Conducting Informational Interviews
If you attended the Outside the Fall Interview Program presentation and panel yesterday, then you heard our 3L panelists speak the various ways in which they secured their employment this past summer. You probably also noticed that the thing that all 5 of them did was networking. They got on the phone and talked to people, they attended events, they made trips to their desired destinations, and they spoke with people about what they were looking for, why they were interested, and what options there might be available to them.
This is what networking (also called informational interviewing) is all about. And it is the single best way of learning of potential opportunities for employment. But how do you make the most out of a networking opportunity?
Just like in an actual employment interview, your goal is to have the meeting turn into a true conversation, with a natural back-and-forth and an easy rapport. But you’ll also want to make sure you’ve taken the time before your meeting to determine why you wanted to meet with this particular person and to prepare questions ahead of time to make sure you get the information you’re seeking. The following is a list of some sample questions you might want to ask:
o How did you decide on your practice area?
o What courses did you take in law school that you’ve found to
be most helpful to you in the practice of law? (You can ask the same question about activities or organizations they participated in.)
o What professional publications do you read or what professional organizations are you are member of?
o What’s a typical day like for you?
o What’s the most interesting part of your job, or the most interesting project you’ve worked on recently?
o What do you find most challenging about your work?
o What advice do you have for me in relocating to this market? (if you’re meeting with someone in a different legal market)
And, of course, always remember to close your meeting by saying thank you and asking if there is anybody else you should be talking to in order to learn more. And remember to send a thank you note within 24 hours of your meeting!
For more information and motivation on networking meetings, read Chapter 10 of Guerilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams, 2d ed. (available for check-out in the CSO Resource Room).