How to get your first informational interview

HPRC
Feb 26, 2020
4 min read

So, you want to go on an informational interview. Maybe you’ve heard your teachers talking about them, or fourth-year students crediting their internships to them. Informational interviews are the best way to make connections in the industry and learn more about public relations.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s break down what makes up an informational interview. It is a short interview usually ranging from fifteen to twenty minutes where you are meeting with (in this case) a public relations professional. It’s the best way to get your foot in the industry’s door.

1. Find your interviewee

Finding your interviewee is a crucial step in this process. Who do you want to interview, and why? You can best narrow down your choices by choosing the individual based on what you might want to do in public relations. Whether you’re interested in agency or corporate, seek out someone who has that experience. If you’re not sure where you want to end up in public relations, make sure to interview a variety of people with diverse roles. There are many non-traditional public relations opportunities and this is one of the best ways to figure out what suits you. Even if you don’t fit the right fit immediately, it’s always valuable to learn about different avenues and fields in the industry.

There are several ways to find your interviewee:

LinkedIn is a great resource that is often used in public relations. Follow agencies or corporations that are doing work that interests you. Take note of who works at these places and what kind of roles they have in campaigns. Make sure your LinkedIn page is also current and complete. This includes a photo, a bio, your education, etc. People in public relations want to help students. Send out a connection request accompanied by a message.
Use the network you already have. Do you know people in the field? What about your professors? Ask to interview them, or ask them to make an introduction for you.
Networking events held by CPRS, IABC, or at your school are a great way to meet public relations practitioners. Don’t forget to get contact information or a connection on LinkedIn and make contact shortly afterwards to foster the connection.

2. Craft the perfect message

Now that you’ve found your interviewee it’s time to write them a message. Keep things succinct and professional.

Start with an introduction:

Hello, my name is _________. I am a ____-year public relations student at Humber College.

Tell them how you found them:

I came across your profile on LinkedIn and am interested in knowing more about (agency/corporate/the industry/your role).

Your contact information was passed along to me by _______ and I am interested in knowing more about (agency/corporate/the industry/your role).

I have been following (name of agency/corporation/etc.)’s for some time and am interested in knowing more about (their work/agency/corporate/the industry/your role).

Ask if they would be interested in going on an informational interview:

I understand you are busy and your time is extremely valuable. If you happen to have fifteen to twenty minutes sometime in the upcoming weeks, I’d love to meet for a coffee/tea and talk about your work in the industry. I am flexible so whenever is most convenient for you.

Don’t forget to thank them:

Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you!

Sign off:

Best,

__________

3. Prepare!

You should go into your interview having an idea of what you want to talk about. Write down a few questions to guide the conversation. Your first interview can be daunting and you may want to rush through your questions. Don’t forget to listen to their responses. It is okay to ask a follow-up question on something that interests you and deviate from your list. You’ll get back on track at some point and will have probably learned something unexpected and uniquely useful to you.

It is also wise to do some research on your interviewee before you meet. Take a look at their LinkedIn page or do a Google search. You may see a campaign they worked on that you want to know more about. The more prepared you feel, the less nerves will overtake you and the more likely you are to leave the interview having garnered information that will guide your career.

4. Go to your interview

The day has finally come for your interview. You’ve found a practitioner, sent them a message and they’ve accepted. Amazing!

There are a few things to keep in mind:

Dress professionally: You don’t need to wear a fully tailored suit for your interview, but do in dress in business-casual attire. You want to put your best foot forward and show that you care.
Don’t be late: Make sure you are on time. Leave earlier than you think is necessary. Transit and traffic can be unpredictable.
Bring a notebook: Write down things you think are valuable to remember. Don’t spend the whole interview writing but take occasional notes. This will be helpful when you write your follow-up thank you email. If you’re worried about your pen keeping up with your thoughts, you can also ask to record audio. This can be very helpful in reviewing what you learned afterwards, as well as hearing yourself in an interview setting.
Listen: The most important thing you can do—listen! It is easy to get caught up in your response or what you’re going to ask next. Actively listen to what they are saying. Don’t trail off in your head and think of other things. Stay focused on the other person.

5. Send a follow-up thank you

Don’t forget to send a thank you email after your interview. A quick email will go a long way. Thank your interviewee for their time and mention something specific you learned or found interesting. This is the perfect time to use any of the notes you jotted down before.

6. Be open to the possibilities

Not every informational interview is going to lead to a job, internship or opportunity right away. The purpose of these interviews is not for instant rewards. Think of it more as an investment in the course of your student or professional career. If you’ve walked away from an interview with knowledge of something new then your interview was a success!