# Informational interview

An informational interview is not a job interview at all. It's a conversation a candidate initiates with someone working in a role, company, or industry they're curious about, purely to learn and build a connection, with no job being applied for or offered.

It's a career-research tool, commonly recommended for students exploring a field before committing to it.

**Informational interview** — An informational interview is a conversation a candidate initiates with someone working in a role or industry they're curious about, purely to learn and build a connection. No job is being applied for and no offer is on the table; the person being interviewed is doing a favor, not evaluating a candidate.

The format is common advice for students and career changers who want a realistic picture of a job before pursuing it, since postings rarely explain what day-to-day work feels like. A typical session runs 20 to 30 minutes and covers what a person's job involves and how they got into the field. It can also open doors: a good conversation sometimes leads to a referral later, even though that isn't the stated purpose.

## Frequently asked questions

### Should you ask for a job during an informational interview?

No. Directly asking for a job turns the conversation into something the other person didn't agree to. The goal is to learn, and any opportunities from the relationship should develop naturally afterward.

### How do you request an informational interview?

A short, specific message works best: explain who you are, why you're interested in their role, and ask for 15 to 20 minutes. Being clear about the ask makes it easy for a busy person to say yes.

### Is an informational interview worth the time?

For someone exploring a new field or company, it can be one of the fastest ways to get a candid, unfiltered view of the work, faster than research alone and less pressured than a real job interview.

## Related pages

- [Browse open roles](/jobs)

## Ready to apply for real

Once you know the role you want, Intervieux's job board lets you apply directly and interview for it.

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