How do you find someone to interview?
- Referral - call someone you know, or someone who has been referred to you by a friend, and ask that individual for an appointment. Often this is the most successful method!
- ASU Alumni - contact alumni throught the Devils' Den at www.asu.edu/alumni.
- By telephone - call a business and ask for the name of the person who works in the job or the department in which you might be interested. Tell that individual you are doing career research and need additional information in order to make a career decision. Try to make an appointment to see that person at a mutually convenient time: during working hours, at the lunch hour, during a break, or during off-work hours. Informational interviewing is most successful when done in person rather than over the telephone. Be flexible, and be prepared for "no, thank you".
- Letter method - obtain the name of a person you wish to interview and write a letter clearly stating your purpose of getting together. A letter requesting an informational interview should accomplish the following:
It names the person to whom you are writing
It tells the person WHY you are writing
It tells the person you are not looking for a job
It keeps the initiative with you
- Walk-in - "drop in" on a prospective interviewee whom you have identified as a good resource. Depending on the type of career research, this may or may not be an effective method of informational interviewing. For example, if you are researching the auto mechanics field, you may be welcome on a drop-in basis. On the other hand, most business professionals prefer appointments. Use your judgement!
