Informational interviews

All the “how to get a job” books emphasize the importance of networking. Informational interviews, they say, are a great way of meeting potential career contacts and learning about job options. For an academic seeking post-PhD work, or anyone transitioning from one career to another, networking is often essential but it’s not always obvious where to start. As an introvert and occasional self-conscious sort, there’s the added difficulty of making contact with strangers. Thankfully: email. It’s much less intimidating than phoning someone up.

For a long time, I put off doing informational interviews. I didn’t know too many people to reach out to, and people I wanted to talk to intimidated me. I did a couple back in the summer because the opportunity presented itself without my having to do much. But even after meeting (through a mutual friend) one post-PhD with an interesting, suitable job, and having that meeting go great, I still shied away from actively seeking them out. Oh, me. Back in October, though, I’d had enough of my ineffectual transition and decided to just do it.

The first two people I contacted where ones I didn’t know at all. One guy was a VP at an international consulting firm based here in Toronto; the other, a woman who ran her own marketing firm. Both were humanities PhDs, so I banked on having that in common with them, hoping they wouldn’t simply ignore a message from me. So I emailed and got positive responses and bought them coffee and the experiences were all positive! Doing them was a definite confidence boost. And of course I also learned useful things, was asked important-but-difficult-to-answer questions, and came away from them feeling better about all things post-PhD.

By now I’ve done a handful more, a few with people I already knew but whom I didn’t at first realize might have interesting stories, relevant experiences, and helpful advice to share with me. They’ve all really been useful, and fun! People—at least the ones I’ve reached out to and spoken with—want to help and have been encouraging. Their enthusiasm about what they’re doing rubs off on me, and their interest in my path is always gratifying. I’ve just come back from another one, with an inspiring post-PhD, and will keep on at it. Looking back, I shake my head at myself. If you’re feeling like I did (and I sometimes still do!), I say just write to people. I know I will.