How to Ask for an Informational Interview (and What to Do With the Call)

What an informational interview is, and is not

An informational interview is a conversation you ask for to learn how a job, team or company actually works. It is not a job interview and it is not a disguised request for a job. The other person agrees because the ask is small and specific. What you get is real information about the role, a name inside the company, and, if it goes well, someone who will tell you when the right job opens or offer to refer you.

It is also one of the few ways to reach a team before a role is posted. HiringReach's page on networking into the hidden job market explains why so many roles get filled through conversations like this one.

Who to ask

• People one or two levels above where you want to be. A team lead or manager knows what the team needs next. A very senior executive rarely has the time.
• People with a shared history. Same school, same former employer, same professional group. It gives your first line a real reason.
• The hiring manager, when there is no posting yet. Asking a manager for 15 minutes to learn about the team is normal and often welcome. If a role is already open, say so plainly instead. HiringReach's guide to reaching out before you apply covers that case.

How to ask: the request email

Keep it to four or five sentences. Lead with why you picked them, make the ask small, and offer an easy alternative.

Subject: Quick question about [team or role] at [Company]

Hi [Name], I am a [current role] at [Company or "most recently at X"] and I am exploring a move into [field]. I read your [post, talk or project] on [topic], and it is the clearest description I have found of how [specific thing] works. Would you be open to a 15 minute call in the next couple of weeks so I can ask how your team approaches it? If a call is too much, I would be grateful for a couple of lines by email instead. Thank you, [Name]

How to ask on LinkedIn

A connection request note has a short character limit, so the note does one job: give a reason to accept. Save the ask for the message after they connect.

Connection note: Hi [Name], fellow [school or old employer] here. I am moving into [field] and your work on [topic] stood out. Would love to connect.

Message after they accept: Thanks for connecting, [Name]. Would you be open to a 15 minute call about how your team at [Company] handles [specific thing]? I am deciding where to focus my search and your view would help a lot. Happy to work around your calendar.

HiringReach's LinkedIn message guide has the current limits on notes and InMail, and what to do when the request is never accepted.

What to ask in 20 minutes

Pick five. Questions about the work get better answers than questions about the person's career story, and they give you material for your resume and your next note.

1. What does a normal week look like for someone in [role] on your team?
2. What problem is the team spending the most time on this year?
3. What separates the people who do well in this role from the ones who struggle?
4. Which skills or tools would you expect a new person to have on day one?
5. How does the team usually hire: posted roles, referrals, or people they already know?
6. Is there anything on my background that would worry you if you were hiring?
7. Who else should I talk to, inside or outside the company?

The last question matters most. One good call should lead to the next one.

During the call

• Start with thanks and a one line reminder of why you asked.
• Watch the clock. At the agreed time, say "I said 15 minutes, so I want to respect that." If they want to keep talking, they will say so.
• Do not ask for a job. If they ask what you are looking for, answer in one sentence with the role and the kind of team.
• Take notes. You will need specifics for the thank you note and any later application.

The follow-up after an informational interview

Send a thank you within 24 hours. Name one thing they said and one thing you will do because of it.

Hi [Name], thank you for the time today. Your point about [specific thing] changed how I am thinking about [decision], and I am going to [action] this week. I will reach out to [person they suggested] as you recommended. If a [role] opens on your team, I would love to hear about it.

Then follow up once more in four to six weeks with something useful: what you did with their advice, or an article on the problem they mentioned. When a role opens, you are writing to someone who already knows you, and asking them to refer you is a much smaller ask. HiringReach's guide to asking for a referral has that message.

Worked example: from cold email to a referral offer

An illustrative path for an operations analyst moving into product operations.

1. Week 1. Shortlist 6 people who lead product operations teams at 4 target companies, 3 of them alumni of the same university.
2. Week 1. Send 6 request emails of 5 sentences each, each asking for 15 minutes. 2 people reply within 4 days.
3. Week 2. Hold 2 calls of 15 and 20 minutes, using 5 prepared questions each, and end both on time.
4. Week 2. Send 2 thank you notes within 24 hours, each naming 1 piece of advice and 1 action.
5. Week 7. One contact posts a product operations role. Send a 3 sentence note asking whether she would be comfortable referring you.

Where HiringReach fits in informational interviews

Informational interviews start with knowing who to write to. HiringReach suggests the person who likely leads a team, or takes a name you already have, and when an email or mobile is found it is triple-verified. You send one personal note from your own inbox, five a day, and the person page keeps what you learned on the call and when to follow up next. On Pro, AI conversation playbooks help you prepare an opener, your proof, your questions and a close before you talk. Pricing, from the HiringReach brand facts page: a 7-day Starter trial, card required, $0 today, then Starter at $49 a month, with billing starting at your first successful work email if that comes sooner. Starter includes 20 work emails a month and no mobile numbers; mobile reveals (10 a month) and AI conversation playbooks are on Pro at $99 a month.

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Informational interviews: FAQ

Last updated: October 21, 2026. Related: HiringReach's hub on how to contact a hiring manager.