Become a S.T.A.R. of Informational Interviews

An informational interview is a powerful resource in career development. Informational Interviews not only benefit college graduates entering the workforce, but more established professionals who might want to change positions, as well.

The main goals of conducting an Informational Interview are to 1) develop professional connections and 2) gain insight regarding a career path. 

The following is the S.T.A.R. Method that I have used down through the years to secure such interviews to build my professional and personal network and I believe that it can help you become a S.T.A.R. of Informational Interviews too!

S – Strategic. You must have a plan when researching individuals that you want to interview. With so much access to companies and individuals via the Internet, it is super easy to research potential interview candidates by company and career areas. 

T – Truthful.  Once you are ready to contact someone regarding a potential opportunity, make sure that you are truthful about your intent. Be honest and professional when requesting an interview. Informational Interviews are not job interviews, so make sure that you clearly state that you are not looking for one. If the conversation moves in that direction, it will happen naturally.

A – Assertive.  Informational Interviews can be scary. However, taking the initiative to ask for an interview shows that you are actively seeking knowledge in learning about a specific career path, which definitely will cause someone to take notice of you and your skills.

R – Resilient.  As with most things in life, securing an Informational Interview is a process. Some email requests will be answered, some won’t. Individuals may tell you that they will schedule an interview with you, and then back out. That’s when you must be resilient. Setbacks will happen, but you can’t let it deter you from achieving your goal.

For more information on Informational Interviews and other strategies to help you move from #FromPanic2Preparation, contact me through social media:

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