Information Interviews

The majority of job seekers today use job search sites and social media to find jobs. It has become all the rage recently to network yourself and rightly so. Most available positions are not visible to the public eye through these sites, thus requiring you to know somebody. If you're like me, then you always find yourself asking "Who is this somebody?"

Well this somebody is a person who becomes known through networking, being involved in your field, or, well, because you're lucky and someone in your family can give you an in!

For those of  us who aren't that lucky, I have the perfect way to follow the networking bandwagon while gaining insight information into your potential place of work. That is a double whammy!

The answer: INFORMATION INTERVIEWS

It is called an information interview when you, an interested potential/future employee, call a business or individual in the field in which you would like to work, and set up a time where you can call and interview them about their workplace, the field, and the company itself.

To get started I would suggest:

1. Contacting someone who you think you would want to speak with and ask them if they would be willing to answer a few of your questions at a convenient time for them

2. Go on the companies website and develop questions which you can ask them

3. If you are going in person, bring along your business cards and resume

4. Be sure to ask if they know of anyone else you may be able to speak with and ask them for one of their business cards before you leave

5. Send a letter, e-mail or card following the interview to thank them for their time


As you can see an information interview is an awesome way to make yourself known and to get to know your future field of study/work to make sure it is right for you. The more contacts you make the better it will be for you when you are applying. Then hopefully you can be the person saying " I knew somebody!".

All the best,
Rosemary

P.S I hope studying has been going well for you all!