An informational interview may lead you to the promised land
➔ Informational interviews can be enormously helpful in your job search. That’s a given. The number of informational interviews you have and how you land them may vary widely. Another given.
How you prepare for those interviews – which is something you must do – which is something that has been discussed at length – is commonly accepted. There are just certain things you must do. What’s discussed at those interviews may vary widely as well. That just stands to reason.
Your approach
What you should do before the interview concludes may be just as important to the success of that interview – and to your job search – as well.
First, it’s a good idea to summarize your conversation. It’s important that you both are on the same page as to what’s been discussed.
Second, make certain that you ask if you can connect with your interviewer on LinkedIn. Just as it’s important to establish that connection, it’s just as important to ask if you can connect. Don’t ever take that for granted.
Third, establish a mutually agreeable frequency of contact. Now that you’ve established a relationship with that person, you don’t want to jeopardize it by being a pest. If you ask, interviewers will give you some idea as to what they feel is appropriate. It’s up to you to stick to it. (“You said to call you on the first of the month. Today’s the first…”)
Fourth, don’t be afraid to ask for additional contacts who the interviewer thinks also might be helpful. Again, “ask” is the keyword here. And, how the interviewer thinks you should contact them, and ask if you can use their names.
You’ve worked hard at finding the person with whom to connect. You’ve worked hard at preparing for that interview. You’ve invested time and effort to make this work. Now, if you can cement the deal by ensuring that you’re getting the most out of the interview, you’ll be well on your way to not only landing your next position, but you will have established the basis for a new relationship.