Most professionals spend their careers applying to posted job openings. Yet research shows those listings represent less than 30% of available positions. The other 70%? Filled through conversations most people never have—starting with a single type of meeting: the informational interview.
An informational interview is a 20-30 minute conversation with a professional whose work or career path you want to learn from. Unlike a job interview, you're not asking for employment—you're asking for insight. And the professionals you want to reach are far more willing to say yes than you'd expect, if you approach them correctly.
What Is an Informational Interview?
Richard Bolles coined the term in his 1972 career bible What Color Is Your Parachute? and it has remained a cornerstone of career development for over five decades (Kanar, 2023). The goal is not to ask for employment—it's to gather information, gain insights, and build a relationship with someone whose career path you admire.
Yet despite its longevity, evidence for its effectiveness was largely anecdotal until recently. A 2023 study published in The Career Development Quarterly provided empirical validation, demonstrating that informational interviewing significantly increases networking self-efficacy—the confidence and capability to build professional relationships (Kanar, 2023).
Why Informational Interviews Matter: The Hidden Job Market
The mathematics of modern job searching reveal why informational interviews are so valuable. According to various analyses, between 50% and 80% of job openings are never publicly advertised (The Interview Guys). Some estimates place this figure as high as 70% for positions filled through networking and referrals (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Referrals account for roughly 30–40% of all external hires—yet only a small fraction of candidates ever pursue introductions. Referred candidates are substantially more likely to be hired than those applying cold, because hiring managers trust people who come vouched for.
Every week spent only on job boards, you're competing for less than a third of available positions—while the rest go to people having conversations you haven't started yet.
Informational interviews are your gateway to this hidden market. They don't just provide information—they transform strangers into contacts who might later think of you when opportunities arise.
The Research: Does It Actually Work?
Until 2023, career experts believed in informational interviews largely on faith. Then Adam Kanar published empirical validation in The Career Development Quarterly: students who conducted informational interviews showed significantly improved networking self-efficacy—the psychological construct that predicts real-world networking behavior and success (Kanar, 2023).
A separate study by Lexis et al. found that informational interview assignments were "an effective career development tool" for STEM students, helping them confirm their career aspirations and make more informed decisions about their professional paths (Lexis et al., 2021).
The theoretical framework explains why: informational interviews meet the critical components of effective career interventions identified by Brown and Ryan Krane (2000), including opportunities to gather information about the world of work, receive individualized feedback, and build support for career choices.
How to Request an Informational Interview
The approach matters enormously. Research on cold email response rates reveals stark differences based on how you reach out:
| Connection Type | Response Rate |
|---|---|
| Cold outreach (no prior connection) | 5–10% |
| Shared alumni network | 20–30% |
| Warm introduction from mutual contact | 70–90% |
The lesson? Leverage any connection you have. A shared alma mater, a mutual LinkedIn connection, or membership in the same professional organization dramatically increases your chances of a positive response.
Crafting Your Outreach
Keep your initial message brief—emails longer than 6-7 sentences rarely get read completely by busy professionals. Your message should include:
- A clear connection point: How you found them, any mutual connections, or why you specifically chose them
- Genuine appreciation for their work: Reference something specific they've accomplished
- A specific, modest ask: Request 20-30 minutes, not an hour
- Flexibility on timing: Offer to work around their schedule
Critical distinction: Ask for advice, not a job. This isn't manipulation—it's respect. You're asking them to share their expertise, not to solve your employment problem. The irony is that this approach often leads to job opportunities more effectively than direct asks.
Timing Your Outreach
Research suggests that emails sent Tuesday through Thursday between 9:00-11:00 AM local time achieve the highest response rates. Late-night or Friday sends can reduce response rates by up to 40% (Zeliq).
Conducting the Interview: Making 20 Minutes Count
Once you've secured the meeting, preparation determines success. Research shows that 47% of candidates fail job interviews due to insufficient company research—the same principle applies to informational interviews.
Before the Meeting
- Research their background thoroughly (LinkedIn, company website, any published work)
- Prepare 5-7 thoughtful questions that you couldn't answer through Google
- Clarify your own goals: What specific insights would be most valuable?
During the Meeting
Opening (2-3 minutes): Express genuine gratitude. Restate your purpose and confirm the time available.
Core questions (15-20 minutes): Focus on their experience and insights, not generic industry information. Strong questions include:
- "What do you wish you'd known when you were at my stage?"
- "What surprised you most about this career path?"
- "How do you think about [specific challenge] in your work?"
- "What distinguishes people who thrive in this field?"
Closing (2-3 minutes): Ask who else they'd recommend speaking with. This single question can multiply your network exponentially.
Questions to Avoid
- Anything easily found online
- "Can you help me get a job?" (defeats the purpose)
- Questions that put them on the spot about hiring decisions
- Overly personal questions about salary or office politics
The Critical Follow-Up
The informational interview isn't complete when the call ends. Research on follow-up timing and effectiveness consistently shows that follow-up determines whether a single conversation becomes an ongoing relationship.
Same day: Send a thank-you email. Reference something specific from your conversation that was valuable. If they recommended other contacts, mention that you plan to reach out.
Within one week: Connect on LinkedIn with a personalized note if you haven't already.
Ongoing: Periodically share relevant articles or updates. When you have news (new job, completed project, applied their advice), let them know. These touchpoints transform a one-time conversation into a lasting professional relationship.
Converting Interviews into Ongoing Relationships
The most common mistake people make is treating informational interviews as transactions. You got the information; interaction complete. This wastes the relationship-building opportunity.
Instead, think of each informational interview as planting a seed. Some will grow into strong professional relationships; others won't. But consistent nurturing—through occasional relevant touchpoints—dramatically increases the likelihood that these contacts will think of you when opportunities arise.
The research on weak ties demonstrates that these peripheral relationships often generate more career opportunities than your close connections, precisely because they connect you to different information networks. Combine that insight with a give-first approach—sharing relevant articles, making introductions, offering help before asking—and occasional contacts become genuine advocates.
Your Action Plan
- Identify three people whose careers or roles interest you
- Find a connection point for each (shared connections, alumni networks, professional associations)
- Draft a brief, specific outreach message following the principles above
- Send during optimal timing (Tuesday-Thursday morning)
- Prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate genuine curiosity
- Follow up consistently to nurture the relationship over time — use a tool like Bondkeeper to track conversations, set reminders, and remember the personal details that make follow-ups feel genuine rather than formulaic
The professionals you admire were once where you are now. Most remember what it was like and are willing to pay forward the help they received. Make it easy for them to say yes—through a compelling, respectful ask—and then honor their time with preparation and genuine engagement. If you want a framework for turning these conversations into a sustainable relationship system, that's where the real long-term value compounds.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team before publication. Cover image generated with AI.
