The 3 Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Were Making in Informational Interviews
Three Common Mistakes Job Seekers Make in Informational Interviews and What to Say Instead
First, let’s go over the purpose of the informational interview. It has two crucial components:
- Connecting with another human being
- Learning about an industry, company, and/or role
Notice that connecting is more important than learning. This can sometimes be confusing since it’s called an “informational” interview, so one might think that the goal is to acquire information. But, by connecting with someone else, you are paving the way to maximize your learning because the person you are speaking with is more likely to feel invested in your success.
If you’re having trouble making progress in your job search, reflect on whether you’re making one of these mistakes in your informational interviews!
1. Focusing on yourself
People like talking about themselves. Sure, that probably applies to you too. But, this is about making a connection, not about promoting your interests and experience. People don’t like other people because of their knowledge. People like people who make them feel important and interesting.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou
Your voice should fill up <50% of the air time in the conversation and probably much less than that. It’s worth sharing enough of your background (1 minute or less) to contextualize your interest in the conversation with them, but don’t use the call as a chance to pitch yourself. Ask questions about your conversation partner’s experience in the industry/company/role you’re interested in.
2. Sticking to the script
Often people new to informational interviewing will develop a solid list of questions to ask, but then make the mistake of firing them off like an interrogation.
Preparation is fantastic; go into the conversation with a list of topics you might discuss. But, be responsive to where your conversation partner wants to take the conversation. If they mention they just got back from vacation when you’re opening the conversation, ask for details! After they answer a question about their industry or job, ask a follow-up question to learn more and show you were listening.
3. Exuding desperation
The job search is stressful. It can feel like there’s a chance you’ll never get a job. Unfortunately, acting like this in a conversation can create a self-fulfilling prophecy. There’s a reason that “playing hard to get” is a frequently used dating strategy. Acting desperate turns people off, whether in dating or in networking. If you feel uncomfortable and nervous, it can make your discussion partner feel uncomfortable too!
Say this… Not That
- What would you be doing if you were me and wanted to intern in this industry?…Will you recommend me for an internship?
- What kinds of projects have interns or new hires done in the past?…Are there any projects that I could do as an intern?
- I’d love to learn more about what it’s like to work here…I want to work here.
Preparation that helps you avoid these mistakes
If you find yourself struggling with making one or more of these mistakes, set some time aside before an informational call to mentally prepare. This is probably a good idea regardless of how good you get at doing them!
- Review the LinkedIn page of the person with whom you are going to speak.
- Browse the news for any important happenings at your interviewee’s company so you aren’t caught off guard if they mention something like “we got acquired yesterday.”
- Make a list of potential questions to ask (see #2 above). If you aren’t sure what to ask, consider reading The 2-Hour Job Search or Googling its author’s TIARA framework.
- Just beforehand, find a way to calm your nerves, whether it is getting yourself a cup of tea, listening to music, or closing your eyes for a short meditation.
Most importantly, remind yourself that other people love to talk about themselves, so the person you are going to talk to is predisposed to enjoy the conversation. Let yourself enjoy it too!
Catherine is a business strategist, Duke Fuqua MBA ’21, career coach, and startup enthusiast based in Durham, NC. Feel free to reach out!
