One of the most effective tools in your job search is the “informational interview”. They are introductory meetings that have the potential to build your network of professional contacts, learn more about career paths that interest you and, ultimately, enhance your employment prospects.
Though they’re not really designed to elicit job offers per-se, these discussions offer exposure to individuals who are in the position to hire or can recommend you to colleagues; as such, it’s critical to approach informational interviews the right way.
First, it’s important to understand that some 85-percent of jobs are filled through the magic of networking. That’s right – if you are looking for work, it might be better to put your time into crafting that professional Denver networking group list as opposed to going blind looking at those seemingly infinite local online listings. Even when figures are broken down into different categories of job-seekers and people are asked questions regarding how they landed their current gig, it’s networking that tops every list.
How valuable are informational interviews?
• In a survey conducted by LinkedIn and the Adler Group, so-called “active candidates” were separated out from "tiptoers" and “passive candidates,” or those who sought employment in more “casual” ways. Regardless of the individual attitudes and approaches job-seekers brought to the table, networking ended up being the most popular way to get a job.
• For "tiptoers," networking won out three-to-one, while for even more casual job-seekers – those dubbed “passive candidates” – networking dominated other job-search methods on a scale of seven-to-one.
One of the major factors that make getting a job through networking so effective has to do with the fact that there is something of a “hidden” job market out there – some estimate as much as 80-percent of new Denver jobs, for example, are never listed but are instead filled internally or via networking.
As we hinted at above, it is important to approach informational interviews for networking the right way; here are some tips AimHire can offer in the area of getting a job through networking:
• Identify Who and Where to Network – Here’s where you consider such options as LinkedIn, networking events (such as Denver networking extravaganzas like Denver Young Professionals), meetups, etc. Try to get out there and network the old-fashioned way if you can, which equates to face-to-face interactions; while online professional networking sites are great, personal interactions are still often the most powerful.
• Take the Initiative and Reach Out/Follow-Up via Email – Start your email with a brief introduction of yourself, why you are reaching out, and if the contact would be willing to connect over some coffee.
• Use the “Elevator Pitch” – The idea here is not to ask for a job – networking takes time, and you don’t want to make it overtly apparent that the meeting was designed to get you employment. Begin your informational interview by asking for advice or guidance related to the industry or career path you’re interested in (this is also known as “asking for a job without asking for a job”).
• Follow-Up and Connect with Their Network – When wrapping up your informational interview, you should ask for recommendations for two or three more people who would be good to talk to as you continue networking. Make your request as specific as possible – it actually makes it easier for your contact to think of someone when you say, “Could you recommend a couple more people for me to speak with to learn more about Denver jobs in this industry?” than to come up with an answer to, “Is there anyone else you would recommend I speak with?”
In closing, we’d like to share some of the most common mistakes networkers make out there so that you don’t fall into the same routine. These include not asking for help, failing to keep in touch or reaching out only when they need something, failing to connect with the right people, not thanking contacts when they provide help and not helping others.
