sen field. And most certainly a friend of a friend will know someone who
would be a good interview for you. The key thing is to get the word out
among people you trust that you are looking to do some informational
interviews in a particular field.
If a person you want to interview is a friend of a friend, your
chances of getting an interview are improved if your friend makes the
first contact. If this arrangement cannot be made, you will at least want
to refer to your friend when you initially contact this person.
Try writing first, then following up with a phone call. The most po-
lite and probably easiest approach to obtain an informational interview
is to write a letter (or send an e-mail) and then follow up with a phone
call. When you write, be sure to mention how you got that person’s
name—for example,“My uncle John Doe recommended that I write to
you.”Include your resume and mention that you are in the process of
learning more about careers in that person’s field. It doesn’t hurt to tell
him you understand that he has had a lot of interesting experience and
you would be very appreciative if he could spend a little time with you
sharing his thoughts on what it’s like to be in the career he is in. Most
people like to talk about themselves; let them know this will be an op-
portunity to do so.
When you do your follow-up phone call to ask for an appointment,
be sure to convey to this person that you’re notlooking for him to spend
half a day with you. Tell him that you know he’s “incredibly busy,”and
so, any time he can give you would be “truly appreciated.”You might
say something like:“I know you’ve got a tough schedule. I’d love to meet
with you whenever it’s convenient for you, maybe for cup of coffee, or
whatever works best for you.”
Although it is preferable to meet in person, an informational in-
terview can take place over the phone.
Make an extra effort to meet with busy people.A busy person is an
active person who is typically “in the know”about the very things you
are most interested in. If the person you are trying to get an appoint-
ment with starts grumbling about her busy schedule, you can say some-
thing like:“You know, it’s busy people like you who can give me the best
insights into what it’s like to be in your field. I’d really love to talk to
you. I’m ready to meet you anywhere, or, if you’d prefer, we could talk
on the phone sometime.”If she still doesn’t seem at all intrigued or in-
terested, it’s best not to push it.
Tell that person you’re sorry she won’t be able to talk to you per-
sonally, but that you can certainly understand why this is the case,
given her busy schedule. You might then ask,“Is there someone else you
could recommend that I might talk to, so that I can learn more about
your field? Maybe someone in your organization?”You may be able to
salvage a lead out of this otherwise dying conversation! And, of course,
remember to thank the person in a gracious manner. You don’t want to
burn any bridges!
Try to interview someone in this field who is like you in some sig-
nificant way.As noted earlier, particularly useful are people with
whom you have something in common and who have been successful in
a field that you are interested in. The more similar the person is to you,50 Part I: Building, Using, and Maintaining Your Career Portfolio
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