Occupational Information Interview

Many college students ask themselves questions:

What will a typical day be like when I am working in my career field?

What can I do to make myself more marketable to a prospective employer?

If you have asked yourself questions such as these, an Occupational Information Interview * (also referred to as information interview or informational interview) is for you. An Occupational Information Interview is a meeting that you initiate with a professional in your career field. The purpose of this type of interview is to learn more about a career field that interests you, what employers are looking for in prospective employees and what a typical day is really like on the job.

First, find a potential professional to interview. You can contact your college’s alumni association or career services office to find an alumnus in your career field, ask a professor for contacts or check the Internet or phone book to find potential contacts. Second, simply call a professional in your field to schedule an Information Interview. Explain that you are a student who is looking to get an insider's perspective about the job field, and request to set up a time to discuss their views.

If the professional declines your request, simply find another professional to ask. The professional may be too busy or have had a bad experience with a previous Occupational Information Interview.

The majority of Occupational Information Interviews are done in the professional's office. However, you could also conduct a modified Occupational Information Interview over the phone if it is more convenient for the professional or if you live far away.

Most professionals are quite receptive to these requests. Many professionals are flattered that you are interested in their career and that you are looking to them for advice.

A day or two before the interview confirm the date and time with the professional. Write out a list of five to seven questions related questions (and remember to bring the list). Plan to arrive for the appointment five minutes early. Dress professionally (similarly to how you would dress for a job interview). Bring an uncluttered notebook and pen to the interview for note taking.

Greet the professional with a strong handshake. Keep your attention focused during the interview. Even though the professional may take calls during the interview, you should have your phone off. After the interview thank the professional, shake hands and ask for a business card. Keep the card; the professional may become an important business contact for you.

Following the interview, formally thank professional for taking the time to meet with you. This can be done by email, letter or hand-written note card. No matter what form your thank-you is in, be sure to use correct spelling and proper grammar. In your thank you, recount something about the interview that was particularly helpful. You can also remind the professional about your career plans.

The reason is that an Occupational Information Interview may lead to a future internship or job; however, never directly ask for a job or internship during an Occupational Information Interview. It is considered poor etiquette to do so, and many professionals will feel they have been manipulated into a job interview disguised as an Occupational Information Interview. It is acceptable to follow up with the professional on a different occasion about possible internship or employment opportunities.

If you choose to use a hand-written note card for your thank you, be sure to use a plain, blank card that is a neutral color. Write out the words you are going to use advance and then copy it onto the card in your best handwriting. If you do not have good handwriting, choose a different option.

Occupational Information Interviews can be very helpful for college students. They can help students learn more about the career field and help add to their network of business contacts. Many students will have multiple Occupational Information Interviews with professionals from different companies for multiple perspectives.



*Both "Information Interview" and "Informational Interview" are common terms for the type of interview described in this article. The author chose to use "Occupational Information Interview" because she believed it was more descriptive and potentially less confusing than the more common terms.