An informational interview is a 20-30 minute conversation where you ask someone about their work, role, or company. You're not asking for a job. You're asking for information.

Done right, they're one of the highest-leverage things you can do in a job search. Done wrong, they waste both of your time.

How to ask

LinkedIn DM or email. Short and specific:

"Hi [Name] — I came across your work at [Company] and noticed you've been [doing X / leading Y]. I'm exploring [related area / role] and would love to learn from your experience. Would you have 20 minutes for a quick call sometime in the next two weeks?"

Don't ask for a job up front. That defeats the point.

What to ask

Good questions:

  • "How did you end up in this role?" (Most people love telling their story.)
  • "What does a typical week actually look like?"
  • "What's surprised you about the work?"
  • "What do you wish you'd known before joining?"
  • "What's the biggest challenge the team is facing right now?"
  • "How is success measured for someone in your role?"

Bad questions:

  • "Are you hiring?" (Don't ask in the first meeting.)
  • "Can you refer me?" (Earn it; don't request it.)
  • Anything you could have Googled.

What you actually get

  • Real-world signal about a role or company that no JD captures.
  • A relationship with someone in the field who might come to mind when a relevant role opens.
  • Vocabulary for talking about the work in interviews.
  • Sometimes a referral — but only when the relationship is real and the timing is right.

How to be a good guest

  • Show up on time.
  • Have specific questions ready.
  • Take notes.
  • Keep it to 25-30 minutes unless they explicitly want to go longer.
  • Send a thank-you within 24 hours.

What to do after

  • Stay loosely in touch. Comment on their LinkedIn posts occasionally; don't ghost.
  • When a relevant role opens at their company, send a follow-up: "I noticed [Role] is open and thought about our conversation. Open to me applying?" That's the right time to ask.

What not to do

  • Don't ask for a referral in the first conversation.
  • Don't pretend you have more experience than you do. They'll see through it.
  • Don't oversell yourself. It's a conversation, not a pitch.
  • Don't ask for too much. 20-30 minutes; not their whole afternoon.

When informational interviews are worth it

  • Considering a career pivot. Highest-value use case.
  • Targeting specific companies. Build relationships before applying.
  • New to a city or industry. Build a network from scratch.
  • Senior roles. Often filled through relationships rather than job boards.

When they're not worth the time

  • Spray-and-pray volume. Don't message 50 strangers asking for informational interviews.
  • You haven't done the homework. If you could've found the answer on Google, don't burn someone's 30 minutes.

The bigger pattern

Informational interviews are slow signal. They pay off over months and years, not days. Pair them with active applying — Sorce applies to 5M+ open jobs for you — 40 free swipes a day.

For more: how to ace an interview, how to prepare for a job interview, message to hiring manager.