In Part 1 about information interviews, I noted why they are such a great tool.  But how do you actually do them?  First, you’ll need to identify someone to speak with and politely ask them for their time.  Make sure to tell them specifically why you want to speak with them (since people like to see themselves reflected in your communications).  Perhaps they are an expert in the field you are interested in or you saw an article in the newspaper about them or a friend recommended that you reach out to them.

When you get a meeting set, do your homework before the interview.  Look at the company’s website, read recent press about the company, Google the person you’ll be meeting with, and prepare your questions.  Chances are good that after a couple questions the interview will turn into more of a conversation, and that’s great.  Just make sure to work your two or three most important questions into the time you have allotted.

Here are some questions you might ask at the information interview itself:

• General questions about the company and its culture are fine; feel free to ask the person about what they find most and least satisfying about working for Company X.
• Be sure to ask the person about their background and what their career path has been.
• Remember that the best predictor of whether you might be happy in a job is to find someone doing it in the present and see if they are happy.  What does the person like about the job?  What’s their least favorite thing?  What skills do they have?  What personal characteristics are important for that position?  What does a “typical” day or week look like?
• How does the person keep developing themselves?  Do they attend training, belong to professional associations, read certain publications, etc?
• Give the person an idea of your education and work experience.  (It’s not necessary for them to review your resume, but you can have one with you, in case they’d like to see it.)  You may want to ask about what skills you need to develop to be in this field.
• You are not there to get a job; it would be inappropriate to ask for one.  However, if it’s a company you would like to work for, you might ask something like, “When you think about someone like me, what role might I fit in here at Company X?”
• I wouldn’t ask too many of these, but here are some interesting wild-card questions: “If you had it to do over, what would you do differently?,” “If you could go back 5/10/20 years, what would you tell your younger self?,” or “What question should I ask that I haven’t?”
• Don’t forget to ask who else they would suggest you speak with as you learn more about this field.
• If you would like to develop a relationship with this person, ask if it’s all right to contact them again in the future.

Remember to wrap up the discussion, even if it’s a great one, in about 45 to 60 minutes; never take up more time than you asked for.  After the interview, be sure to send the person a thank you that reflects the content of your conversation and specifically how it was helpful to you.

Gratitude, learning, curiosity, sharing…what’s not to love about information interviews?!

So what do you want to learn about?  Who are you interested in interviewing?  What questions do you want to ask?

Happy interviewing!

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I ♥ Information Interviews

If you’ve been reading these blogs and thinking about all those activities that have interested you throughout your life, perhaps you’ve already made the leap and are currently enjoying being engaged in a wonderful hobby.  Or maybe you want to learn more about a potential career.  For that, I love information interviews.  How do I love thee/them?  Let me count the ways…

1. Information interviews allow curious people of any age at any life stage to learn more about something: an occupation, an organization, an industry, a skill, etc.
2. They allow people to practice interviewing skills in a no-stress environment, since there’s no job at stake.
3. They help people build relationships and their networks.
4. The interviewee may give the person leads on other folks to speak with.  Bigger network, more learning – yay!
5. And lastly, they are a tremendous source of free information.  In fact, if you are hoping to get a job similar to the person you are interviewing, their satisfaction level is actually a much better predictor of whether you’d be happy in that job than is your own best guess!  (Strange, I know, but the studies prove it; read “Stumbling On Happiness” by Daniel Gilbert if you need convincing.)

One more note…  I know I said that information interviews are no-stress, but when you do them, you should treat them like a real interview.  Come prepared with your questions, be a good listener, keep it brief, and thank the person for giving you their time and attention.  And when someone asks you for an information interview, pay it back by graciously accepting.

So what do you want to learn about?  Where is your curiosity leading?  Who can you reach out to today?

Happy interviewing!

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Currently, I have the privilege of being a mentor at a Memphis startup incubator.  I love entrepreneurs not just because they are inspiring/nice/fascinating people, but also because they help keep the local community and economy vibrant.  I used to think that these folks were a special breed, that they didn’t experience fear, stress or failure like the rest of us.  Turns out, I was wrong.  Entrepreneurs feel fear; they just do their thing anyway!  They have what author  Steven Covey called “a bigger ‘yes’ burning inside.”

While I don’t think of myself as an entrepreneur (e.g., a person who introduces innovative new products or disruptive technologies), I am self-employed.  That’s not something I’d ever planned on.  Fortunately for me, I had coaching to help with my fears and limiting beliefs around what a “safe” career looks like.  I‘ve been able to work with my fears to manage, understand, and feel them – and then, like my entrepreneurial friends, do what I want to in spite of those fears.

What’s your “bigger ‘yes?’”  What’s the thing in life – large or small – that you want to do, but are afraid to do?  Excitement and fear can be close relatives.  Pay attention to both and follow The Daily Love’s Mastin Kipp’s smart advice that “Unless you are in mortal danger, fear is a compass telling you where to go.”  Scary?  Yes.  But on the other side of that fear is an amazing world where your desires and dreams await.  What’s one small step you’ll take towards your dream today?

Bon voyage!

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“[Trust that] the gifts you’re here to share with the world come from what inspires you most and makes you feel the greatest – and elevates your existence.  If you’re elevated by the practices you love, then you can greatly trust that you’ll elevate others.”
     – Gabby Bernstein

Before we move on to another topic, let’s revisit purpose.  What does it look like to “listen for clues?”  One way is to consider your childhood.  What did you love to do?  Why?  What feelings did it give you?  Which of your values did the activity honor?  What’s the adult equivalent of that activity?

For me, it recently looked like a couple of hours of crafting: crawling around on the floor creating a giant paper flower.  I’d had a vision of making something big and pretty from newspaper, and I decided to experiment and see what I could do.  Did it turn out exactly like I expected?  Not really, but I spent two hours totally engrossed in the process and felt very satisfied at the end, my hands and knees covered in glue and newsprint.

And you know what I enjoy even more?  Crafting with others!  I was lucky enough to find a tribe in Memphis at the 5 in 1 Social Club whose tagline is “kindergarten for grown folks.”  I had a great time making wire necklaces with my fellow crafters.  These kind of shared creative experiences not only put me in flow which increases my happiness, but also provide a means to express my values and play with my purpose.

If crafting isn’t your thing, what is?  What activity do you love to lose yourself in?  I encourage you to get your geek on, whatever that looks like for you.  Not only will you enjoy yourself, but you’ll get in touch with the activities – and people – that turn on your energy and enthusiasm.

What activities have been calling you?  What would it look like if you listened to Joseph Campbell’s advice to “follow your bliss?”  Set aside some bliss time on your calendar now and keep listening for your purpose to emerge.

Enjoy elevating your existence!

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Change is in the air!

Spring and summer are currently playing tag in Memphis.  Although we’ve already had a 90 degree day this month, today it’s spring again.

In the spirit of the changing seasons, if you’re interested in the topics of change and transition, you may want to read my longer posts here:  https://jenfrankcoaching.com/making-changes/  Hope you find them helpful!

To be alerted to new posts like these, sign up for my blog, and I’ll keep you up to date.

Happy spring!

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