Informational interviews, when properly prepared for, are a powerful career and self-development tool.
Contributor Prital Patel
Lauren Celano, Propel Careers{credit}Image credit: Shawna Lu and Jennifer Gorman{/credit}
In 2014 I attended the Naturejobs Career Expo in Boston as a reporter, covering a talk delivered by Lauren Celano of Propel Careers on how to look your best on paper (here’s part 1 and part 2). I am currently an executive member of the Life Sciences Career Development Society (LSCDS) at the University of Toronto, a platform for assisting graduate students in exploring career options outside of academia. I worked as part of a team to organize a networking reception to give researchers at University of Toronto an opportunity to engage and network with life sciences professionals in non-academic roles. As a prelude to the event, Celano gave a seminar on informational interviewing and effective networking.
“Informational interviews are one of the most powerful tools available to graduate students and academics who wish to figure out what exactly it is they wish to do.”- Lauren Celano
Typically lasting between 15-30 minutes, informational interviews can happen anywhere ranging from coffee shops, Skype or even the telephone. They are an opportunity for job seekers to gather information about jobs and companies that are of interest to them.
As a graduate student, I can attest to the fact that the number of “non-traditional” career options I can pursue are numerous. Whilst the possibilities are exciting, they quickly become overwhelming. As Celano pointed out, narrowing down where your interests lie is crucial for proper time management, especially as it allow you to effectively develop career-specific networks and prepare for job interviews. I’ll admit that reaching out and speaking to strangers over an informational interview seemed very daunting at first. However, Lauren simplified it into a step-by-step process making it easier for me to find a structured approach to take.
Informational interviewing is like a conversation, not an interview. Don’t get too nervous about formalities. #LSC101
— LSCDS (@lscdsuoft) February 26, 2015