PSA: I thought the 'informational interview' thing was just busywork for college kids

For years, I brushed off the idea of asking people for a chat about their job. It felt like a waste of their time and made me look needy. Then, about six months ago, I was stuck in my project coordinator role in Phoenix and a friend pushed me to just try it. I reached out to a senior program manager I found on LinkedIn, bought her a coffee, and asked about her path. She didn't have a job for me, but she explained the exact skills her team looks for and mentioned a software, Asana, that I'd never used. I learned it over a weekend, mentioned it in our follow-up, and she ended up passing my name along for a contract role that turned into a full-time offer. That one 45-minute talk did more than a hundred job applications. Has anyone else had a similar experience where a simple chat opened a door you didn't see?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_eva25d ago

I used to think those chats were just awkward networking. Then I had one with a local arborist who explained the real difference between certified and insured tree work. That five minute talk saved me from a bad hire later that year.

sanchez.holly25d ago

Always ask for proof of both before you let anyone touch your trees.

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