Informational Interviews: How to Ask for One and What to Say

What Is an Informational Interview and Why Should You Care?

An informational interview is a 20-30 minute conversation where you ask a professional about their role, career path, or industry. You are not asking for a job. You are gathering insights and building a relationship. And according to NACE research, 9 out of 10 students who secured internships had conducted informational interviews with business professionals.

That statistic alone should make informational interviews a core part of your career strategy. Yet most students and graduates never do a single one. This guide covers exactly how to request an informational interview, what to ask during the conversation, and how to follow up so that a 20-minute chat turns into a lasting professional relationship.

The Data Behind Informational Interviews

The evidence for informational interviews is strong, particularly from NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers):

That second row is particularly striking. Students with two or more internships were 8x more likely to have conducted informational interviews than students without internships. Correlation is not causation, but the pattern is clear: the most successful students are the ones having these conversations.

How to Request an Informational Interview

Choose the Right People

Target professionals who are:

• 1-3 years ahead of you in the career path you want (they remember what it was like to start)
• In roles or companies you are genuinely curious about
• Alumni from your university (shared background increases response rates significantly)
• Active on LinkedIn (they are more likely to respond to outreach)

You do not need to target C-suite executives. In fact, mid-level professionals and recent hires often provide more actionable advice and are more likely to respond. HR specialists respond at 8.5%, the highest of any role category (Cleanlist, 2026).

Write the Request

The request email or LinkedIn message follows the same principles as any networking email: keep it short, personalize it, and make a specific ask.

Key elements:

1. Who you are (one sentence)
2. Why them specifically (reference their work, background, or role)
3. The ask (20 minutes of their time for an informational conversation)
4. Make it easy (suggest a format: phone, video, or coffee)

Email Template

Subject: Quick question about [their role/industry] from a [University] student

Hi [Name],

I am a [year] student at [University] studying [major], and I am exploring careers in [industry/function]. I came across your profile and was impressed by your work on [specific project or career detail].

Would you have 20 minutes for a brief informational conversation? I would love to hear about your experience at [Company] and any advice for someone starting out in this field.

I am happy to work around your schedule. A phone call, video chat, or coffee all work for me.

Thanks for considering, [Your name]

LinkedIn Message Template

Hi [Name], I am a [year/role] at [University/Company] exploring [industry]. Your path from [previous role] to [current role] at [Company] really stood out. Would you have 20 minutes for a quick informational chat? I would appreciate your perspective on [specific topic].

Response Rates to Expect

• Cold email informational interview requests: 5-10% response rate
• LinkedIn InMail: 10-25% response rate (Sales So, 2026)
• With a shared background (alumni, mutual connection): 20-30%+
• After engaging with their content first: 40-50% (Pursue Networking)

Engaging with someone's LinkedIn content for a week before sending your request increases your success rate to 40-50%, compared to just 15% for completely cold outreach (Pursue Networking). Like and comment on 2-3 of their posts before reaching out.

What to Ask During an Informational Interview

The quality of your questions determines the quality of the conversation. Prepare 5-7 questions but be ready to go off-script if the conversation flows naturally.

Tier 1: Career Path Questions

These open the conversation and get them talking about their experience:

• "What does a typical day or week look like in your role?"
• "How did you get from [their previous role] to where you are now?"
• "What surprised you most about this industry when you first started?"

Tier 2: Insight Questions

These demonstrate genuine curiosity and extract unique value:

• "What skills or experiences do you wish you had developed earlier in your career?"
• "What is the biggest challenge facing [their industry/function] right now?"
• "If you were starting your career today, what would you do differently?"

Tier 3: Actionable Questions

These turn insights into next steps:

• "Are there specific companies or teams you would recommend I look into?"
• "Is there anyone else you think I should talk to about this?"
• "What would be the most valuable thing I could do in the next 3 months to prepare for a role like yours?"

Questions to Avoid

• "Can you get me a job?" (this defeats the entire purpose)
• "What is your salary?" (too personal for a first conversation)
• Anything you could easily Google (shows you did not do your homework)

The 20-Minute Rule

University career centers at Berkeley, Yale, MIT, and Princeton all recommend keeping informational interviews to 20-30 minutes. Request 20 minutes in your outreach. If the conversation is going well, the other person will extend it naturally. But never go over time without asking: "I know I asked for 20 minutes. Would you like to keep going, or should we wrap up?"

Respecting their time is one of the most important things you can do. It shows professionalism and makes them more likely to help you in the future.

The Follow-Up: What Separates Good Networkers From Great Ones

What you do after the informational interview matters as much as the conversation itself.

Send a Thank-You Within 24 Hours

Only 24% of job seekers send a thank-you note after an interview or networking conversation (Apollo Technical). Yet 80% of hiring managers say thank-you notes are helpful when evaluating candidates (Apollo Technical). By simply following up, you stand out from 76% of people.

Your thank-you should:

1. Thank them for their time (be specific about what you learned)
2. Reference a key insight from the conversation
3. Mention your next step based on their advice
4. Offer to return the favor if relevant

Thank-You Template

Subject: Thank you for the conversation, [Name]

Hi [Name],

Thank you for taking the time to chat today. Your insight about [specific topic they discussed] was really valuable, and I had not considered [specific point] before.

Based on your advice, I plan to [specific action you will take]. I will keep you posted on how it goes.

If there is ever anything I can help with on my end, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Best, [Your name]

Stay in Touch

The informational interview is the beginning of a relationship, not the end. Follow up every 4-6 weeks with relevant updates:

• Share an article related to something you discussed
• Update them on progress you made based on their advice
• Congratulate them on professional milestones

Professionals with larger, well-maintained networks are 36% more likely to receive promotions (Apollo Technical, 2026). The relationships you build through informational interviews compound over time.

How Many Informational Interviews Should You Do?

There is no magic number, but here are benchmarks:

• 5-10 informational interviews in a target industry gives you a solid understanding of the landscape and often produces at least one warm referral (The Interview Guys)
• Students with 2+ internships were 8x more likely to have done informational interviews than those without (NACE), suggesting consistent effort matters more than hitting a specific count
• Graduating seniors who used career services (including networking prep) received an average of 1.24 job offers (NACE)

A practical goal: aim for 2-3 informational interviews per week during active job search periods. That translates to sending 15-25 outreach messages per week, given typical response rates.

Informational Interviews vs. Job Interviews

Understanding the difference prevents the most common mistake: turning an informational interview into a job pitch.

The moment you start pitching yourself for a job, you have broken the implicit agreement. The other person agreed to share advice, not to evaluate you as a candidate. If they see a fit, they will bring it up themselves.

That said, research from NACE shows that internships obtained through cold networking (including informational interviews) led to more job offers than those obtained through warm networking. The opportunities come naturally when you focus on genuine curiosity.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not preparing questions. Going in without prepared questions wastes both your time and theirs
2. Talking too much about yourself. This is their time to share. Follow the 80/20 rule: they talk 80%, you talk 20%
3. Asking for a job. This kills the relationship before it starts
4. Not following up. 76% of people never send a thank-you note. Do not be one of them
5. Going over time. Respect the 20-minute window unless they explicitly extend it
6. Only doing one. A single informational interview is useful. A consistent practice of them is career-changing

FAQ

How do I find people to do informational interviews with?

Start with your university alumni network on LinkedIn (LinkedIn > My Network > Find Alumni). Filter by company, industry, or location. Alumni are significantly more likely to respond to fellow graduates. Also check with your career services office, professors, and any professional associations in your field. For finding contact details beyond LinkedIn, tools like Whali can help identify and verify email addresses at your target companies.

What if someone says no or does not respond?

Do not take it personally. Professionals are busy. Average cold outreach response rates are 5-10%, so most people will not reply. Send one polite follow-up after 3-5 days. If there is still no response, move on. There are plenty of other professionals who would be happy to chat. Following up boosts reply rates by 50%+ (Belkins), so always send at least one follow-up.

Can informational interviews lead to job offers?

Yes, frequently. While you should never ask for a job during an informational interview, 9 out of 10 students who secured internships had conducted informational interviews (NACE). A University of San Diego study found that all 8 students in a research cohort received internship offers as a direct result of informational interviews, even though they explicitly did not ask for jobs (Hogelucht, 2011). The opportunities emerge naturally from genuine relationships.

How should I prepare for an informational interview?

Research the person thoroughly: read their LinkedIn profile, any articles or talks, and understand their company's recent news. Prepare 5-7 questions but be flexible. Review the company's website and recent press so you can ask informed questions. Have a brief (30-second) introduction ready for when they ask about you.

Is it better to do informational interviews in person or virtually?

Both work well. 95% of professionals say face-to-face meetings are essential for lasting relationships (Wave Connect, 2025), but virtual meetings lower the barrier to say yes. For initial informational interviews, offer both options and let the other person choose. Virtual is often more convenient and leads to higher acceptance rates, especially for busy professionals.