Step 20 of 21: How to Use Informational Interviews to Enhance Your Job Search Strategy Artwork

The FlexJobs Podcast: Career Advice & Job Search Tips

Remote job search tips and career advice from FlexJobs.FlexJobs is a job board highlighting only the best remote, hybrid, and flexible schedule jobs ranging from entry-level to executive, freelance to full-time, and local to global. Our team of trained researchers hand-screens every job listing to ensure legitimacy.In 2007, FlexJobs founder and CEO - Sara Sutton - was looking for something better after losing her full-time job. She was already seven months pregnant with her first child and needed something that was going to be flexible but still help further her career. That’s when the idea for FlexJobs came: A site where job seekers could find professional-level work-from-home jobs, without the ads, scams or junk found on other sites.Subscribe to this podcast to get inside tips from our career experts on how to find and land a remote job. FlexJobs - Find A Better Way To Work. https://www.flexjobs.com/

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The FlexJobs Podcast: Career Advice & Job Search Tips

Step 20 of 21: How to Use Informational Interviews to Enhance Your Job Search Strategy

August 17, 2023 • FlexJobs • Season 2 • Episode 20

Step 20 of the job search challenge introduces the concept of informational interviews, a powerful tool to gain valuable insights into your target role or industry. Informational interviews involve connecting with professionals in your desired field and engaging in conversations to draw from their experience and expertise. While the ultimate goal is not to secure a job offer, these interviews can lead to potential leads and valuable advice for your career journey. Check out the linked resources for more information on conducting effective informational interviews to enhance your job search strategy.

Important Links:
• Guide to Informational Interviews: Questions to Ask, Tips, and Next Steps: https://bit.ly/3Qm1RA8
• FlexJobs Webinar: How to Find Remote Jobs That Fit You: https://youtu.be/B1lh4HHjrKs

FlexJobs is a subscription service for job seekers that features flexible and remote jobs. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and a 4.7 rating from over 10,000 reviews, FlexJobs ensures that customers have a safe and positive remote job searching experience - without the ads, scams and junk found on other job sites.

FlexJobs | Find A Better Way To Work

I want to congratulate you on your persistence! You are almost through all 21 steps to help you maximize the effectiveness of your job search! A powerful tool that is available to you in your job search is an informational interview. Let’s dive in and talk about that.
There are times in our career where we may be looking to target a specific company, make a slight shift, transition up the ladder, or maybe even a very dynamic career change. In those times, it is extremely helpful and necessary to research the target role or industry. While we can gather great insights from researching online sources, there is valuable information that can be gleaned from talking to someone directly in that industry or role, that you may not get any other way. That is where an informational interview comes in.
Essentially, an informational interview is an opportunity to connect with someone in your target job or field and “interview” them. Of course, gaining a lead for a potential job would be a great byproduct of the conversation, however the goal is to gain valuable insights drawing from their professional experience and expertise.
Start with your existing network. Look to see if there is anyone within that network that may be a good candidate to approach for an informational interview. If you aren’t able to locate someone within that immediate circle, begin to do your research of others outside your circle and look for those that have success and potential insights to offer in your target direction. Certainly, LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to use as you are researching and making connections.
Once you’ve done your research and determined someone that you would like to talk with, it’s time to reach out to them. Send them a brief note explaining how you found them, that you are currently looking to make a transition into a similar role or field that they are in, and then ask if they would be willing to spend 20-30 minutes of time sharing their perspective and insights into that career path.
As you start the interview, thank them for their time and resist the temptation to begin rapid-firing your questions. In an effort to gain unique insights, avoid asking general questions like tell me about the industry. Rather, ask questions that will generate understanding from their personal experience such as:
How did you get your start in the field?
What do you enjoy the most and what do you enjoy the least about your position?
What surprised you?
What are you working on right now?
Since they are likely sharing some very helpful insights, make sure to be taking good notes while they are talking. And, once you're finished with the interview, just as in a typical job interview, be sure to send a note thanking them for their time. I definitely encourage you to check out the links in the description below to learn more about informational interviews.