This post will give you the right type of questions to ask during an Informational interview. Plus some do’s and don’ts to make the conversation a success!
An informational interview is like going to the spa… hear me out 
a little self-care for your work life. You walk away from the conversation feeling more confident in your choice, relaxed from getting answers to your questions, and super appreciative that someone took the time out for you. And all of these great feelings will definitely get you motivated to move forward into a new direction of your life.
But before we can get to a place of satisfaction and gratitude, you need to make sure you are asking the right questions, to get the most out of the interview.
This post is going to give 21 questions to ask in an informational interview and what to do (and not do) to make sure this interview is a success.
What is an informational interview? It is an exploratory conversation with a person who is in the industry or career that you are interested in pursuing. It is not a job interview. It's an opportunity to get a first-hand perspective from a person who has real-life experience and insight into information that you will not get from online research.
Your reason for an informational interview - There are two good possible reasons why you are looking into an informational interview:
- You are exploring a new career
- You are thinking about starting a new business
Each reason is very exciting, exploring the unknown, but each reason has a slightly different set of questions.
For example, the person who is looking to change careers will focus more on the person's steps to how they got to their current position, or what their day looks like.
Versus a person thinking about starting a new business will want to learn more about the business itself and decisions the business owner makes.
Whatever the reason for what has led you to do this exercise, you want to make sure your questions cover:
- Timeline
- Cost
- What defines success
Choose the set of questions that apply to your situation.
Questions to ask if you are exploring a new career
- What made you decide to get into this role or become ”x”?
- Did you need a specific degree or certification?
- How long did it take you to complete the certification or degree?
- Would you recommend any courses online or a program I should take?
- When you first started out, was there anything that surprised you about the role or job?
- Can you share a general timeline of how long it took you to get from an entry-level position to your current position?
- Can you help describe what a typical workday looks like for you?
- What part of the job do you love?
- What can be frustrating about this job or role?
- If you could change one thing about your job what would it be?
- Do you see this role changing in the future (ex: technology, macro change in the industry)?
Questions to ask if you are thinking of starting a new business
What made you decide to get into “X”?
Can you give me a general timeline of when you launched your business to where you are at today?
(If they have a partner) How did you guys meet and what were the reasons why?
Are there any technical skills that I need to learn for the business to function or to be successful?
Could you give me an idea of the general start-up cost?
What area of the business do you continue to invest in?
What part of the business really surprised you when you first started?
Were there any expenses that you didn’t plan for?
If you could go back, what 2 things would you have done differently?
Do you see the industry changing in the future?
You probably will not have enough time to go over each question because that would be an extremely long interview!
Pick the top 5-6 questions that you want to know the answers to. You can save the rest for more research or for the next person you will interview.
Do’s and Don’ts to make sure your informational interview is a success
Now that you have the questions ready to go, it's time to prepare for the meeting, think about what you will do during it, and what to do after.
Before the interview:
Do some general online research on the industry and career.
Don’t ask questions on the general things you know of already.
Do plan to be on-time, they are taking time out of their day to help you.
During the Interview:
Do remember this interview is about them and their experience.
Don’t spend too much time talking about you.
Do respect their time, by sticking to the allotted time.
Do take notes, your future self will thank you later.
Don’t ask for a job at their company, this is not a job interview.
Do ask if there is anyone else they recommend talking to.
After the interview:
Do follow up with a handwritten thank you card.
Do follow up with a thank you email to the person who connected you to the person you interviewed.
Do give yourself the time and space to let all the information sink in
Do consider asking another person for an informational interview, everyone has a different experience or perspective they can provide.
So there you have it! The informational interview questions to ask if you are thinking of changing careers or if you are planning to leap into a new business.
