Info Interviews: Part I
“On the Way”; Moab, UT; Credit: Emily Giacomini
Informational Interviews are a key skill to apply in the Exploration phase of the FREE transition of Finishing Well, Resting, Exploring and Engaging as you make your way to a new opportunity.
What does it take to find contacts with whom it makes sense to do an informational interview? Follow these steps for finding people who will be most helpful to you.
1) Make a list of organizations that intrigue you, whether businesses, nonprofits, social entrepreneurships or government agencies.
a. To stay organized, you may want to create a grid in Word or Excel with columns for organization name, industry, location.
b. To broaden your base in targeting a specific industry, you can Google “competitors” to the companies you already know.
c. To learn more about companies you’re contemplating, find out if your university alma mater gives its alumni free access to online databases such as Hoovers.
2) Identify people who work (or have recently worked) at the places on your list.
a. Cross-check the organization list you’ve created against your social media contacts on LinkedIn or Facebook. You may find 1st or even 2nd level connections at your places of interest.
b. “Follow” groups of interest and take note of any thought leaders they mention in your field. Frequent contributors on Twitter and other platforms may also offer ideas on companies and individuals making strides in your area of interest.
c. Post news of your exploration on sites you use for more personal contacts (perhaps Facebook instead of LinkedIn) and ask that your friends introduce you to people they know at a few of your target companies (or fields). A warm introduction can go a long way!
d. Delve into industry publications, whether hard-copy or online, and make note of people authoring the articles or being interviewed as experts in the field. Not only will this keep you up to speed with what’s happening in the industry, but it will also expand your list of potential contacts.
e. Join the leading professional associations relating to your field or function of choice. For example, if you’re a marketer, consider joining the American Marketing Association. If you’re a product manager, look at the Product Development and Management Association or the Association of International Product Marketing and Management. Google “top professional associations” for your field to see a list. Membership fees will get you into regular meetings for free or a reduced cost so you can follow leaders sharing wisdom and gain exposure to other members who may also prove to be excellent contacts for informational interviews.
If the idea of coming up with a list is daunting, apply the Pomodoro technique of setting a timer for 25 minutes and then giving yourself a 5-minute break and soon you’ll be on a roll.
In next month’s article, we’ll look at how to reach out to contacts to increase your response rate and generate calls that accelerate your exploration as well as how to prepare for the meeting itself.
Here’s to the search!