What’s An Informational Job Interview?

An Informational Job Interview Is Designed to Help You Learn, Not Get Hired

An informational job interview is a conversation you set up with someone who works in a role, company or industry you’re curious about. It is not a formal job interview. Instead, it gives you a chance to ask thoughtful questions, learn how the work looks day to day and gather perspective that can help you plan your next steps.

You usually take the first step by reaching out to a professional you already know or someone you’re connected to through a friend, family member, alumna or alumnus, or a professional platform like LinkedIn.

How to Request an Informational Interview

When you reach out, keep your message simple and respectful of the other person’s time.

Consider including:

• Who you are and why you’re reaching out
• What you’re hoping to learn (the role, the industry, potential career paths or workplace culture)
• A small time request (for example, fifteen to twenty minutes)
• A flexible format (phone, video call or email)

If the interview takes place over email, put the same care into your questions that you would in a face-to-face meeting. You want your outreach to feel intentional and prepared, not rushed.

How to Prepare Questions That Can Lead to Useful Insight

Before you meet, decide what you want to walk away with. Think about the information you hope to capture and how it can help you set goals and prepare for next steps.

Bring questions that invite detail, such as:

• What does a typical week look like in your role?
• What skills do you use most often?
• What do you wish you had known when you started?
• What kinds of projects help someone build credibility in this field?
• How do teams in this industry measure strong performance?

They should be questions that can help you learn more about the role, clarify fit and strengthen your approach to a future job search.

You can also ask about compensation topics like salary ranges, benefits and vacation norms if it fits the conversation and you approach it professionally. Learning how the industry works in the day to day can help you set expectations and understand workplace culture.

Professional Etiquette Matters

Even though this is not a job interview, it still makes an impression.

Keep these basics in mind:

• Dress professionally if you meet in person
• Arrive on time or log in a few minutes early for virtual meetings
• Stay focused on learning rather than pitching yourself
• Respect boundaries if someone can’t answer certain questions

Most importantly, don’t misrepresent your intentions. You’re there to gather information. They’re sharing their time, and you should treat it with care.

What You Can Do After the Conversation

A strong follow-up can help you maintain the connection and reinforce your professionalism.

After your informational interview:

• Send a thank-you note that shows appreciation and mentions one useful takeaway
• Review your notes and summarize what you learned
• Identify next actions like skills to practice, topics to research or people to contact

Use what you gathered during the interview to identify skills to build and areas to develop for your field.

How Informational Interviews Can Support Your Network Over Time

Informational interviews can be one step in a longer networking process. What’s more, it may help you identify additional professionals to connect with in the field, including people who can share perspective on hiring needs and expectations.

If the person you spoke with suggests another contact, follow through when it makes sense. Over time, consistent outreach and genuine curiosity can help you expand your network and learn how professionals navigate the field.

A Supportive Next Step

Informational interviews work best when you view them as part of an ongoing learning process, one conversation at a time. As you reflect on what you heard, look for patterns. What skills come up repeatedly? What challenges do professionals mention? What experiences helped them move forward in their careers?

These insights can help you decide what to explore next, whether that means building new skills, researching career paths or connecting with additional professionals in the field.

If you’d like guidance as you navigate these steps, AIU offers career services online tools and resources designed to help students prepare for career development and job search activities.

AIU cannot guarantee employment, salary or career advancement. Not all programs are available to residents of all states. REQ2207281