How to Request and Run an Informational Interview

Find the Right People to Ask

Look for alumni from your school in the industry or role you want, professionals a professor or family member can introduce you to, or recruiters and employees you met at a career fair. LinkedIn's alumni search tool, found under your school's page, filters graduates by employer, location, and field, which makes it easy to build a short list.

You do not need a personal connection to reach out. A shared school, a shared hometown, or genuine interest in their specific career path is enough of a reason to send a message, as long as the message is short and clearly states why you picked them. Career center staff and professors often keep lists of alumni willing to talk to current students, so ask before you start cold outreach on your own.

Write a Short, Specific Request

Keep your message to a few sentences. State who you are, how you found them or what you have in common, what you want to learn, and a specific time ask of 15 to 20 minutes. Sample request templates from career centers all ask for advice, not a job. A request that reads like a job application gets ignored, while a request for a short conversation gets answered.

Example: "Hi [Name], I'm a junior at [University] studying [major], and I found your profile through our school's alumni network. I'm exploring a career in [field] and would appreciate 15 to 20 minutes of your time to hear about your path into [role]. Would you have availability for a short call in the next couple of weeks?"

Prepare Questions Before the Call

Write 5 to 7 questions ahead of time so the conversation stays useful even if nerves take over. Focus on their path into the field, what a typical week looks like, what skills matter most for someone starting out, and what they wish they knew earlier in their career. Avoid questions already answered with a quick search, and save any direct job questions for the very end, if at all.

• "What does a typical day or week look like in your role?"

• "What led you to this field, and what would you do differently?"

• "What skills or experience made the biggest difference early in your career?"

• "What do you wish more students understood about this industry?"

• "Is there anyone else you would recommend I talk to?"

Run the Conversation on Their Time

Log in or call a few minutes early, and open by thanking them for their time before you start asking questions. Watch the clock so the call ends at or before the time you asked for, even if the conversation is going well, since running long without asking first is one of the fastest ways to lose goodwill. Take notes during the call so you remember specifics for your follow up. If the person offers extra time once your questions are done, use it, but do not assume the call will run past what you asked for.

Ask for a Referral to Keep the Network Growing

Near the end of the conversation, ask if they know one or two other people worth talking to in the field. This question turns one conversation into a chain of contacts, and most professionals are glad to make an introduction after a good conversation.

Video Call or Phone Works as Well as In Person

Most informational interviews now happen over video call or phone rather than in person, and that is fine. Treat a video call with the same preparation as an in person meeting: quiet background, good lighting if the camera is on, and your questions printed or open in another window so you are not scrolling for them mid-conversation.

Follow Up Within a Day

Send a short thank you email or LinkedIn message within 24 hours, referencing one specific thing you learned from the conversation. This shows you were listening, not just collecting a contact, and it keeps the relationship open for future questions or referrals. Connect with them on LinkedIn in the same message if you have not already, so the relationship has a place to live beyond a single email thread.

Keep the Relationship Active

Reach out again every few months with a short update: a new internship, a class project related to their field, or a relevant article. A contact you talk to once and never again is far less useful than one who remembers you a year later when a role opens up on their team. Even a two line message congratulating them on a promotion or a new role keeps you on their radar without asking for anything.

What to Avoid

• Asking for a job or an internship directly in the first message.

• Showing up without any questions prepared.

• Letting the call run long without checking that they still have time.

• Skipping the thank you note after the conversation.