For over 25 years I’ve been helping students and young professionals advance their careers and realize their worklife potential. One of the best ways to build a career is to get the most out of information interviews. To date, I’ve exchanged ideas and shared wisdom with well over 1,000 of these interviews, both as an interviewer and interviewee. This article outlines leading practices – and my preferences – for conducting information interviews (if you’re receiving a link to this article before our meeting, I strongly encourage you to read it!).

What is an information interview?

An information interview is a purposeful conversation where individuals seek insights into a career, industry, or role from experienced professionals to guide their career decisions.

I receive one or two requests for information interviews or meetings with students and professionals every week and the quality has varied greatly. The purpose of an information interview is not to ask for a job or get hired for a project (although this is a potential outcome of a good info interview).

Here are tips for having great information interviews.

Do your homework

Even before reaching out to someone like me, do some research (the Internet makes it pretty easy for even the most novice digital sleuths). You should have a solid understanding of who I am and what I do before sending an email or LinkedIn message.

A good informational interview starts with a clear offer of intention, such as learning more about career paths, tips for blending  worklife, or insights into impact finance, co-operatives, and/or higher education. This intention is informed by your excellent homework.

It does not start off with questions like “what do you do?” and “what is your job?” You should show up familiarized with my background, career story, and areas of expertise.

Doing your homework will not only show your genuine interest in your interviewee, but will also help you ask more targeted and insightful questions.

Ask great questions

The quality of your questions can significantly impact the outcome of our conversation. I expect interviewers to come prepared with five to ten thoughtful questions that are based on my background, expertise, or industry knowledge. These questions should be open-ended to encourage a meaningful dialogue. You get bonus points for making me think! Here are a few examples:

• What inspired you to pursue a career in impact finance and leadership development, and how has your background in History influenced your approach?
• What are some of the key challenges you’ve encountered [insert role or industry], and how have you overcome them?
• How do you see the public sector pensions – or leadership development – evolving over the next five to ten years? What trends are making the biggest impact?
• I notice that you [insert well-researched example of John’s career transition], what advice would you give to a young professional looking to build a career in impact finance and leverage their own unique expertise?
• What is a project or initiative that you’re particularly proud of? What leadership strategies did you employ to make it successful?

Read the room and adjust

Being adaptable during the conversation is key. Pay attention to the flow of the discussion and adjust your tone and content accordingly. For example, if the stars align and I can offer you a role (unlikely, but it’s happened!) or connect you with someone in my network, make sure you ask about it!

On the other hand, if it’s apparent that I’m grumpy or not impressed, be ready to shift gears and steer the conversation in a different direction. For example, many years ago I met a recent university graduate who was really interested in Vancity’s focus on aligning our internship program with emerging workplace and financial needs of Gen Z (he got interested during a panel discussion of which I was a member). When I asked him what he knew about Vancity he made a bit of an oops face and said “not much … but if you give me two minutes I can explain how I’ll find out … and much more!”

Great agility in the moment. Great demonstration of his thinking process.

We hired him into one of our first internship cohorts and he ended up leading the program for a few years.

Follow up

After the information interview (or any interview), send a thank-you email or handwritten card to express your gratitude for the time and insights shared. Mentioning specific points from the conversation that you found particularly valuable is a great practice.

Follow-ups are a great way to share knowledge, too – when students or early-career-professionals share research, content, or ideas I love it because they often shift my perspective or uncover a new way of thinking.

Top 10 dos and don’ts

• Do be on time: punctuality shows respect for the other person’s time and sets a respectful tone for our conversation.
• Do be curious: ask thoughtful and engaging questions the reflect a genuine interest in others’ experiences and perspectives.
• Don’t dominate the conversation: keep the discussion balanced and ensure the focus remains on insights and advice, not selling.
• Do be prepared: research the person and their organization in advance so you can tailor your conversation effectively.
• Don’t come unprepared: arriving without knowledge of their background or the organization may leave a poor impression.
• Do listen openly: pay full attention to their insights and stories and notice their tone and body language.
• Do adapt to the conversation: Adjust your tone and approach based on the flow of the conversation and their mood; if a question you prepared feels forced, ask a different or simply say “tell me more”.
• Do follow up: send a thank-you note and reflect on any valuable advice or connections they offered.
• Don’t ask for a job or an introduction right away: focus on building a connection rather than making immediate requests.
• Don’t take too much time: respect the agreed-upon duration and avoid overextending the meeting.

Assume positive intent

People love to share stories and most of us get lit up by helping others. I carve out Friday mornings and afternoons for coffee chats and, in my experience, people are always willing to help others understand their place in the world a little better.

So, assume that when you ask for an informational interview I will not only make time for it, but I’ll probably be pretty excited to help you by answering questions, sharing stories, and opening my community.