Info Interviews Part IV: The Meeting and Follow-up
So you’re ready for the big day! You sourced a contact, reached out and set a time, prepared with research and insightful question and now you’re ready to meet. Let’s look at what it takes to create a successful meeting.
Logistics
For in-person meetings, allow extra time for surprises you might not anticipate, like challenges parking or going through security in an office building. If you’re meeting at a coffee shop, go early to secure a table in a quiet corner and order your drink so you’re ready to greet your guest and wait with her in line to buy her latte of choice, a small signal to express your gratitude. Even better, take her order beforehand and have it ready so you can maximize time spent on the actual conversation.
The Conversation
To launch the conversation, thank the person for making the time and do a brief recap of relevant parts of your background as she may have not taken much time to research you. Tie it together with your interest in learning more about her career journey and current role.
Guide the conversation through the questions you’ve prepared on the Person, Role, Company, Industry, Tools of the Trade (see last month’s blog). Let it flow and if your contact goes into more detail on one section, stay present and ask follow-up questions.
It's best to inconspicuously take brief notes during the meeting to capture important points, then add to them immediately after the meeting while the content is still fresh in your mind.
The Close
Be sure to honor the person’s time. As you get to the last 5 or 10 minutes of the conversation, mention the time as you transition to your next question. If she has flexibility she may offer to extend another 10-15 minutes and you can adjust accordingly. As you wrap up, ask who she recommends you speak with and inquire whether she’d mind sharing the person’s email, so you can reach out directly. Aim to get two referrals, which will allow you to get into the natural networks of your field.
Next Steps
Sending a thoughtful Thank you email within 24 hours is a respectful touch and gives you a chance to highlight what you took from the conversation. Ideally, you’ll also send a hand-written Thank you note, if you have the contact’s address. If meeting in person, you could ask for a business card, which contains that information. If meeting virtually, you can send a note to her place of work, if she isn’t working 100% remotely! If the contact wanted to introduce you to another connection, the follow-up note is a place where you can thank her for that offer and express continued interest in meeting the referral.
Stay in touch by sending a brief email every quarter or even every six months to touch base and share what you’re doing. An organic way to stay connected is to share relevant news on topics of interest to the person for example, the start of a youth soccer league if she mentioned her children enjoy the sport.
Keep a record of your calls in a simple spreadsheet or whatever works for you, so that you can easily look back and remember when you last spoke.
As you gain experience, you’ll adjust your approach and questions and doing informational interviews will become more natural. Before you know it, you’ll be a pro and your career will reap the rewards of knowledge you gain from those in the know!