What an Informational Interview Actually Is
An informational interview is a short, structured conversation you initiate with someone who works in a role, company, or industry you want to understand better. You are not asking for a job. You are asking for perspective — what the work is really like, how they got there, and what they would do if they were in your position.
That distinction matters. Removing the pressure of a job ask changes the dynamic entirely. The person you contact is far more likely to say yes, speak candidly, and remember you positively afterward. These conversations are also one of the most reliable ways to access the hidden job market, where a significant share of roles are filled before they are ever posted publicly.
Done well, a 20-minute call can sharpen your resume language, give you a realistic picture of a career path, and occasionally surface a direct referral. Done poorly, it burns goodwill with someone who could have helped you. The steps below will help you do it well.
What you will need
How to Request and Conduct an Informational Interview
Identify the right people to contact
Start with second-degree connections on LinkedIn — people you share a mutual contact with are far more likely to respond than cold strangers. Also consider alumni from your college or university, former colleagues who have moved into roles you admire, and speakers from professional associations in your field. Aim for people who are two to five years ahead of where you want to be, not just senior executives. Mid-level professionals often have more time and more practical, current insight.
Send a short, specific outreach message
Your message should be three to four sentences at most. State who you are, why you are reaching out to this person specifically, what you are hoping to learn, and how much of their time you are asking for. Twenty minutes is a reasonable request. Avoid phrases like 'pick your brain' — it reads as vague. Instead, be concrete: 'I'm exploring a transition into operations management and would value your perspective on how you made that move.'
Prepare focused, open-ended questions
Bring five to seven questions but expect to use only three or four — good conversations go deeper than a checklist. Strong questions include: What does a typical week look like for you? What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started? What skills are most valued on your team that are not obvious from job postings? Avoid yes/no questions and anything that sounds like an interview question directed back at you.
Conduct the conversation with focus
Start by thanking them briefly and confirming you have 20 minutes — this signals respect immediately. Let them do most of the talking. Take notes. Resist the urge to fill silences with your own career story. At the end, ask one closing question that often yields referrals: 'Is there anyone else you think it would be worth my time to speak with?' Even if they have no names on the spot, the question plants a seed.
Follow up within 24 hours
Send a short thank-you email — not just a LinkedIn message — within a day of the conversation. Reference something specific they said that was useful. Keep it to three sentences. Then, if something relevant comes up in the next few months — you took their advice, landed a role, or found an article they would appreciate — reach out again. Relationships built through informational interviews are genuine professional contacts, not one-time transactions.
If you are weighing informational interviews against submitting job applications, these conversations complement rather than replace direct outreach. See how the two approaches compare in our breakdown of job boards vs. networking. And if you are currently employed while searching, these low-key conversations are also one of the safer networking moves — for more guidance, see job searching while employed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most frequent error is treating the informational interview like a covert job interview. If you spend the conversation hinting that you are available or steering every question toward open positions, the contact will feel misled. Be straightforward about your purpose: you are there to learn.
A second pitfall is asking questions you could have answered with five minutes of research. Asking someone what their company does signals you did not prepare. Instead, use your research time to formulate questions only they can answer — about their day-to-day decisions, what surprised them about the role, or what skills they wish they had developed earlier.
Finally, running over time without permission is a quick way to end on a sour note. Set a timer on your end. At the 18-minute mark, acknowledge the time and offer to wrap up. Most contacts will either extend willingly or appreciate that you kept your word. Either outcome builds the relationship.
Pair Sharp Questions With Self-Awareness
The best informational interview questions are ones only that specific person can answer — based on their career path, their team, or their industry vantage point. Generic questions waste both your time and theirs. If you are exploring a career pivot, pairing sharp questions with a clear sense of your own transferable skills will make you a far more compelling conversation partner and help you ask more targeted questions.
