Informational Interviews open the door to more ghosting. I think very few people are genuinely interested in giving their time to strangers. Many times, even if you get the time, the person ends up getting busy with other priorities.
Carla, I think the trick to informational interviews is to always have an "in" - for example, I always network in via someone they know so it creates a social expectation to get a response.
"Susan, I was speaking with your friend John, who says you're an expert in X. He said I should speak to you about X, since I am interested in a career in X."
Yes, even then, I get a 25% non-response rate. Probably 50% I do speak with are dead end conversations. Yet those remaining contacts are gold! They have helped me get jobs and succeed once I'm there.
As long as you have endurance to get through the dead ends, it's a good route.
I was thinking that for the usaid folks, having a list of companies that have similar positions might be a good start. Perhaps the corporations that have foundations and social good departments.
That's a great idea! Could you make a list of a few and email it to me? Say 5-10 companies + links to their social good departments? I can use that in a LI post asking for more leads that becomes the basis of a resource for us all.
Informational Interviews open the door to more ghosting. I think very few people are genuinely interested in giving their time to strangers. Many times, even if you get the time, the person ends up getting busy with other priorities.
Carla, I think the trick to informational interviews is to always have an "in" - for example, I always network in via someone they know so it creates a social expectation to get a response.
"Susan, I was speaking with your friend John, who says you're an expert in X. He said I should speak to you about X, since I am interested in a career in X."
Yes, even then, I get a 25% non-response rate. Probably 50% I do speak with are dead end conversations. Yet those remaining contacts are gold! They have helped me get jobs and succeed once I'm there.
As long as you have endurance to get through the dead ends, it's a good route.
I was thinking that for the usaid folks, having a list of companies that have similar positions might be a good start. Perhaps the corporations that have foundations and social good departments.
That's a great idea! Could you make a list of a few and email it to me? Say 5-10 companies + links to their social good departments? I can use that in a LI post asking for more leads that becomes the basis of a resource for us all.
I'll need 3-4 days.