A practical guide to informational interviews
An informational interview is a short, purposeful conversation with someone who has relevant experience. It helps you understand a role, industry, qualification or career path before making a significant decision. Unlike a job interview, its purpose is learning: you are gathering evidence, not presenting yourself for selection.
These conversations are often called mentor chats, career conversations or exploratory interviews. They can reveal the daily reality behind a job title, the skills employers value and the obstacles experienced by professionals at different stages. The strongest conversations combine a clear objective with genuine curiosity and respect for the other person’s time.
A useful informational interview should produce something practical, whether that is a shortlist of skills to develop, a better search strategy or evidence about whether a particular field suits you. Preparation, thoughtful questioning and a disciplined follow-up turn a pleasant chat into valuable career intelligence.
Set a clear outcome and find the right person
Begin with the decision you want to make better. Write down whether you are comparing occupations, investigating an industry, seeking workplace insights or testing a proposed career change. This prevents a broad conversation from becoming an unfocused collection of opinions and gives you a standard for judging what you hear.
Look for someone whose current experience matches your question. A senior specialist may explain long-term strategy, while an early-career graduate can describe entry pathways more directly. Use SEEK, LinkedIn, alumni networks, professional associations and local chambers of commerce to identify contacts. A specific shared interest is usually more productive than asking a stranger to discuss your entire career.
A short, personalised request works best. For example: “Hi Alex, I’m exploring how urban planners move from public-sector work into consulting, and I noticed your work on [specific project]. Would you be open to a 25-minute career conversation next Thursday? I can work around your schedule.” Make the duration clear and offer several times rather than expecting an immediate reply.
Prepare questions that lead to useful evidence
Prepare a question path rather than a rigid script. Start with background: “What attracted you to this work?” Move towards current experience: “What does a typical week involve?” Then explore pathways, constraints and future direction: “Which skills have mattered most?”, “How do people usually enter the sector?” and “What changes are having the greatest effect on teams?”
Specific questions generate better answers than “What is it like working there?” Ask for examples, trade-offs and observable behaviour. “Can you describe a difficult decision your team faced recently?” may reveal more about leadership and problem-solving than a general question about company culture. Bring seven or eight core questions, then use the conversation to choose the most relevant follow-ups.
Keep the exchange ethical. Do not request confidential details about clients, colleagues, budgets or unreleased plans. Explain that you are seeking professional perspective, not proprietary information. If you want to take notes, ask first, and avoid recording without permission. Being trusted with candid insight is more valuable than obtaining a quick but surface-level answer.
Choose a format that supports honest exchange
The setting should match the purpose. A brief video call is useful for checking basic facts. A relaxed coffee conversation often produces stronger personal context, while a workplace visit or longer discussion can reveal operational realities. In Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, many professionals now suggest a half-hour catch-up near a central business district or transit hub, although a video call may be more convenient for regional participants or hybrid teams.
| Conversation format | Best suited to | Typical length | Main advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video call | Initial fact-finding | 20–25 minutes | Efficient access across cities |
| Coffee chat | Rapport and career context | 30–40 minutes | Encourages natural conversation |
| Workplace visit or extended call | Understanding daily operations | 45–60 minutes | Reveals tools, constraints and culture |
Start by confirming the focus, the time available and whether the participant has preferences about the setting. Ask one question, listen fully and follow the evidence rather than rushing to the next item. A useful rule is to speak for less than half the conversation. Summarise what you heard and check your understanding before the meeting ends.
Leave the final few minutes for the participant’s suggestions. They may recommend another person, point towards a relevant course or identify an assumption worth testing. Ending with “What have I overlooked?” can uncover useful gaps, but frame it as an invitation rather than a test.
Read the answers through an Australian lens
Local context changes what an answer means. Canberra offers a distinctive public-policy environment, with Commonwealth departments, parliamentary offices and public-service teams connected through procurement, legislation and community programmes. Someone working there can explain how policy priorities move through government, while also noting the difference between electoral expectations, departmental processes and implementation on the ground.
Australian workplace conversation is often friendly, direct and modest. Phrases such as “no worries” and “not a problem” soften requests, while excessive self-promotion can feel out of place. Many people are comfortable using first names, but it is still sensible to ask how they prefer to be addressed. Match their pace: become more conversational when they share a story, and more precise when discussing data or policy.
The Australian employment market is geographically distributed, with opportunities and professional requirements varying between states and sectors. Searchers commonly move between SEEK, LinkedIn, Workforce Australia, specialist recruiters and professional networks. For roles affected by state licensing or public-sector hiring panels, local requirements can be decisive. Treat any single person’s experience as one perspective, then compare it with market data and several other conversations.
Follow up and convert insight into action
Send a personalised thank-you message within 24 hours. Mention one specific point that changed your thinking, confirm any promise you made and avoid sending a generic template. If you promised to read a report or review a programme, attach the relevant link. A short message demonstrates professional respect and keeps the relationship open for future questions.
Separate evidence from interpretation. Write down what the participant directly reported, what you inferred and what still needs testing. “Three employers mention data visualisation” is evidence; “data visualisation is probably the most important skill” is an interpretation. Use those distinctions to refine your career hypothesis, update your professional development plan or identify useful keywords for your job search.
Then convert the conversation into a small action. You might draft a relevant project, approach a second contact, shadow a team or test a short course. Review your notes again after a week, when immediate impressions have faded. If another person confirms the same pattern, your confidence in the next career decision should increase.
Make your next conversation count
Choose one specific person and one learning objective, then prepare a request that respects their schedule. Keep your first message brief, explain why their perspective is relevant and make the intended duration clear. The aim is not to extract every possible answer; it is to begin a genuine professional exchange that can guide your next move.
Use 168galaxye to explore related perspectives on communication, career development and professional practice, then return to the conversation with sharper questions. One well-prepared informational interview can turn an uncertain career decision into a practical next step—and provide the foundation for a more confident path forward.