Informational-Interview Prep

An informational interview is one of the best career tools — a short, low-pressure conversation to learn about a field, role, or company from someone doing it. But done wrong (vague questions, or angling for a job) it wastes their time and yours. This preps the whole thing: the ask, the right questions for your goal, how to run it, and a follow-up that turns a chat into a relationship.

What This Skill Produces

• The outreach ask — a short, specific, low-friction request for a brief chat (not a job)
• A focused question set — tuned to your goal (exploring a field, breaking in, learning about a company/role), from their path to practical advice
• Conversation flow — how to open, keep it their-story-centered, and use the time well
• What not to do — the mistakes (asking for a job, dominating, being unprepared) that sour these
• A follow-up — a thank-you and a way to keep the connection warm, including any offered next step
• Prep notes — what to research about them beforehand

Required Inputs