In my last article, I talked about why informational interviews can be one of the most powerful tools available to you when you’re trying to figure out what comes next after a job loss. An informational interview is a short, purposeful conversation with someone working in a role, company, or industry you’re curious about. The goal is to learn and know that enough of these interviews could land you with a job or business if done right. You ask about their path, what their work actually involves day to day, the challenges their field is facing, the skills that matter, and where the needs and opportunities are. It’s usually 20 to 30 minutes over coffee, by phone, or on video, and you’re the one asking for it.

But knowing the value of an informational interview and getting one are two different things.

The good news is that the process doesn’t need to be complicated.

Get the interview. Conduct the interview. Follow up.

Three steps.

They require some preparation and a little courage, particularly when you’re reaching out to someone you don’t know. But I’ve seen these conversations create extraordinary connections and opportunities.

Here’s how to get started.

Step One: Get the Interview

Start by creating a list of twenty-five people you’d genuinely like to meet.

Don’t begin by asking, Who can get me a job?

Ask instead:

Who could teach me something and who would I want to establish a relationship with?

Look for people working in roles that interest you. People at companies you admire. People who have made career transitions you’re considering. People doing something that makes you think, I’d really like to know how they got there.

Some of the names on your list may feel like a stretch.

Put them down anyway.

Then do your homework.

Research the Person

I cannot stress this enough.

The more you know about someone before reaching out, the easier it is to make your request personal instead of sounding like another generic networking email.

Look at their professional background. Read articles they’ve written. Listen to podcasts they’ve appeared on. Look at the organizations they support and boards they serve on.

Then search for connection points.

Did you attend the same university?

Do you know someone in common?

Are you both involved with the same nonprofit?

Did they recently write something that genuinely interested you?

Maybe you discover that both of you have always wanted to publish a book.

Find the human connection.

That becomes your way into the conversation.

And keep your outreach short. Tell them specifically why you’re interested in talking with them and ask for twenty or thirty minutes of their time.

There is also one important rule:

Don’t ask them for a job.

The moment someone thinks, This person wants me to hire them, the dynamic changes.

Remember, you’re not asking for employment.

You’re asking for insight. If you do your homework well, your conversation could, with time turn into a job.

Research the Company, Too

If you’re approaching someone because you’re interested in their organization, don’t stop your research with the person.

Learn about the company.

What does it actually do? What makes it different from its competitors? Is it a small entrepreneurial organization or a large corporate structure? Is it growing? Has it recently announced a new initiative, major contract, acquisition, leadership change, or expansion?

Look beyond the company’s own website.

What are employees saying? What kind of reputation does it have? How does leadership communicate? What clues can you find about its culture?

Culture matters enormously.

Had I understood the culture at Round the Clock before I accepted the job, I might have recognized some of the red flags much earlier.

Research isn’t simply about impressing the person you’re meeting.

It’s also about deciding whether their world is one you actually want to enter.

Step Two: Conduct the Interview

You got the meeting.

Now what?

First, relax.

This isn’t a traditional job interview where someone is evaluating whether you meet a list of qualifications.

It’s a conversation.

That doesn’t mean you should arrive unprepared.

Know how to explain who you are and why you’re there in a few sentences.

For example:

“I’ve spent twenty years in healthcare marketing and sales, and I’m exploring how my skills and interests might translate into your industry. I’d really like to understand more about your work and how someone with my background might fit into this world.”

That’s enough.

You’re providing context, not delivering your entire career history.

Before the meeting, review your research and prepare questions you genuinely want answered.

How did they get into the field?

What do they enjoy most about their work?

What is changing in the industry?

What skills are becoming increasingly valuable?

If they were entering the industry today, what would they do differently?

Always begin with an  opportunity to establish rapport.

Perhaps you have a shared alma mater, mutual connection, professional association, hobby, or cause.

Starting with something you genuinely have in common helps dissolve the professional distance.

Then let the conversation unfold.

Be interested.

Be curious.

And most importantly, listen.

You aren’t there to prove how impressive you are.

You’re there to learn.

Ironically, genuine curiosity often makes a far stronger impression than trying too hard to impress someone.

Before you leave, ask one final question:

“Is there anyone else you think I should talk with?”

One good informational interview can easily become the doorway to another.

And another.

That’s how your network begins expanding in directions you could never have planned

.

Step Three: Follow Up

The meeting doesn’t end when you walk out the door or close the Zoom window.

In many ways, that’s when the relationship begins.

Send a thank-you note within twenty-four hours.

I’m still a believer in handwritten notes whenever practical. They take only a few minutes, and precisely because they’re unusual today, people remember them.

Connect on LinkedIn.

If you promised to send an article, resource, introduction, or other information, send it immediately.

Then—and this is where many people stop too soon—stay in touch.

If you see an article related to something you discussed, send it.

If they introduced you to someone, let them know how the conversation went and thank them again.

If something they suggested helped you, tell them.

Don’t turn every communication into Do you know of any jobs yet?

You’re building a relationship.

Relationships need time.

You have no idea whether that conversation will lead to something next week, six months from now, or several years from now.

The Real Power of Informational Interviews

The ultimate value of informational interviews isn’t simply that they might eventually connect you with a job.

They change the way you approach your entire career transition.

After being fired, it’s very easy to start thinking of yourself as:

Someone who needs a job.

That mindset can quickly become desperate.

And desperation changes the way you show up.

Informational interviewing invites you to see yourself differently.

You aren’t simply an unemployed person asking someone to give you a chance.

You are an experienced professional with knowledge, skills, relationships, accomplishments, and something valuable to contribute.

You’re exploring where those things belong next.

That is an entirely different conversation.

Instead of asking:

Will someone hire me?

You begin asking:

Where can my experience create value?

Instead of waiting for job postings to tell you what’s available, you’re talking with people who can show you possibilities you didn’t know existed.

You are not trying to squeeze yourself into someone’s job description, you’re beginning to understand where your skills, interests, experience, and purpose intersect with real needs in the world.

That’s why informational interviews can become such an extraordinary conduit for opportunity.

A conversation leads to an introduction.

An introduction leads to another conversation.

That conversation exposes you to an industry you’d never considered.

Someone sees something in your experience that you hadn’t recognized yourself.

And suddenly, the path begins changing.

Because you started talking to people.

Your First Step Is Simple

You don’t need twenty-five informational interviews scheduled tomorrow.

Start with one informational interview

Make your list.

Choose the person you’re most curious about.

Research them.

Find the connection.

Send the email.

Then see where the conversation takes you.

You may discover that the opportunity you’ve been searching for isn’t sitting on a job board waiting for you to apply.

It may be waiting inside a conversation you haven’t had yet.

Start Exploring Your Next Chapter

If you’re trying to figure out what comes next after a job loss, the free Fired to Inspired workbook can help you begin sorting through the questions that matter most.

What do you want now?

What have your past experiences taught you?

What skills and strengths do you want to carry forward?

What industries, organizations, and people are worth exploring?

Use the workbook to begin identifying the clues, connections, and possibilities that can help you move from simply looking for another job to intentionally building your next chapter.

Then make your list.

Choose one person.

And start a conversation.

Your next opportunity may begin with something as simple as: “Could I have twenty minutes of your time?”

Learn more about Informational Interviewing by downloading my free workbook “Informational Interviews – The Holy Grail of Moving Forward” on my website at https://firedtoinspired.com/workbooks/