Informational Interviews 101

Even before I knew what “informational interviews” were, I was always asking my network connections if they’d like to meet and chat over coffee so I could get to know more about what they do as attorneys. Whenever anyone tells me they are unsure if law school is right for them, my number one piece of advice is to do informational interviews! They are a great way to gain insight into the legal field. And they aren’t limited to just law, informational interviews are great for any field you might be interested in! Here’s a short post all about them!

What is an information interview? An informational interview is a conversation where you ask questions and gain information about a particular job or field of work. If you asked an attorney out to coffee to learn more about what they do, that would be an informational interview! Most times networking events are mini informal informational interviews. You can do informational interviews with anyone from any field of work, not just attorneys.

How do I get an informational interview? Since you are the person seeking information, you need to go out and ask for the interview! They are not given out.

How do I find people to ask for an informational interview? First, look at what connections you already have and ask any of those for informational interviews if they have jobs or work in field you are interested in. Next, ask current connections, professors, advisors, family, friends, etc., if THEY have any connections you might be interested in meeting, and have them make the introduction. Lastly, and my personal favorite, is to take to google and LinkedIn to find people in your area. For example, law firms and government offices typically have little employee profiles on their websites that list everyone’s contact information. Try to search keywords or phrases associated with what you’re interested in to find all kinds of offices and firms.

How do I reach out and ask for an informational interview? I suggest writing an email that is short and to the point. Here is an example:

Subject line: Informational interview request: [your name]

Hello Mr./Ms./Miss [insert last name],

My name is [insert your name] and I am [a little bit about yourself, example: a current third year student at UC Davis]. I am reaching out because I am interested in [attending law school/learning more about the legal field, etc]. I would love to take you to a quick coffee so I can hear about your work and what it is like to work at [insert office name]. I am flexible and happy to meet at a time and place that is convenient for you!

Best,

[your name]

How do I break the ice? or should I just go straight into asking my questions? Typically, when I arrive and meet the person I am interviewing, I first ask them how their day is going. Then, I thank them for agreeing to meet with me (“I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to meet with me!) and give them a short (emphasis on short) intro on myself and why I was interested in meeting with them (“I’m currently studying environmental policy at UC Davis and really interested in learning more about the legal field, so I wanted to meet with you and learn more about what you do.”). Then I go into my questions!

What kind of questions are good to ask in an informational interview? The basic questions I ask change depending on who I am interviewing, but here are some main ones (and tailor them to the person/field you are interviewing):

• What does a typical day in this office look like? What does you work mainly consist of?
• Did you always know you wanted to work in [area of law]?
• What type of jobs did you have before this one?
• Do you have any advice for someone interested in [field of work/area of law]? Did you participate in anything in college/law school that you found helpful to your career?

I would also advise you to write down your questions beforehand and research the office a little bit so you come prepared and aren’t trying to think of questions on the spot.

How should I dress for this? I would say mainly stick to business casual. A pair of slacks, flat shoes, and a nice blouse should do fine! Remember, you want to make a good first impression on this future network connection. I have plenty of inspiration for outfits on my tiktok and instagram reels.

How do I conclude the informational interview? What should I do afterward? I would wrap up the interview by saying that you got through all the questions you had for them, and then thanking them again for taking time out of their day to meet with you. Quickly afterward (within the same day for sure), make sure to send a thank you email to the person you interviewed and let them know you appreciated learning about [insert something you learned].