Informational Interviewing

This is one of the most common ways to network and gives you the opportunity to connect meaningfully with a professional. Informational interviewing is asking someone about what they do –it is not asking for a job or internship.

PRIMARY GOALS

Investigate a specific career field and learn about important issues / current trends in that field Narrow down career options or uncover options you never knew existed Obtain advice on where your skills might be applied Broaden your network of contacts for future reference

WHO SHOULD I INTERVIEW?

You can contact a wide range of professionals from a variety of fields and companies. It helps to ask people you know to introduce you to people they know who work in your desired field.

People you know: Family & Friends Neighbors Co-workers Professors People you may not know (yet)!: Alumni Professional Organization Members Employers Social Media Contacts

HOW DO I PREPARE?

Preparing for an informational interview allows you to be more confident, make a positive impression, and ensures you get your questions answered. It also allows you to respond to questions abut yourself more effectively.

To prepare, you should:

Identify what you want to get out of the meeting Research the professional and his/her company Research the industry Review your experiences, interests, and skills Practice your introduction Develop a list of questions

If the meeting will be in person, be sure to arrive a few minutes early and dress in formal or business casual attire (depending on the industry and venue). If the meeting will be virtual or over the phone, be sure to identify a quiet space you can use in advance

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK?

Sample Questions for an Informational Interview:

How did you enter this job/career? What do you do in a typical day/week? Is there a set routine, or is there variety on a day-to-day basis? Do you usually work independently or as part of a team? What aspects of the job do you find most rewarding and most frustrating? How would you recommend someone break into this field? What kind of educational background is required? What kind of person would be best suited for this career in terms of personality, interests, and skills? What kind of experience or internship would help in this field? Are there specific courses a student might take that would be particularly beneficial in this field? What are the typical hours? Is travel expected with this job? What type of training is provided to entry-level employees in this field? What technologies are integrated in to this career? How do you see the jobs in the field changing over the next five years? How can I prepare myself for such changes? What professional organizations are active and responsive in this career field? Which industry publications do you read? What are some job titles of entry-level positions in the career field? What is the career trajectory? What is a typical salary range in this field? What advice would you give on locating opportunities, the time frame for applying, and the interview process? that has a strong internet connection.

What special advice would you give to a young person entering this field? Are there any other individuals you recommend I speak with to learn more about this career?

SEND A THANK YOU NOTE Within 24 hours, send a thank you email or note highlighting the value of the meeting and referencing something specific the professional suggested. Keep the door open for future exchanges.

REFLECT ON WHAT YOU LEARNED Every informational interview allows you to learn about possible career paths. Take the time to reflect upon what you learned and how that related to your own values, interests, personality, and skills. You might find that your interest has been piqued further, or that a particular career isn’t exactly what you thought it was. It’s important to have multiple conversations with people in a given field to get a full picture.

DEVELOP A PLAN TO STAY IN TOUCH Since networking is relationship building, it’s important to stay in touch with your contacts. It may be a simple email filling them in on something new in your professional life, sending an article that could be of interest to them, or sharing a seasonal greeting. It is appropriate to follow up every few months, but it depends on whether or not you have something substantial to say. Not everyone will find time to reciprocate, so don’t take offense if you don’t get a reply. Also create a database to track contact information –name, company, title, date of conversation, notes and follow-up tasks.

FINAL TIPS / KEYS TO NETWORKING

Create a list of everyone you know and identify how they could help you gather career information Define what information you need and what you are trying to accomplish Prepare and practice your elevator pitch Start each in-person encounter with a firm handshake, good eye contact, and a smile Be professional, courteous and authentic in all conversations Adopt a positive attitude about networking and be proactive Send communications at least a week apart and no more than three times; if you don’t receive a response, move on Get organized –create a database of contacts with notes about each person, conversations you had, and any follow up items Send a thank you note after any networking interaction Focus on quality of interactions, not quantity Be patient –you may start slowly but you will build momentum Dear Mr./Ms. Alum,

Thank you again for taking time from your busy schedule to speak with me yesterday afternoon about your career. Your advice and insight was very beneficial. I will be contacting Michael Jones today, as you suggested. In addition to following up with that contact, I have applied to internships at ABC Co. and XYZ Inc. I appreciate the suggestions.

(Include a point or two about advice they gave you that really resonated.)

I hope you enjoy the holidays! Again, thank you for your time. I will keep you posted on my internship search process, and I look forward to staying in touch.

Regards, Mary Johnson mjohnson@bentley.edu) (617) 123-4567

SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS

One in three employers have rejected candidates based on something that was on their social media. The tips below will help guide you before reaching out to future employers or potential networking contacts.

Adjust your privacy settings; be aware of what is public Proactively tag or un-tag yourself in photos and events Always proof before you post Never complain about your job/boss or broadcast confidential employer information Utilize social media sites to research organizations and professionals Follow companies of interest and engage in career related groups Customize the invitation to connect on LinkedIn Use Bentley University’s Alumni feature on LinkedIn to search for alums

Joining a professional association is a great way to boost your networking efforts! Many professional organizations offer a free or reduced membership cost for students. Membership in a professional organization may include access to the following benefits: CFA Society Boston is New England’s largest membership organization for investment professionals with over 5,800 members. The membership represents over 650 investment firms and 94 percent of CFA Society Boston members hold the Chartered Financial Analyst designation from CFA Institute. RMA’s purpose is to advance the use of sound risk principles in the financial services industry, focusing on credit risk, market risk, and operational risk. RMA has approximately 2,600 institutional

Career Resources Networking Events Educational Events Scholarship Programs Mentorship Programs Membership Directory Job Opportunities Private LinkedIn Groups Newsletters / Other Publications

ORGANIZATION

CFA Society Boston

The Risk Management Association (RMA) institutions. They are represented in the association by 18,000 risk management professionals who are chapter members in financial centers throughout North America, Europe, and Asia/Pacific. The Society of Financial Service Professionals is a multidisciplinary Enrolled Actuary, JD, MBA, MSFS, MSM, Masters/PhD in Financial Services, REBC®, RHU®, RICP®. FPA® is the principal professional organization for CFP® professionals. We are the community that works together to elevate individual financial planners, regardless of compensation model or

Society of Financial Services Professionals

Association ® (FPA®) OVERVIEW

members that include banks of all sizes as well as nonbank financial

community of accomplished professionals whose common purpose is to deliver the highest level of ethical service to their clients. In an environment promoting professional development and ethical conduct we welcome as regular members qualified professionals who hold one of the following credentials: AEP®, CASL®, CEBS®, CFA, CFP®, ChFC®, CIMA, CLF®, CLU®, CPA, CPCU®, CTFA®,

Financial Planning practice type, and the financial planning profession as a whole. We believe true financial planners provide an invaluable, critical service to society, and that CFP® professionals lead the way in the commitment to raise the bar for the clients they serve—from transaction to transformation. STUDENT MEMBERSHIP COST

$50 annually

FREE

$48 National Dues (National Dues provide for web benefits only)

Additional Chapter Dues may apply

$39 annually

ORGANIZATION

National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)

Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM)

NAIOP –Commercial Real Estate Development Association

The Real Estate Finance Association (REFA)

Financial Women’s Association

Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance (AFWA) OVERVIEW

NAPFA is the country’s leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve. We provide networking opportunities, education, business development, and advocacy to promote the professional success of fee-only, comprehensive financial advisors.

IREM is an international force of nearly 20,000 individuals united to advance the profession of real estate management. Through training, professional development, and collaboration, IREM supports its members and others in the industry through every stage of their career.

NAIOP is the leading organization for developers, owners and investors of office, industrial, retail and mixed-use real estate. NAIOP comprises 19,000+ members and provides strong advocacy, education and business opportunities through a powerful North American network.

REFA, a division of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board (GBREB), is a commercial real estate business association providing members with high quality networking and educational opportunities. REFA strives to maintain its reputation for excellence by promoting the exchange of information between professionals in the real estate finance community, and fostering a platform for growth and development for its Emerging Leader membership.

The Financial Women’s Association brings together high achieving professionals from every sector of the financial world. We are dedicated to developing future leaders, enhancing the role of women in finance, and investing in the community.

AFWA promotes the professional growth of women in all facets of accounting and finance. Members increase their career potential by connecting with colleagues, receiving education and mentorship to advance their careers, and developing leadership skills. For more than 75 years, members have tapped into a network of successful, motivated, and influential professionals who understand the unique position of being a woman in the industry and who, together, contribute to the future development of their profession. STUDENT MEMBERSHIP COST

$35 annually for full-time students

$150 annually for part-time students

$50 annually

Not specified on website

$75 annually

$50 annually

$45 annually

ORGANIZATION

Asian Women in Business (AWIB)

National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP)

ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals For America)

National Association of Black Accountants –Boston Metropolitan Chapter (NABA) OVERVIEW STUDENT MEMBERSHIP COST

AWIB’s primary mission is to assist Asian women entrepreneurs and professionals. Over the years, AWIB, a dynamic organization, has expanded its mission to address issues affecting Asian Americans on the corporate level; and Asian women in the legal arena; and has established a scholarship program for undergraduates which promotes and rewards demonstrated leadership. AWIB also serves on various task forces and boards to promote the inclusion of minority and women owned businesses and professionals.

As the largest and fastest growing Asian & Pacific Islander professionals association, NAAAP provides its members with the tools and resources to further career advancement and to empower them to be great leaders as well as valuable employees. In order to achieve our goals, NAAAP offers a diverse range of professional development programs on the local and national level, engages its membership in community service and organizes professional networking events.

ALPFA’s mission is to empower and develop Latino men and women as leaders of character for the nation, in every sector of the global economy. ALPFA currently serves more than 92,000+ professional and student members across the country. In addition to networking and professional leadership development opportunities, our members have access to 50,000 paid summer internships through hundreds of Fortune 1000 corporate partners. We aspire to be the business partner of choice for companies seeking to hire and develop Latino talent. The National Association of Black Accountants (NABA, Inc.), is dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap for people of color in the Accounting, Finance, Consulting, Information Technology and other related business professions. Representing more than 200,000 people of color in these fields, NABA, Inc. advances people, advances careers and advances the mission by providing education, resources and meaningful career connections to both professional and student members, fulfilling the principle of our motto: Lifting As We Climb. $50 annually $35 annually

Basic Membership: FREE

Premium Membership: $30 annually

There is an ALPFA Chapter

here at Bentley! Not specified on website

There is a NABA Chapter here at Bentley!