An informational interview (aka coffee chat) is an informal conversation with someone related to your career.
These are not traditional interviews and the objective is not to explicitly request a role.
It’s a learning opportunity and a way to possibly expand your network.
Coffee chats can help you:
- Seek out mentorship or advice
- Explore careers and clarify your goals
- Expand your professional network
- Build confidence for job interviews
- Get advice and up-to-date career information
Who is a good person to reach out to for a coffee chat?
LinkedIn Connections
Connected with someone who is doing work you’re interested in? Following someone in your field? These are great folks to reach out to.
Alumni
High school and college alumni are great contacts to interview. You have common ground already because you both attended the same school. If you have a LinkedIn and have your prior schools listed in your ‘education section, LinkedIn.com/alumni is a great place to search for fellow alums.
Professors, Instructors, and Staff Members
While you might not want to be a professor or work at a college, you’d be surprised at the number of connections they have! Connecting with instructors in the industry you’re looking to break into let’s them know your career goals, how they can assist you, and they might point you towards some great resources to network.
Family and Friends
This is probably the easiest connection to establish early on. Have an aunt that works in your industry? Does your friend group have connections with someone in your area of interest? It never hurts to ask and lean on the relationships you already have established. Even something as. simple as letting folks know what you’re looking for can help them make connections for you.
Social Media Connections
Although LinkedIn markets itself as the “professional Facebook”, don’t forget about the other social media platforms like Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit. There are industry professionals utilizing all of these platforms and could prove to be great interviewees.
Places to arrange coffee chats
LinkedIn: a professional networking platform where individuals and companies connect to build relationships, share information, and find opportunities.
💡 Look at people who are doing the kind of work you want to be doing in the future. Those folks are some of the best to reach out to!
Lunchclub: a networking platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to connect professionals for one-on-one video conversations.
ADP List: a global, free online mentorship platform that connects individuals, particularly those in the design and tech fields, with experienced mentors to help them advance their careers.
Mentoring Club: Connect 1:1 with industry leaders for personalized guidance and career acceleration.
How do I ask for an informational interview?
Research
Research the field, industry, and positions you’re interested in learning more about. Make a list of questions you’d like a potential interviewee to answer. Decide what information you would like to obtain about the occupation/industry. Make sure to have an updated resume handy (just in case!)
Arrange
Contact a potential interviewee via email or social media like Linkedin. Be specific in your request and let them know who you are, why you’re asking to meet with them, and how long you expect it to take place. The general recommendation is to keep the interview to about 30 minutes. If they’re willing to dedicate more time – even better!
It is recommended to dress business casual or [business professional](https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/starting-new-job/guide-to-business-attire#:~:text=Business professional for men typically,like an oxford or loafer.) depending on your industry. For instance, in the tech field it’s much less common to see full suits in interviews because the attire is more relaxed.
Try to arrive 5 minutes ahead of time. Before ending the meeting, ask for names of others who might be helpful to you and ask permission to use their name when contacting them.
Once the interviewee has agreed to meet with you, make sure to clearly communicate the date, time, timezones and how you’ll connect at the time of the call. An easy way to schedule these meetings is to use a free program like Calend.ly to sync your calendar.
Follow-up
Immediately following the interview, make sure you have a record of some highlights from the conversation. Be sure to send a thank-you note to your interviewee within 48-hours of the interview. Try to include any specific information from the meeting in your note.
What questions should I be asking?
Prepare a list of questions that are relevant to you and what you would like to obtain from your informational interview. Brainstorm questions regarding the work environment, potential opportunities, salary, the industry, and the background of your interviewee.
The best questions are the ones you care about.
20+ Questions to Ask in Your Next Coffee Chat
On a typical day in this position, what do you do?
What training or education is required for this type of work?
What personal qualities or abilities are important to being successful in this job?
What part of this job do you find most satisfying? Most challenging?
How did you get your job?
Are there any things about your job you were surprised by when you started?
What does success look like in this role?
What opportunities for advancement are there in this field?
What are the salary ranges for various levels in this field?
What can I be doing now to set myself apart as a future candidate in this field?
How do you see jobs in this field changing in the future?
What advice would you give a person entering this field?
What types of training do companies offer persons entering this field?
Which professional journals and organizations would help me learn more about this field?
From your perspective, what are the problems you see working in this field?
If you could do things all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? Why? What would you change?
How do you stay up to date with changes in your field?
Who do you know that I should talk to next? When I call him/her, may I use your name?
What obligation does your work put on you outside the work week? How much flexibility do you have in terms of dress, work hours, vacations?
What do you find most rewarding about this work, besides the money?
How does your job affect your general lifestyle?
How has COVID-19 impacted your work?
What does your career path look like beyond this position?
What led you to this company and what keeps you here?
What was something that surprised you about this field or your role when you first started?
Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
Are there any questions I’m not asking that I should be?
Would it be alright for us to stay in touch?
What is a typical entry-level title for this industry?
What type of work samples or portfolio should I be trying to develop as I try to move into this career?
What do you look for when hiring for this field?
Tools and Resources
- Linkedin Alumni Tool Information
- Occupational Outlook Handbook for researching careers
- Indeed Article on Thank You Notes
- Calend.ly to make appointment scheduling easier
