What are informational interviews (and why you should do them)?

Estimated read time: 5 minutes

What’s in this letter 📧

• Question from someone worried that their employer will find out they’re looking for work on LinkedIn ❓

• Using informational interviews to uncover insider info on your next company and job 💼

Question of the week:

I have made an effort to always ask the budget for a role while discussing with HR as a company will never hire without a budget in mind.

A recruiter reached out via email and asked if I was interested in a role. I was very much and it was/is the same job I work now, just for a larger and more successful company.

She asked my current salary and I refused to give it before I got the budget. I do this since it is illegal for her to ask and secondly, I know I am getting heavily underpaid as I took this job to learn all the skills I needed to move forward.

She thus shared the budget and it was more than double what I was receiving.

She then asked me what I was getting paid and when she heard it she said "that's a pretty raw deal". So we both acknowledged I am underpaid.

When she asked what I expected, I said I wanted the budget amount (or the middle thereof). She then responded and said "thats unrealistic, you can only expect a 20% raise".

What should I do?

Note this recruiter is an independent one and not affiliated to the company itself.

Should I just reach out directly to the company itself?

My response:

First, no, don’t reach out to the company. What’s done is done.

For next time:

1. Research what the salary range is for the role. Use one of the tools below 👇🏻

2. Set a minimum number (you’re not prepared to accept an offer below this number).

3. Never reveal your range or minimum number to the recruiter. Instead, say you’re negotiable and ask them what their own range is. If they push you, give them the 70% of the range you found in step 1.

4. Once you receive an offer and if it aligns with your expectations, great. If not, say “Thank you for the generous offer, but I’m currently receiving other offers in the range of $X to $Y - is there any way you could make up the difference?”.

5. Remember to consider the whole package (salary, bonus, PTO, and health benefits). What they can’t make up in salary might be doable in sign-on-bonus or PTO.

Understanding Informational Interviews

Don’t you wish you could find out what it’s like working for company X or position Y beforehand, so you could determine if its right for you? By using one of favourite research tools, informational interviews, you can.

It’s not a job interview, but an opportunity to connect with someone who already works in a field you’re interested in learning more about.

It’ll allow you to obtain insights about a specific job, an individual's career path, or detailed information about an industry or company.

The conversation should also allow you to gain a better understanding of a person's role, their daily tasks, responsibilities, and the overall work environment at their company.

How to find people to interview

To find people to interviews:

• Reach out to friends, family, and acquaintances to see if they know anyone in the industry you're interested in. You’d be surprised what you might find.

• Use LinkedIn. I cover this step in more detail in Issue #008 of my newsletter.

Advantages of Informational Interviews

Informational interviews give you firsthand accounts from people actually doing what you want to do. There are a lot of advantages to engaging them, such as:

• Learn about the company’s hiring practices

• Learn about what a day in the life of job X is like

• They can uncover useful info about a company’s culture

• Expand your network

Conducting an Informational Interview

Treat each interview professionally - you never want to come off as disrespectful of the other party’s time and knowledge.

Have a clear purpose for the interview and tell your interviewee this in advance.

In most cases, your contact will be interested and willing to help. If the interview is in person, be punctual, dress appropriately, and be prepared with questions to guide the conversation. Research the individual and their company beforehand to demonstrate your interest.

Lastly, keep it brief (approximately 15 to 30 minutes). Be aware that your contact may also have questions for you, so be ready with your own elevator pitch.

Preparing Questions for an Informational Interview

Ask questions that delve deeper than what can be found through a simple online search. This means asking questions about the person's career journey, daily responsibilities, and any advice they may have for someone interested in their field.

Occupational and Functional Questions

There are two kinds of questions you could ask:

• Occupational: These focus on the job itself

• Functional: These focus on the specific skills and tasks required for a particular job

Below a list of questions under each category that you can use for your next interview.

Occupational Questions

1. What is your title at company X?

2. Are there any alternative titles for your position?

3. Can you describe the duties performed during a typical day, week, month, or year? Is there a set routine or significant variety in the tasks?

4. What kind of education would you recommend for this role? Are there specific courses that you could recommend?

5. What types of work or internship experience does the company look for in its applicants? How can someone gain this experience?

6. Are there any co-curricular activities that are recommended?

7. What steps (besides meeting educational and work requirements) are necessary to break into this field (e.g., exams, interviews, union membership, certifications)?

8. What are some essential keywords to include in a resume or cover letter when job hunting in this field?

9. What are the opportunities for advancement?

Functional Questions

1. How many hours do you typically work?

2. What kind of education do you have?

3. What was your career path from college to your current position?

4. What aspects of your work do you find most satisfying?

5. What are the greatest pressures or challenges?

6. What are the primary job responsibilities?

7. What aspects of the job do you find least satisfying?

8. How would you describe the workplace culture or atmosphere?

9. Are there any additional questions you should have asked to learn more about the job or occupation?

10. Can you suggest any other contacts who may be valuable sources of information?

Don’t forget to say thank you

Remember to send a thank you note after the interview - it’s just common courtesy, and it’ll make your contact more likely to help you in the future (like if they become your coworker!).

And that’s a wrap!

About the Author

I’m James, Cofounder of Final Draft Resumes. I’ve been in the career consulting space for 13 years, and before that, I was a recruiter for AECOM.

I’ve helped thousands of job seekers, from industries like software engineering, IT, sales, marketing, manufacturing, and more generate job opportunities through well-written resumes that translate unique backgrounds into coherent narratives.

If you’re struggling with your resume for whatever reason, reach out - I just might be able to help!

If you’re more of a DIY person, then check out Resumatic, my free-to-try resume builder.