An informational interview helps you learn about a career, role, field, or workplace. Despite the word interview, you usually ask the questions. The talk is not usually a review for a named opening.
“I’m exploring product operations. Would you have 20 minutes for an informational interview?”
CareerOneStop is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. It describes this meeting as a way to learn from someone in a field. It is not a job interview. The talk may build your network, but its stated goal is learning.
Why Americans use this format
U.S. workers use these talks to explore careers and learn how fields hire. They may also test ideas about a role or ask for advice. Both students and seasoned workers use them.
The custom does not exist everywhere. Some people meet strangers through shared contacts. Others speak only with people they know. Field, rank, workload, policy, and personal choice all shape access.
This kind of meeting does not give you a right to a referral. The other person offers time and insight. They are not promising to move your job request ahead.
What you might hear
“This is informational, but I’m happy to explain how our team works.”
The person is setting a limit around hiring.
“Let’s treat this as a coffee chat rather than a formal interview.”
Expect a relaxed conversation, but prepare for it.
“I can’t discuss confidential projects, but I can talk about the field.”
Respect that limit and ask about general experience instead.
“You should speak with our customer-success lead next.”
This introduction may help, but it is not always a job lead.
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Start a session →How to request one
Make the message specific and easy to decline:
“Hi Ana, Marco suggested I contact you. I’m considering a move from analytics into product operations and would value hearing about your experience. Would you have 20 minutes in the next two weeks for a video call? I understand if your schedule does not allow it.”
Useful elements are:
- who you are
- why this person is relevant
- what you want to learn
- a short time request
- a low-pressure exit
Do not give the person a large assignment. “Tell me everything about your industry” makes them design the whole conversation.
What to ask
Prepare questions that draw on what the person has learned:
- “What does a typical week look like?”
- “Which skills matter most in the first year?”
- “What surprised you after entering the field?”
- “How does hiring usually work for this type of role?”
- “Which part of my background should I explain more clearly?”
- “Is there another perspective you recommend I seek?”
Avoid sensitive personal details, confidential decisions, and private staff matters. Take care with questions about one person's pay. Asking about posted pay ranges differs from asking someone to state their own pay.
How to respond and follow up
At the start:
“Thank you for making time. I’ll keep us to 20 minutes unless you prefer otherwise.”
At the end:
“Your point about customer-facing experience was especially useful. I’m going to revise my résumé examples. May I keep in touch?”
Send a brief thank-you note and mention one helpful idea or action. No rule requires this note in every setting. It is a work courtesy and helps the person remember you.
Status, access, and privacy
Access to work contacts is uneven. School, workplace, or family ties can affect reply rates. Do not treat silence as a view of your skill. Avoid pressing someone again and again when they have not replied.
Senior staff should avoid raising false hopes about hiring. Explain when someone's details will enter a formal process. Then follow the workplace's usual hiring steps. Rights to an accommodation may apply in a real hiring process. An informal talk should not bypass those duties or gather improper details.
This article gives broad tips, not legal advice. Hiring rules vary by workplace, role, place, and sector.
Recognition versus production
Treat informational interview as a career-learning conversation. It usually has no hiring choice attached. When asking for one, be brief, prepared, and ready to accept no.
Compare professional coffee chats, which can serve several goals. Also see keeping in touch after an interview, which follows a formal hiring talk.
The practical takeaway
An informational interview is a request to learn, not a demand for work. Request a short talk and bring well-planned questions. Respect private limits and act on helpful advice.