Information Interviewing – Coda (Part 5/5)

Post Date: April 29th, 2015

Congratulations! You’ve made it through the information interviewing process. You’ve researched a new field, identified people from whom to glean a sense of reality about it, developed questions to reveal the answers you’re curious about, and conducted the interview itself.

As with regular job interviews, it’s nice (and appropriate) to follow up with a handwritten note of thanks. Feel free to include what you found particularly helpful, and express appreciation for the contacts/leads they shared.

I’d encourage you to mark your calendar to follow up a month or two down the road to reconnect and share where you are with the process. I’ve heard frustration from well sought after people that they spend time sharing, give guidance and counsel, and then they never hear from their interviewer again. People do like to hear of the impact they made and the ROI. Even if you choose not to pursue the field, you can share your appreciation and what the determining factors were for not pursuing that field.

If you do pursue the field, then staying in touch can be all the more important. It’s always helpful to have a strong network you can tap into as you move forward.

On a final note, whenever I make a request of someone, I like to also ask if there is anything I can do for them. Even if I don’t know what that might be, just an open invitation for them to tap into my knowledge and connections helps to ‘even the playing field’.

I’ve had numerous clients who have felt uncomfortable asking for help, or asking for an information interview because they felt they were being burdensome. When I suggest that they also offer to be a resource to the person with whom they’ll interview, to reciprocate the favor, they often feel much more comfortable. Furthermore, when I ask how they’d feel about being contacted for an information interview, they almost always reply with enthusiasm that they’d be happy to do so, because it feels good to help someone else, and share what they’ve learned.

To your success,

Gwyneth Anne

408.246.7427