Before conducting an informational interview, research the person you are meeting with and company. Prepare a list of questions, such as the following, to help you make the most of the interview.
1. What first attracted you to your career path?
2. What previous experiences helped you most in this role?
3. What do you need to know or what you should prepare to be successful in the role when you first started?
4. What have you found to be most rewarding about this work?
5. What’s most important to prepare for a role like yours?
6. If you could go back and do anything differently in this career path, what would it be?
7. What is happening in the industry?
8. What exactly do you offer your clients or customers?
9. What is the history of this industry locally and how was this business started?
10. What are the most significant factors affecting your company today?
11. How have changes in technology most affected your business?
12. How has your company grown or changed in the last couple of years?
13. What future direction do you see the company taking?
14. What is the greatest demand for your services or product?
15. How do you differ from your competition?
16. Describe your star employee. What are the qualities of people who perform best in this business?
17. How do you think most of the employees would describe this workplace?
18. How would you describe your company culture?
19. What trends do you see in the future that will affect your organization?
20. Who else would you recommend that I speak with about this career/company?