How to Ace Your Next Informational Interview
People refer to unofficial meetings with prospective employers in all sorts of ways: Mock interviews, informational interviews, or, as my business school classmates and I referred to them, “coffee chats” (the coffee part was taken very literally, and I’m still attempting to reduce my caffeine tolerance now, three years after graduating). These meetings can be incredibly fruitful. They’ve helped me become a better businessperson and startup advisor. I still set up them up to connect with industry experts about current tech trends and, on the flipside, to share my experiences with aspiring venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. Here are a few tips I’ve picked up over the years to get the most out of informational interviews, no matter what you call them: 1. Be purposeful. As the “interviewee,” it is important to set yourself up for success by thinking through and establishing your general goal(s) of the meeting before setting a date. Are you looking to learn more about a particular industry? To gain a better understanding of a role or company you’re interested in? To be top of mind when the person you’re meeting with has a future need for someone with your experience? Setting your purpose will help guide