Standing out in an informational interview

November 3, 2009 1:19 PM

Please help me rock this informational interview. Looking for any personal tips - something you were asked or discussed that blew your mind as an interviewer, or something that worked exceptionally well for you as an interviewee.

(I have seen this and this. The answers are helpful, but a bit broad.)

If you watch Mad Men, this might help describe my scenario. I've never worked in this particular industry before but just finished graduate school and wanted to break into something new that I think I could be good at. I have a friend who is a friend of Harry Crane's and through this connection I sent my CV to Sterling Cooper. A couple of weeks later I get called into an interview with Don Draper.

I'm nervous and excited and really want to do my best here. Tips hugely appreciated.

posted by meerkatty to Work & Money (11 answers total)

Is it an informational interview or an interview . As an interviewer, I typically approach them very differently.

To clarify, do you know if there is a position (or funding) to hire you?
posted by pencroft at 1:42 PM on November 3, 2009

i'm not completely sure what it means to rock an informational interview. today's post on Ask A Manager might be relevant to you if you're thinking on parlaying an informational interview into an interview for a position. best of luck to you.
posted by anthropomorphic at 1:42 PM on November 3, 2009

Response by poster: It is my understanding that it is an informational interview, there is no specific position. Ordinarily I would say that this type of company would have the budget to hire someone but in this economy, who really knows. What has my spidey sense tingling is that there are about 10 people at a lower professional level that could have provided me the time for an informational interview that would have been valuable, but I've been called in to meet Don Draper.

i'm not completely sure what it means to rock an informational interview.

It means: Yes, this person seems talented. Yes, I can see this person working here. Yes, this person is standing out above the other 20 informational interviewees that I've seen over the past 6 months. Yes, I am going to remember this person a couple of months from now when something interesting pops up. It also means not making a fool of myself and wasting the guy's time.
posted by meerkatty at 1:49 PM on November 3, 2009

Best answer: I always did my best in interviews when I asked with sincere interest about the interviewer, including why they selected this career path, what they like best about the enterprise/job, what they like least, what they'd like me to pursue if I came to work there . . .
posted by bearwife at 1:50 PM on November 3, 2009

Best answer: I had two of these last week and the big key no matter what is to have your questions ready. And then do a lot of listening. If you can listen and show a nominal knowledge of the business in order to ask good questions you should be great.
posted by josher71 at 1:52 PM on November 3, 2009

Best answer: Have your questions ready
Listen
Take a few notes
Paraphrase your partner's remarks to demonstrate comprehension
Finish the interview with a call to action ("I'll contact you again in a month to let you know about my progress")
posted by KokuRyu at 2:08 PM on November 3, 2009

Best answer: Know everything there is to know about the person you are meeting, the company, the industry. I'll tell you, I have interviewed 500+ people in the past 5 years. Often, I'll decide to interview someone because they went to my college or law school. And then they come in, see my diploma on the wall, and say "gee, I didn't know you went to the same school as me." And all I can think is "no, of course you didn't know, you would have had to actually look at my bio on our corporate Website to find that out." And of course they have just eliminated themselves from the race. And on the other hand, if I sense they've read everything there is to read about me, then it says they are diligent, with a sense of purpose. I've had friends get jobs out of informational interviews; the interviewer decided to create a position to take advantage of the interviewee's knowledge, experience and enthusiasm, or referred him/her to a friend or colleague.

Importantly, send a HAND WRITTEN follow-up note VIA MAIL. One attorney, who was second on my list, bumped herself up to first by doing this, and got the job. It showed such class and graciousness. If the person references something they are interested in during the interview, mention it in the note - show them you listened.
posted by MarkMoran at 2:18 PM on November 3, 2009 [1 favorite]

ask a manager just had a post about this today. this and the older post linked from there have good info.
posted by rmd1023 at 2:25 PM on November 3, 2009

Best answer: Cannot stress enough that you are respectful of time -- please, not ten minutes late or an email for directions 25 minutes prior -- and come prepared with a basic understanding of the business of the company and the individual.

Also, it's never a bad thing to take notes of specific items to follow up. Have really been impressed when a candidate emails 5 weeks later with a link related to an expressed area of interest.

And great tip on the thank you note as well.
posted by mozhet at 2:56 PM on November 3, 2009

Best answer: When I was doing a lot of informational interviews I did all of the above (listening, questions,notes, etc.) and I would always end with asking the person who else they would recommend I talk to. It gives you an entrance to the next interview (esp if they don't know you from Adam) by referencing "Mr. Bigshot recommended that I talk to you in regards to____". Sometimes they interview went so swimmingly I got 3 or 4 references or folks to talk to next.
Good luck!
posted by Asbestos McPinto at 3:28 PM on November 3, 2009

Simple:

Be enthusiastic

Wear a suit

Listen

Be nice, respectful and pleasent

Bring a File

In your file, have facts and questions about the company ready

Shake their hands

Don't stick to any rules you've ever heard rigorously as this shows that they are not yours. Eg: Some people get hired for being "snobby" or "a smart-alec" etc, just take the general idea of everything on board. [Except bring a file, that is very easy, accesible, and makes you look a million times more composed and organised]

Good luck with it!


I hope this helps :)
posted by Cogentesque at 9:04 AM on November 4, 2009