what you would like to learn or develop further. - Engage in creative brainstorming. Hearing someone else’s ideas, perspectives, and insights is invaluable to activating your creativity. - Gain perspective on what you can improve or change.

Oferă cunoștințe directe despre roluri și industrii de interes. Ajută la construirea de conexiuni care pot duce la oportunități de muncă. Pot clarifica obiectivele tale și te ajută să evaluezi dacă noua carieră este potrivită.

The most important thing they do is that they help us to assess the sync between what we are looking for and our competence with respect to that.

Informational interviews are probably the very best source of intel when considering a job move. It could cover technical skills valued, insights into the firm's culture, application tips, insider perspectives on successes and industry topics. Always ask for another name if the call went well!

When we are well prepared, we know what questions to ask and are therefore able to extract the best information. Better preparation always makes for better results.

Actually I allways want to know more about the company then my counterpart. Sometimes there is an strategic document about the company online, sometimes there is an financial document online and on Linkedin you can find what your counterpart is interested in. This will help you get the conversation started. #beinformed

Durante la entrevista, mantén una actitud profesional y muestra interés genuino. Haz preguntas abiertas y reflexivas, escucha activamente y toma notas. No monopolices la conversación y permite que el entrevistado comparta sus experiencias y consejos. Al final, agradece y pide la posibilidad de mantenerse en contacto o hacer más preguntas en el futuro. Después de la entrevista, envía un agradecimiento por escrito y reflexiona sobre la información obtenida para aplicarla en tu búsqueda de cambio de carrera.

Informează-te despre persoana pe care o intervievezi și despre organizația lor. Pregătește întrebări bine gândite despre parcursul lor profesional, perspectivele din industrie și sfaturi pentru cei în tranziție. Definește ce vrei să realizezi din conversație.

Recuerda expresar gratitud al final de la entrevista, solicitar información adicional o referencias si es apropiado y enviar un agradecimiento por escrito después de la reunión. Mantente enfocado en tus objetivos y haz un seguimiento de manera respetuosa y profesional. Estas prácticas te ayudarán a construir relaciones valiosas y obtener información clave para tu cambio de carrera.

Abordează interviul cu seriozitate, respectând timpul persoanei. Concentrează-te pe răspunsuri și angajează-te în discuție. Introduce-te și explică-ți interesul în domeniul respectiv.

Trimite un email de mulțumire, exprimându-ți recunoștința pentru timpul și informațiile oferite. Menține legătura și informează-i despre progresul tău în schimbarea carierei. Oferă să îi ajuți la rândul tău, fie prin resurse, fie prin networking.

It's easy to get into the transactional relationship trap. ➡️ You send a thank-you note. ➡️ They respond. ➡️ Potential relationship fades as you have nothing to reengage them. Build the relationship by asking questions about them.   ➡️  What’s coming up that you’re excited about? When is that happening? 🔷  You can follow up before or after the event.   ➡️  As you consider your career goals, what would you find helpful? 🔷  What connections are you looking to make? 🔷  What questions are you looking to get answered? 🔷  What resources are you looking for? Track their responses. As you meet more people you’ll come across people and resources they’ll appreciate. Connect them with those.

Además, tenga en cuenta que el seguimiento debe ser respetuoso y no invasivo, mostrando su aprecio genuino por la oportunidad de aprender de ellos. El seguimiento cuidadoso puede fortalecer las conexiones y abrir puertas para futuras colaboraciones o incluso oportunidades laborales en su nuevo campo.

Allways send a text / email afterwards with a "thank you" and if there were any, to do's. After a couple of months (for example 3) send information about what happend with the appointment. For instance, other appointments, a job interview or valuable insight. #allwaysstayconnected

When you send your thank-you email, cite something specific that they shared which added value for you. Perhaps they told you about a course you could take, or experience you can gain now that will position you well for the future. People love to help, and especially love to know how they have helped.

Informational interviews are crucial for those changing careers, offering deep insights into new fields and roles. They help understand necessary skills, qualifications, and uncover hidden opportunities. More than just gathering information, these interviews are key to building a network that can lead to mentorship and potential job leads. Career changers should approach these sessions with an open mind, ready to adapt based on the insights gained. Maintaining relationships formed during these interviews is vital, as ongoing interactions can provide continuous learning and networking benefits. Thus, informational interviews are an essential strategy for career transitions, blending practical knowledge with valuable networking.