10 best questions to ask at an informational interview

How to ask the right questions to help your future

By Samantha Storrey

​College is an amazing time to find who you are as well as what you plan on doing with your life, and I have found that informational interviews are an integral part to this process. Informational interviews are very important for a multitude of reasons, some of the major ones are: you get your name and face out there, you are ballsy enough to ask for this, you create relationships with potential employers, and many more. These interviews are a fantastic way to get a foot in the door, but you have to know how to approach this type of interview, and what I believe to be the most important part is the questions that you ask. We, so often as college students, are the interviewee ready to answer the questions asked of us but having to be the interviewer and think of your own questions is a whole other experience.  So, to make life easier for you, built through my experience of informational interviews, a list of the top 10 best questions to ask at an informational interview. 

1. What are the major components of your job on a daily basis?
        This is a great way to start the questions, it shows that you care about them personally and are interested in what they do and what their job consists of.
2. Is there anything you wished you knew before entering this field?
        This is in order for you to understand what you too will need to know, and this could potentially show you if this is the right area/job for you.
3. How do you see this job changing in the next 10 years?
      Although its basic, this question can give you an idea of what you should expect and what competition you could potentially face in the future.
4. What previous professional experiences have helped you most in this role?
        I don’t think I really need to explain this one, pay attention, take notes, and try to list out in order how each experience led them to their current role.
5. How would you describe someone who would excel in this career?
        You have to ask this question, it should be required at all informational interviews because honestly, it shows that you are serious about this job and potentially getting hired there in the future.
6. What kinds of work samples should my portfolio have?
        Again, a required question, the whole reason you are at this interview is to find out what it takes, or what you need, to possibly have a future at this job.
7. What’s most important to prepare for a role like yours?
        This question is again to help you prepare for a future in this career or job type.
8. What else should I know to make an informed decision about choosing a career in this field?
        This will help you find any final things that they may not have mentioned, or your questions didn’t necessarily cover.
9. Do you offer internships? If so, when?
         Ask this question! I cannot stress this enough. When in college you need internships in order to get a job after graduation. Do not be shy and not ask this because you now have a connection. Make sure to follow up later too to check in about the internship.
10. What’s a typical entry-level title?
        Again, ask this. I have gotten so many compliments at informational interviews because I was confident enough to ask this question. This also showed that I am very serious about working at this company and having a potential future there.
11. Bonus question: Is there anything not skill related that you also look for such as passion, or self-motivation?
          This is kind of a leading question, but it tends to put a smile on their face because you are basically implying you already have the said qualities, but this makes you look good and that’s also important in these types of interviews.

Informational interviews can determine your future, which although terrifying, is also very exciting. For these kinds of interviews, you can’t expect to just show up with no preparation. Dress nice, as if you were at an actual job interview, sit up straight, ask the questions that I have provided you and follow up afterwards with a thank you and I am sure you will get that follow-up internship or job.