Informational Interviews: How to Learn From People Already Doing the Work

Reading about an occupation tells you what it looks like on paper. Talking with someone who does it tells you what it is like on a Tuesday afternoon. An informational interview is a short, low-pressure conversation in which you ask a person about their work so you can decide whether that path fits you.

It is not a request for a position, and you should never treat it as one. That clarity is exactly what makes people willing to say yes.

What an informational interview is (and isn’t)

An informational interview is:

• A 15 to 30 minute conversation, in person, by phone, or on video
• Focused on the other person’s experience and advice
• Something you lead, with prepared questions

It is not:

• A disguised request for a role or a referral
• A chance to hand over your resume unprompted
• A sales pitch for yourself

If the conversation goes well, the person may offer to introduce you to others or keep you in mind. Let that happen naturally.

Who to ask

Start with people who are one or two steps ahead of where you want to be, not only senior leaders. Someone two years into a role remembers how they got there and can describe the day-to-day work in detail.

Good places to find people:

• Your own network: former coworkers, classmates, neighbors, friends of family
• Alumni groups: many schools and training programs keep directories or online groups
• Professional associations: local chapters often hold free or low-cost events
• Professional networking sites: search by job title and location, then look for shared connections
• Your local American Job Center: staff can sometimes suggest local contacts and events. Find one at CareerOneStop.

How to ask

Keep your request short, specific, and easy to say yes to. Here is a template you can adapt:

Hi Maria, my name is Jordan. I’m exploring a move into medical billing and saw that you’ve worked in revenue cycle roles at Lakeside Health for a few years. Would you be open to a 20-minute call in the next couple of weeks? I’d love to hear how you got started and what the work is really like. I’m not asking about openings, just trying to learn. Thank you either way.

Why this works:

• It says who you are and why you chose them
• It names a clear, limited time
• It removes pressure by saying what you are not asking for

If you do not hear back, one polite follow-up after a week is fine. After that, move on. People are busy, and silence is rarely personal.

Preparing for the conversation

Spend 20 minutes on research first. Look at the person’s public profile, their employer’s website, and the occupation in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. You do not want to spend their time asking things you could have looked up.

Then choose six to eight questions. You will probably only get to five.

Questions about the work

• What does a typical week look like for you?
• What parts of the job take more time than people expect?
• What do you enjoy most, and what is hardest?

Questions about getting in

• How did you get your first role in this field?
• What training or certifications actually made a difference?
• If you were starting today, what would you do differently?

Questions about the field

• How is the work changing?
• What skills do newer people in your team tend to be missing?
• Who else would you suggest I talk to?

That last question is one of the most valuable you can ask. One good conversation often leads to two more.

During the conversation

• Be on time and confirm the length at the start: “I know we have 20 minutes, so I’ll keep an eye on the clock.”
• Listen more than you talk. A good ratio is about 70 percent them, 30 percent you.
• Take brief notes, and say that you are doing so.
• Share a little about yourself when asked, in two or three sentences. Your self-assessment profile is useful here. See Know Your Strengths.
• End on time, even if the conversation is going well. Offer to continue if they wish.

After the conversation

Send a thank-you note within a day. Mention one specific piece of advice and what you plan to do with it:

Thanks again for your time today, Maria. Your point about getting comfortable with coding software before anything else was really helpful. I’ve signed up for an intro course at the community college this spring. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Then keep notes in a simple spreadsheet: name, role, date, key takeaways, and any follow-up you promised. A few months later, a short update (“I finished the course you suggested”) keeps the relationship warm without asking for anything.

What to do with what you learn

After three or four conversations, look for patterns:

• Do people describe the work in a way that matches your energizing tasks?
• Is the usual path into the field realistic for your timeline and budget?
• Did anything you heard rule the path out?

Ruling a path out is a useful result. It saves you from investing months of training in the wrong direction.

Common worries

“I don’t want to bother anyone.” Many people enjoy talking about their work and remember someone who helped them. A clear, short request respects their time.

“I’m an introvert.” Informational interviews are structured and one-on-one, which many introverts find easier than group networking events. Prepared questions do most of the work.

“What if they ask for my resume?” Have a current one ready to send afterward. Our Resume basics guide can help.

Your next steps

1. List five people you could contact this month.
2. Send two requests this week using the template above.
3. Prepare your questions and a two-sentence introduction.
4. Track every conversation and follow up with a thank-you note.