Key Takeaways
Informational Interview
An informational interview is a short, scheduled conversation you initiate with someone working in a field, company, or role you're curious about. Unlike a job interview, you're the one asking the questions — and there's no open position on the line. The goal is to gather firsthand knowledge, expand your professional network, and gain clarity about a career direction.
Sometimes called a 'career conversation' or 'networking meeting,' informational interviews are distinct from job interviews in that they are initiated by the job seeker and carry no immediate hiring expectation from either party.
Why Informational Interviews Matter in a Job Search
Most job seekers focus almost entirely on job postings. But a significant portion of roles — particularly at higher levels — are filled through relationships before they're ever advertised. Informational interviews help you build those relationships before you need them.
Beyond networking, these conversations deliver something job boards can't: unfiltered insight. A 20-minute conversation with someone inside your target industry can tell you more about the actual day-to-day of a role than a hundred job descriptions. That clarity sharpens your focus, improves your applications, and helps you ask better questions when a real interview comes along.
If you've been relying heavily on online applications with limited results, adding informational interviews to your approach is one of the most effective adjustments you can make. See how networking compares to cold applications for a fuller picture of where each approach pays off.
“The biggest mistake job seekers make is waiting until they're desperate to start building relationships. Informational interviews work best when they're part of ongoing career development, not a last resort.”
— Richard Bolles, Career development author and longtime workforce adviser
How to Request an Informational Interview
The request is where most people hesitate — worried about being rejected or coming across as presumptuous. In practice, professionals receive these requests more often than you might think, and many are genuinely happy to help when approached correctly.
Keep your outreach short and specific
Your message should accomplish three things: introduce yourself briefly, explain why you're reaching out to this specific person, and make a clear, easy-to-accept ask. Aim for four to six sentences total. Vague requests like "I'd love to pick your brain" tend to get ignored. Specific ones — "I'm exploring a transition into UX research and admired your recent talk on inclusive design" — tend to land.
Use the right channels
LinkedIn is the most common starting point for cold outreach. Alumni networks, professional associations, and mutual connections are warmer paths. If you have a mutual contact, ask them to make an introduction — a warm handoff dramatically increases response rates.
Propose a format and time
Suggest a 20-minute video call or phone call and offer two or three time windows. This removes the friction of back-and-forth scheduling and signals that you respect their time. If they prefer email responses instead of a call, be flexible and prepared with a short list of written questions.
Write Your Request Like a Professional Email
Treat your outreach message with the same care as a cover letter. Proofread it, personalize it, and avoid generic openers like 'Hope this finds you well.' A specific, well-written message signals that you're serious and that their time won't be wasted.
For job seekers searching while still employed, maintaining discretion during outreach is worth thinking through before you start messaging contacts.
Making the Most of the Conversation
Once someone agrees to meet, preparation matters. Research their background, their company, and their industry before the call. Prepare five to seven thoughtful questions, but be ready to let the conversation flow naturally — rigid scripts kill rapport.
70–80%
Jobs filled through networking
Various workforce researchers and career coaches have long cited estimates in this range, though the precise figure is difficult to pin down — the broader point is that relationships matter significantly in hiring.
20 min
Ideal informational interview length
Career advisers consistently recommend requesting no more than 20–30 minutes to maximize acceptance rates and show respect for the contact's time.
Good questions to consider include: What do you wish you'd known before entering this field? How has the role evolved in recent years? What skills do you see becoming more important? What does a realistic career path look like from here?
Avoid putting the person on the spot to help you get a job — that's not what you agreed to and it creates discomfort. If they offer to refer you or pass along your resume, accept graciously. But let that come from them.
After the conversation, send a specific thank-you within 24 hours and stay in occasional, light contact. A LinkedIn connection request after the call is appropriate. The goal is a genuine professional relationship, not a one-time transaction.
If your broader search has stalled, informational interviews are one of the adjustments worth making — and recognizing the signs your strategy needs a reset can help you identify where else to shift your effort.