Key Takeaways
What an Informational Interview Actually Is
An informational interview is a structured but informal conversation with someone working in a role, industry, or company you want to learn more about. You set it up. You ask the questions. The other person shares their honest experience.
It is not networking in the vague, transactional sense most people dread. It is targeted, purposeful research — the kind that job listings, company websites, and career guides simply cannot provide. If you are starting to think deliberately about your career direction for the first time, these conversations are one of the fastest ways to get grounded.
This Is Not a Job Interview
The term 'informational interview' sometimes causes confusion. You are not applying for a role or asking someone to hire you — you are asking for their perspective and experience. Keeping that boundary clear is both ethically important and practically effective: people are far more relaxed and candid when they know no hiring decision is on the table.
The format is flexible. Most informational interviews happen over a video call or phone, last 20–30 minutes, and are requested by the curious party — typically someone considering a career move, entering a new field, or trying to understand what a role actually involves day to day.
Why It Works Better Than Passive Research
Job descriptions are written to attract applicants, not inform them. They emphasize requirements and benefits while glossing over the frustrations, the actual workflow, and what separates people who thrive in a role from those who wash out in six months.
A 30-minute conversation with someone in the job cuts through that. You can ask what surprised them. You can ask what they wish they had known before taking the role. You can ask what skills they actually use versus what the posting said.
“The biggest career mistakes I see are made by people who researched a job title but never actually talked to someone doing it. Reality and description rarely match.”
— Beverly Kaye, Career development author and co-author of 'Love 'Em or Lose 'Em'
This matters especially if you are considering a significant change. Before committing to retraining, additional credentials, or a pay cut to break into a new field, talking to two or three people already there can either confirm your direction or reveal a mismatch early — before the cost is real. See our career change readiness checklist for the broader questions worth answering first.
Best Practices for Making These Conversations Count
Research the person before you reach out
Generic outreach signals that you have not done your homework and makes it easy to ignore. Specific, informed requests show respect for the other person's time and dramatically increase your response rate.
Prepare five to seven focused questions in advance
Open-ended conversations meander. Specific questions lead to specific answers. Preparing beforehand also signals that you are serious, which puts the other person at ease and encourages candor.
Ask about the unglamorous parts of the role
Most people only ask about the positives. Asking what's genuinely hard, repetitive, or frustrating gives you information that no job description provides — and shows you are thinking seriously, not just seeking validation.
End by asking who else you should speak with
One conversation gives you one perspective. Asking for referrals expands your research network naturally and keeps the relationship feeling reciprocal rather than extractive.
Follow up with a specific, genuine thank-you
A brief follow-up within 24 hours closes the loop professionally and keeps the door open for future contact. Mentioning something specific you took away shows you were paying attention.
When you put these practices together, an informational interview stops being a vague networking gesture and becomes a genuine research tool — one that complements the kind of self-assessment covered in our guide on conducting a personal skills audit.
Start Today: Three Actions Worth Taking Now
Most people who benefit from informational interviews didn't wait until they had everything figured out. They started small, with one message to one person. The conversations built from there.
Understanding where real hires come from can also shape how you use these conversations. Our piece on job boards, recruiters, and referrals explains why relationships often matter more than applications in the hiring process.