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The Library & Information Science Professional's Career Development Center |
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Networking
Through Information Interviews : What Works
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As an aspiring librarian, I realized early on that talking to seasoned professionals was the key to exploring what I wanted to do. I had librarianship experience in my native Kenya, but I needed to research the North American labour market which is considerably different. I set out to carry out information interviews with as diverse a group of librarians as I could find – ranging from a children’s librarian to an information specialist in a highly technical research institute. I would like to share the lessons I learnt on effectively networking through information interviews. I will 1) define the role of information interviews, 2) outline why and when they could be used 3) suggest tips for effective interviews and 4) finally share specific examples of how what I learned impacted on my choices. What are information interviews? “An information interview is an appointment that you schedule with a particular professional for the purpose of obtaining current information from an insider point of view” (http://www.career.fsu.edu/ccis/guides/infoint.html). Unlike employment interviews, information interviews can be arranged regardless of whether a vacancy exists or not. Roles are reversed, in that you do the interviewing, rather than being interviewed, as in a job-interviewing scenario. According to Twombly, 1997, “No information or access through your computer or any published source will be ever as intimate or honest as an interview with someone who’s already working in the field.” Why and when are they useful? For researching: a) learn about the type of position you are interested in b) find out more about the institution to assess whether this would be a good fit for you. Knowing this can help you tailor your qualifications towards their requirements c) obtain valuable information for job hunting and career planning – such as feedback on your resume, skills and experience For networking: Beyond gathering useful information, information interviews provide an excellent opportunity to a) meet and make a favourable impression on someone who may have the power to hire you in future. Expanding your circle of contacts is invaluable, since ultimately it is who you know that counts b) gain visibility in the library professional community and demonstrate commitment to your career and development When job searching: An information interview at an institution that may not be hiring at the time, a) provides an opportunity to obtain “inside tips” on what is needed to increase the chances of getting a job interview b) takes off the pressure of being interviewed as a job candidate, and yet allows interaction with a possible employer, giving you confidence and preparing you for “real” interviews. The potential employer also feels relieved to know that you are not asking for a job, and may readily share useful “inside tips” c) ensures an advantage over anyone else who may have only sent in a resume, should a position later arise Tips for effective information interviews(adapted from Tips for Successful Information Interviewing by Diana Twombly, 1997, p. 78)1) Formulate a clear, specific goal for your information interviewing. Mine was: “To network with at least 15 librarians, especially in non-traditional positions, in order to (a) explore possible roles for myself, in the long term, and (b) learn from their experiences, on how to gain the most of my MLIS, in the short-term.”2) Research well first, planning on which particular individuals or institutions to contact, based on your goals. How do you find these contacts? A good starting point is the local library association, since they actively promote mentoring and networking (Lee, 2003). Remember that librarianship by its very nature encourages information sharing, and most professionals you approach will want to be helpful in this regard. I researched different websites of associations and directories of libraries, to find a representation of the libraries I wanted to contact in British Columbia, Canada, as well as in the US.
3) Contact possible interviewers well ahead of the time you would like to meet with them, in order to make a workable schedule. If you work an inflexible 9-5 schedule like I do, it might be a good idea to take some time off for this exercise. My planning allowed me to conduct an information interview on each of my nine days of vacation, since I contacted them well ahead of time, and suggested a number of times when I was available. What worked well for me was preparing a brief but fairly detailed e-mail message in a professional tone, mentioning where I got their name, introducing myself and explaining my interests and objectives. I concluded by suggesting a meeting time, and mentioning that I would follow up with a phone call in a few days. This is important because by not leaving the onus of response to them, you have the leeway to follow up. Making a telephone call works just as well, except that it is often difficult to connect with an actual person, which is preferable to leaving a voice-mail message. In addition, with e-mail you need not worry about whether you are calling at a good time, since they will respond at their convenience – usually fairly promptly. Remember to suggest the option of a telephone interview if they are busy, although meeting them in person is more desirable. One of my most useful information interviews, however, was by telephone. 4) Prepare thoroughly. Have a list of questions that address your interests and concerns, carefully tailored to each interview. Use open-ended questions to generate a discussion rather than one-word responses. Research the organization beforehand, to ensure that you have some background and can talk knowledgably about their basic functions or services, and on the basis of this, proceed to ask for specifics. As in a job interview situation, you would like to make a favourable impression by demonstrating an interest in the organization and/or position of your interviewee. Avoid asking for routine information which is readily available elsewhere, to optimize the use of your time as well as your interviewee’s. 5) Framework for the questions: The basic formula from which further questions can be derived can be summarized as follows (adapted from Bolles, 2002): HOW (How did you get into this field/your position? How do people find out about positions in this organization?) WHAT (What is the labour market currently like, what are the prospects for new entrants? What trends do you see in the industry in the next 3-5 years?) PLUS (What do you find rewarding about the field/your position?) MINUS (What are the toughest problems you deal with? What would you like to see change?) GENERAL ADVICE (How well suited is my background for this field? What skills provide an edge – which electives can provide these? What experience, paid or volunteer, would you recommend? What professional involvement/journals have you found useful? HOP (Two referrals) Other questions that might elicit interesting and insightful responses are 1) If you were to make your career choice today would you make the same one? 2) What advice do you have for a new entrant into the profession 3) Would you critique my resume and suggest improvements. Remember that giving the interviewee an opportunity to talk about themselves, will usually elicit positive and enlightening responses. 6) Etiquette · Dress professionally – as you would for an employment interview. · Be on time – not earlier than 10 minutes. · Begin by thanking the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you. · Advise the interviewee of the agenda and time frame and respect the time allotted. Ideally, do not exceed 30 minutes unless they wish to proceed or offer to show you around. For me, the most productive information interviews were those in which a tour was included, but this may not always be possible. · Remember to ask for referral to other contacts. Since they may not have the names/contact details handy, be sure to leave them with your business card so that they send this information to you later. · Always follow up with a thank-you note letting the person you interviewed know specifically in what ways they were helpful. One gracious contact I talked to, wrote thanking me for the note, which she said was “eloquent” and had “made her day.” You want to leave a lasting positive impression, constantly remembering that the library world is very small, and you do not know when your paths might cross again. · Remember to keep the information that you receive in perspective because the librarians that you are talking to are expressing their biased viewpoints, depending on their sector and personal experience. You may therefore need to filter the information in deciding what applies to you. I had the interesting experience of getting conflicting responses to the same question, and so I had to decide which one to believe. On a positive note, you appreciate that your interviewees are sharing their candid opinions in good faith. Benefits that I gainedAs a result of my interviewing, I picked up the following lessons, which were of tremendous benefit: 1) As a result of a discussion with a dynamic public librarian, I analyzed my interests and past experience. As I have a masters in development studies, a good knowledge of French, and keen interest in international studies, I realized that I could target departments of international studies as well as international organizations. Also, my native knowledge of Swahili and publishing experience in an African country provide the perfect background for specialization as an African area studies bibliographer. Talking to this librarian opened my eyes to many possibilities that I was not consciously considering. 2) One enthusiastic librarian explained how she had gained invaluable experience as a result of co-op* study and she encouraged me to consider this option. Needless to say, as a result of this most fruitful exercise, I made a decision to follow the co-op route, and I am now in the process of contacting possible hosts in my areas of interest. 3) I was interested in academic librarianship, but worried about a weak subject background. I was reassured after talking to one librarian who had majored in French and worked in a business library in an accounting firm before her current position as an information specialist in the highly technical field of Fuel Cell research. From her I learned that subject background did not have to be the sole determinant of what I could reach for, as long as I had the determination to learn and believed in myself. Whatever your purpose for conducting them, information interviews enable you familiarize yourself with potential employers, hone your interview skills, gain valuable feedback on your resume, and most importantly, “demonstrate assertive job searching behaviours by selecting, scheduling, participating in, and following through, interview appointments.” (Twombly, 1997) Note: *Co-op study in Canada involves studying and working alternately – gaining paid work experience in a professional capacity for two four-month periods, or a continuous eight month duration in the course of the MLIS. This provides much more significant work experience than a practicum which is often about 2 weeks. A considerable number of institutions and federal government departments take on co-op students, but the arrangement is usually between the institution and Library School rather than the student directly. References
Elisheba Muturi currently works as an administrator, providing information and referral services at a community program in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Prior to this, she worked in the publishing industry and for Library of Congress field office in Nairobi, Kenya. She has a Masters in Development Studies, University of Bristol, England. She will be joining UBC School of Library and Information Studies in Fall 2004 and is keenly interested in Africana and development studies. Article published March 2004 Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in LIScareer articles are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the LIScareer editors.
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Page last updated
10/03/2005
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