Informational Interviews: How to Request, Conduct, and Follow Up for Career Success

An informational interview is a 15-20 minute conversation where you ask someone about their role, their company, their career path, or their industry — not to ask for a job, but to gain insight and build a relationship. It is one of the most powerful tools in any job seeker's arsenal, and one of the most consistently underutilized.

The reason informational interviews work so well is counterintuitive: by explicitly not asking for a job, you create the conditions under which jobs are offered. The person you are talking to sees your curiosity, your preparation, your professionalism. When a relevant role opens up, you are the first person they think of. When they hear of an opportunity through their network, they forward it to you. When you eventually apply to their company, they offer to refer you without being asked.

This guide walks you through the entire process: finding the right people, requesting the conversation, preparing your questions, conducting the interview, following up, and converting the relationship into career opportunities.

Why Informational Interviews Are So Effective

They Bypass the Application Black Hole

When you apply to a job online, your resume enters a system alongside hundreds of others. When you have an informational interview with someone at the company, you build a personal relationship that can pull your resume out of that pile. The difference between a cold application and one backed by an internal advocate is the difference between a 2% callback rate and a 30%+ callback rate.

They Give You Insider Intelligence

Job descriptions tell you what a company thinks they want. Informational interviews tell you what they actually need. You learn about team dynamics, current challenges, leadership priorities, and cultural norms that no careers page or Glassdoor review can provide. This intelligence makes your application and interview performance dramatically more compelling.

They Build Genuine Relationships

A transactional interaction ("Can you get me a job?") creates obligation. An informational interview creates rapport. People enjoy talking about their work and sharing advice. When you make someone feel like an expert — by asking thoughtful questions and listening carefully — they feel positively toward you. That positive feeling translates into action when opportunities arise.

They Work at Every Career Stage

Whether you are a college student exploring industries, a mid-career professional considering a pivot, or a senior executive evaluating a new market, informational interviews provide value. The questions change, but the framework remains the same.

Finding the Right People to Interview

Not all informational interviews are equally valuable. Target your conversations for maximum impact.

Tier 1: People in Your Target Role at Target Companies

These conversations give you the most directly actionable intelligence. You learn exactly what the role looks like at the company you want to join, what skills are valued, and what the hiring process involves.

How to find them: Search LinkedIn for your target job title at your target companies. Look for people who have been in the role for 1-3 years — long enough to be knowledgeable, not so senior that they are inaccessible.

Tier 2: People in Adjacent Roles or Teams

These conversations broaden your understanding of the organization and can lead to introductions to people in your exact target role.

How to find them: Look for people on teams that work closely with your target function. Product managers if you are targeting engineering. Sales leaders if you are targeting marketing. Finance directors if you are targeting operations.

Tier 3: People Who Made a Similar Career Transition

If you are changing careers, talking to people who have already made your transition is invaluable. They know which skills transferred, which gaps they had to close, and how they positioned themselves.

How to find them: Search LinkedIn for people with your target title who previously held your current type of role. Their career history will show the transition.

Tier 4: Industry Thought Leaders and Content Creators

People who write, speak, or post actively about your target industry are often willing to chat. They are used to being approached and tend to be generous with their time.

How to find them: Follow industry hashtags, read relevant publications, and note who consistently publishes thoughtful content.

How to Request an Informational Interview

The request is where most people fail. They either ask too vaguely, write too much, come across as demanding, or inadvertently signal that they are really asking for a job. Here is how to get it right.

The Five Elements of an Effective Request

1. Context: Why are you reaching out to this specific person? Reference something about their background, their content, or your shared connection.
2. Credibility: Briefly establish who you are and why your request is legitimate.
3. Specificity: State exactly what you want to discuss. Vague requests get vague responses (or no response).
4. Brevity: Keep your request under 100 words. Anything longer signals that you will waste their time.
5. Low commitment: Ask for 15-20 minutes. Offer flexibility on format and timing.

Request Templates

Handling Common Responses

"Sure, let's set something up." — Respond within 2 hours with 3-4 specific time slots. Use Calendly or a similar tool if possible to reduce friction.

"I'm really busy right now." — Respect their time. Reply: "Completely understand. Would it be okay if I followed up in [2-4 weeks]? And if email is easier, I'm happy to send a few questions in writing."

"I'm not the right person for this." — Ask: "Is there someone on the team you'd recommend I reach out to?" This turns a rejection into an introduction.

No response. — Follow up once after 5-7 days. If still no response, move on.

Preparing for the Informational Interview

Preparation is what separates a productive conversation from wasted time — for both parties.

Research Checklist

Before the conversation, know:

• Their career path (current and previous roles)
• Their company's product, recent news, and market position
• Their team's function within the organization
• Any content they have published (articles, posts, talks)
• Specific challenges or opportunities their company or industry is facing

Prepare Your Questions

Build a list of 8-10 questions, knowing you will likely only get through 5-7 in a 20-minute conversation. Organize them from most important to least so you prioritize if time runs short.

About their role and daily work:

• What does a typical week look like in your role?
• What skills or experiences have been most valuable in your position?
• What surprised you most about this role when you started?

About the company and team:

• How would you describe the team culture?
• What are the biggest challenges the team is currently working on?
• What qualities do successful people on your team share?

About the industry and career path:

• How has the industry changed since you started?
• What advice would you give someone trying to enter this field?
• What skills do you think will be most important in the next 2-3 years?

The most important question (always ask last):

• Is there anyone else you'd recommend I talk to?

Conducting the Informational Interview

The First Two Minutes

Start by thanking them for their time and setting expectations:

"Thanks so much for taking the time, [Name]. I really appreciate it. I have a few questions I'd love to discuss, but first — is 15-20 minutes still good, or do we have more or less time today?"

This shows respect for their schedule and lets you pace your questions accordingly.

The Conversation Flow

Opening (2-3 minutes): Ask about their background and career path. People enjoy telling their story, and it warms up the conversation naturally.

Core questions (10-12 minutes): Work through your prepared questions. Listen actively — take notes, ask follow-up questions, and show genuine curiosity. Do not just run through your list like a checklist.

Your brief background (2-3 minutes): At some point, they will ask about you. Have a concise 60-90 second pitch ready that covers your background, your target, and what excites you. Keep it brief — this is their time, not yours.

Closing (2-3 minutes): Ask your "Who else should I talk to?" question. Then thank them sincerely and ask if there is anything you can do for them.

What to Listen For

Beyond the explicit answers to your questions, pay attention to:

• Unspoken challenges — What problems do they mention in passing? These are the problems you could solve.
• Team dynamics — How do they describe their colleagues and manager? Enthusiasm vs. neutrality vs. frustration reveals a lot.
• Growth signals — Are they talking about expansion, new initiatives, or increasing headcount? These signal upcoming opportunities.
• Keywords and language — How does the company describe what they do? Use this language in your applications and interviews.

Following Up After the Informational Interview

The follow-up is where most people drop the ball — and where the real value of informational interviews is captured.

Within 24 Hours: Send a Thank-You Message

The key to a great thank-you: reference something specific from the conversation. This proves you were listening and makes the message memorable.

Within One Week: Follow Through on Their Suggestions

If they recommended you talk to someone, reach out within a week and mention who referred you. If they suggested a resource, read or explore it. If they offered to introduce you to someone, follow up to make it happen.

Within 3-4 Weeks: Send an Update

Let them know how their advice played out:

"Hi [Name] — Quick update: I took your advice and [specific action]. It led to [specific result]. Thank you for pointing me in that direction."

These updates keep the relationship warm, show that you value their input, and keep you top-of-mind for future opportunities.

Ongoing: Maintain the Relationship

Add them to your quarterly networking touchpoint list. Share relevant articles. Congratulate them on accomplishments. Keep the relationship alive beyond the initial conversation.

Converting Informational Interviews to Opportunities

While informational interviews are not explicitly about getting a job, they frequently lead to opportunities. Here is how the conversion happens naturally.

The Referral Path

After 2-3 interactions with someone at a target company (informational interview + follow-up + update), you have built a genuine relationship. When a relevant role opens up, it is entirely appropriate to say:

"Hi [Name] — I noticed [Company] posted a [Role Title] that aligns closely with what we discussed. Given our conversation about [specific topic], I think I could contribute meaningfully to the team. Would you be comfortable referring me for this position?"

Most people will say yes if the relationship is genuine and the fit makes sense.

The Introduction Chain

Each informational interview should generate 1-2 new contacts. Over a month of consistent effort (2-3 interviews per week), you build a network of 30-40+ contacts across your target industry. This network surfaces opportunities that never hit job boards.

The Hiring Manager Connection

Sometimes, your informational interview is with the person who would actually hire you. If the conversation goes well, they may mention upcoming openings, invite you to apply, or fast-track your application. This happens more often than you might expect.

Common Informational Interview Mistakes

Treating it as a job interview. The moment you start selling yourself aggressively, the dynamic shifts from collaborative to transactional. Share your background briefly when asked, but keep the focus on learning.

Not preparing specific questions. Showing up without preparation wastes their time and makes you look unserious. Always have 8-10 questions ready.

Going over time. If you asked for 15 minutes, respect that boundary. At the 15-minute mark, say: "I want to be respectful of your time — we're at 15 minutes. Would you like to wrap up, or do you have a few more minutes?" Let them extend it if they want to.

Not following up. A conversation without follow-up is a missed opportunity. The follow-up is where the relationship is built.

Asking for a job directly. Never say "Are you hiring?" or "Can you get me a job?" in an informational interview. If the conversation goes well, opportunities will emerge naturally through the relationship.

Only doing one. A single informational interview is a conversation. Ten informational interviews are a strategy. Twenty are a network. Consistency is what creates results.

Building an Informational Interview Habit

The job seekers who get the most out of informational interviews treat them as a consistent practice, not a one-time tactic.

Set a weekly target: 2-3 informational interviews per week during an active job search. This is sustainable and generates meaningful momentum.

Batch your outreach: Send 5-8 requests every Monday. With a 30-40% acceptance rate, you will schedule 2-3 conversations per week.

Track your conversations: Log every informational interview with the date, person, company, key insights, recommended contacts, and follow-up actions.

Review monthly: Which conversations led to the most valuable insights or connections? Target more people in similar roles or companies.

Over two months of consistent effort, you will have conducted 16-24 informational interviews, generated 30-50 new contacts, and built a level of industry knowledge and insider access that no amount of job board scrolling can provide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I feel like I'm bothering people by requesting informational interviews?

Most professionals are happy to help if you approach them respectfully. A short, specific request for 15 minutes of their time is not a burden. People enjoy sharing their expertise, and many remember getting help early in their own careers. The key is to be gracious, prepared, and respectful of their time.

How do I request an informational interview if I have no connection to the person?

Send a personalized LinkedIn message or email that references something specific about them — their career path, their content, their company. Be concise (under 100 words), state what you want to discuss, and ask for 15 minutes. Cold outreach acceptance rates are 20-30%, which means you need to send 8-10 requests to book 2-3 conversations.

Can I do informational interviews over email instead of a call?

Yes, though phone or video calls build stronger connections. If someone prefers email, send 3-5 focused questions and make them easy to answer. Then follow up as you would after a live conversation. The relationship-building is somewhat diluted, but the information gathering still works.

What if the person asks me directly if I want a job at their company?

Be honest. Say something like: 'I'm definitely interested in [Company], and this conversation has made me more excited about it. Right now, I'm focused on learning and building relationships, but if a relevant role opens up, I would love to be considered.' This is transparent without being pushy.

How many informational interviews should I conduct before applying to a company?

Aim for 2-3 informational interviews at a company before applying. This gives you insider knowledge to tailor your application, potential referrals, and a more complete picture of whether the company is truly a good fit. Even one conversation is significantly better than none.