Teach me about informational interviews

[Anonymous]

I have reached out to a few people at my old company to set up some informational interviews with people in other companies doing similar work.

Soooo... now what? What is my goal in these meetings? Should I ask general questions? Try to sell myself in case they have an opening?

It feels like such a basic thing, but it's been a long time since I was on the job market, and never on such as tight market as this.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Ask questions about the job you are interested in. People like to talk about themselves and they will try to help you if you are professional and courteous. Do not try to sell yourself. They will not welcome that. GL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask questions about the job you are interested in. People like to talk about themselves and they will try to help you if you are professional and courteous. Do not try to sell yourself. They will not welcome that. GL.

Sorry, to be clear... my goal is to be pleasant and interested so that they will help me? As in, recommend me to someone who might be hiring? I know a great deal about the field; while there are always small differences in how my job is done in this or that company, asking questions about it seems a little disingenuous.

[Anonymous]

Then you're not on an "informational interview" - you're networking.

Take them to lunch, bring your resume and explicitly state that you're in the market and would like their help.

Best outcome: They connect you with someone they know, and you go on from there.