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Why You Should Go on Informational Interviews Even If You’re Not Job Hunting

Fingers with faces drawn on them and speech bubbles in the background.

Informational interviews are a great way to explore new fields and build your network if you’re looking to change jobs or careers. But what if you’re not job hunting?

Over on Net Impact, Jaime Hiraishi outlines three ways people who are not looking for a job can benefit from informational interviews. Here’s one that stood out to us:

"Get an insider's point of view

If you’re job searching, use these conversations to explore new industries or roles. Discover what an organization you might be interested in is really like by focusing on your interviewee’s personal experience there. What challenges are they facing? What do they enjoy most about their current role or employer? Use this information to inform – or adjust – your own approach.

Not on the job hunt? Informational interviews can expose you to new ways of approaching your own job. What industry trends are others seeing? Are there best practices that you can share? This kind of conversation can be incredibly valuable, and can lead to lasting relationships and new solutions."

This reason resonates strongly with me. When I first started at Idealist, I spent a lot of time reaching out to folks to learn about social media, editing, and building online publications. Additionally, it was exciting to share my own plans and projects and discuss potential collaborations.

Not only have I connected with amazing people, but I have also picked up a ton of new ideas and resources that help me do my job better. The experience was so rewarding, going on informational interviews is now part of my professional development plan.

Check out our resources on securing informational interviews here and here.


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by Allison Jones

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