W. P. Carey Alumni Share 6 Tips for Getting an Informational Interview Response

We asked W. P. Carey Alumni: What is your best tip for getting a response to a request for an informational interview?

Here is what they shared:

  • Stand Out by Being Sincere
  • Do Your Research
  • Play Into People’s Success
  • Grab Their Attention With Flexibility and Consideration
  • Listen and Learn
  • Find Your Champion, Not the Hiring Manager
  1. Stand Out by Being Sincere

Genuineness can go a long way, particularly when reaching out to a professional connection in the digital space. One often has to prioritize the inquiries that flood their email inbox, Slack/Teams messages, LinkedIn requests, etc. Many won’t stand out and get put on hold. 

If you take the time to review that connection’s LinkedIn profile, you can learn a lot about the person: the progression of their professional journey, professional and personal interests, their values, and more. If there is something about the person to whom you relate or that strongly aligns with your values and goals, leverage that in your pitch to make it stand out! 

Not only does this show your preparedness, but it shows why you think they’re the best connection to steer you in the right direction and may also open up the door to the start of a meaningful and lasting connection. 

Tanya Barron, BS, Marketing ‘21, Employer Relations Coordinator, Arizona State University

  1. Do Your Research

Coming prepared with your knowledge will show the individual that you’re not only serious about wanting to learn more, but that you’re willing to do what it takes to make the most of their time.

It would be good to research the latest trends and topics in the industry/career you would like to learn about, such as the general day-to-day operations within the field. With this, you can show your own experience in relation; just enough to show your level of proficiency and passion for the topic, and that accepting your request will be a good use of their time and expertise. 

It would be good to show within the interview request that you’ve done the background research on the individual, the company they work for, as well as the content they produce.

Nicole Herst, BS, Digital Culture and Design ‘15, Senior Marketing Specialist, FLEX College Prep

  1. Play Into People’s Success

The biggest catalyst in my search for informational interviews was to fully play into people’s egos. Managers, especially those of a high rank, are notorious for wanting to tell their stories about how they achieved success. 

It is easy to get informational interviews with parents of friends or their colleagues, but it can be much more difficult to secure an informational interview with someone with whom you have no genuine connection. 

Hyping up a manager in your initial message or email is a great way to pique their interest right away and get them excited about telling you about their journey to the top. 

Kristen Hoffman, Sports Business ‘22, Account Manager, Insight Global

  1. Grab Their Attention With Flexibility and Consideration

The first thing you need when conducting informational interviews is an interviewee. There are many topics to cover in your initial communication to create interest right out of the gate. 

Specify why you are reaching out to that person, whether you are interested in their role, inspired by an article they wrote, or maybe they graduated from the same university. Let them know what you are hoping to gain from the conversation; options could include the skills and experience needed to attain their role or an understanding of what they do day-to-day. 

Think about how much time you would like to schedule with them and pick a suitable venue. Will you come to their office for a 30-minute meeting? Meet for coffee before they start their day? Be as flexible as possible. 

Don’t leave the potential interviewee guessing about your intentions, so that if they are not the right fit to give you the information you seek, they might introduce you to a better fit. And finally, reach out to more than one person!

Amanda Lawrence, MS, Business ‘10, Senior Manager, Implementation, RainFocus

  1. Listen and Learn

For an informational interview, your mindset must change from self-promoting to self-growth. This is your time to gain the tools to excel in your desired field. Take the time to listen and learn. 

Never ask for a job opportunity upfront; ask your contact questions about their career path and how to maintain the career. Building your professional relationships takes time and effort. This will not only help you, but it will increase the number of job opportunities you will receive as you grow. 

Julia Boutin, BA, Sports Business and Media ‘21, Entertainment Experience Coordinator, Arizona Coyotes

  1. Find Your Champion, Not the Hiring Manager

Informational interviews are essential to land your dream job, and the actual work starts when you’re selecting someone to connect with. Blindly messaging a VP or high-level executive probably won’t garner many responses, so start with someone lower on the totem pole. 

These professionals were recently in your shoes and are more likely to respond, and you can gain insight into what your first role out of college would entail. If the initial conversation impresses them, they can introduce you to hiring managers and/or higher-level staff to pursue the next steps with the company. 

Your outreach should display that you’ve done your research and show your motivation to learn about them and their role specifically. End it with a personal touch, and wait for the responses to come in!

Ryan Blanchard, BS and BA, Marketing and Sports Business ‘21, Account Executive, Arizona Diamondbacks

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By W. P. Carey Career Services Center
W. P. Carey Career Services Center