CONDUCTING SUCCESSFUL INFORMATION-ONLY INTERVIEWS

For those of you still pondering what you will do with "the rest of your life," one of the most beneficial things you could do with your time is exploring career options.  Books, magazines, and trade journals can help somewhat in giving you a bit of the "flavor" of what different industries and jobs are like, but the best way to get the inside scoop in the types of jobs you may like is by actually experiencing them in one way or another.

Of course, internships, volunteer work, and co-op jobs get you right into the nitty-gritty of the job, but they take a little bit of time - which you may or may not have at the moment.  The next best way to learn about a job is by talking to the people who perform it every day.

Information-only interviews are initiated and controlled by you.  You ask the questions; the type of work the employee does, the company itself, the industry in general, whatever interests you about the particular job or field. 

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO EXPLORE?
First, think about the type of work that you would like to do.  If you really have no idea what you would like to do, get some books from the library or book store on this subject.  What Color Is Your Parachute? (by Bolles) and Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow. (by Sinetar) are two good examples.  Also, talk to a Career Counselor at the PA CareerLink.  Discuss your interests and skills that you already have.  They will suggest you take an assessment called the SAGE (System for Assessment Group Evaluation).  The SAGE will take into consideration your cognitive abilities, vocational interests, and vocational apitudes to give you some employment suggestion you probably haven't thought of.  Best of all . . . it's free.

DO SOME RESEARCH
Next, use the internet, library, or someone you know, to find all the information you can on your selected jobs, companies, or industries.  The more you know, the better focused you can be when making your questions during the information-only interviews.
With information-only interviewing, there is no limit on the number of types of careers you can explore.  If you have time, there are interviews to be had.

WHO DO YOU WANT TO TALK TO?
Once you have decided on a particular area to explore, your need to identify the specific person or people you want to take to.  To identify the people, you may need to call the main phone number at a company to find out the name of the manager of the department you are interested in.  The professional association responsible for your area of interest may also be able to help you located people to talk to - or they may even have a list available of people willing to talk to students.

ASK FOR THE INTERVIEW
Once you have identified whom you would like to talk to, you need to ask them for an interview.  Call the person, explain the reason for the call, (that you want to explore different career possibilities by speaking with people about what they do in their jobs) and ask if they would grant you a brief information-only interview.

Many people will not grant interviews because they may have previously granted an "information-only" interview to someone who came in and pushed for a job.  Make it very clear that you are not looking for a job, just information, and that you would appreciate them taking the time to share their views of their field.

Ensure the manager, also, that the interview will take less than twenty minutes.  Don't ask for an hour or even a half-hour or their time - they are busy people.  If you and the manager hit it off during the interview, it may run longer, but leave that up to them - don't try to force it on them.

PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW
Just because this is an information-only interview, don't feel that you don't need to prepare for it.  You should know everything you can about the company, the industry and current trends, and the job itself.

Think about what you want to find out and write down the question you want to ask so you won't forget any. 

Dress for the interview just as you would for a real job interview.  You're not asking for a job, but look and act professionally; you might make an impression that could get you a job there someday.

WHAT TO ASK
Some questions you might want to ask include:

1. What is your educational and career background?
2. How did you get interested in and involved in this line of work? 
3. How did you conduct your job search?
4. What do you like most and least about your job or field?
5. What is the employment outlook for your field?
6. How do you keep up with the changes and trends in the field?
7. What are the most important issues affecting the industry or your company?

Most people are flattered that you're interested in their job and respect their opinion.  Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions - just remember your time limit and don't get too personal.

LAST THOUGHTS
Although the interview is not for a job, if you demonstrate a sincere interest, have obviously done your homework and have some skills that could be used in the job, don't be surprised if they show an interest in you.  Don't ask for a job during the interview, but if you think you might like to work there, ask if you could apply later for a job and who to contact at that time.  Always follow up with a not thanking them for their time.

Put them on your list of network contacts and keep in touch with them.