Latest / Career Coaching with Fexingo: Professional Coaches, Career Counselors, and Guidance for Workers / How to Make the Most of an Informational Interview
Transcript
- Lucas: You spend twenty minutes with someone in your dream role, you ask smart questions, you leave feeling like you just unlocked the secret level of your career — and then nothing happens. Luna: Because you didn't follow up. Or you followed up with something vague like 'thanks for your time.' Lucas: Exactly. And that is the single biggest missed opportunity in the entire informational interview playbook. You did the hardest part — you got a meeting — and then you let the value evaporate. Luna: So what should you actually do? I mean, I've definitely sent the generic 'thank you, great chatting' email myself. Lucas: Most people have. And here's the thing — if we've helped you think through a career move or a networking strategy, a couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps these episodes ad-free and coming out every day. It's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, and it makes a real difference for a small show like this. Luna: Yeah, that's true. Even a coffee a month helps keep the lights on. Lucas: Totally. So back to that follow-up — the key is to send it within two hours of the conversation, while you're still top of mind, and include one specific, actionable request. Luna: Specific and actionable. Give me an example. Lucas: Let me walk you through a real case. I was talking to a marketing manager at a midsize software company — she had a twenty-minute informational interview with a director of product marketing at a company she wanted to join. She asked about the team structure, the tools they use, the biggest challenge they're facing. Good questions. Luna: Solid. And then what? She sent the generic thanks? Lucas: She almost did. But I'd coached her beforehand. So within ninety minutes of that conversation, she sent an email that said: 'Thank you so much for your time — your point about the shift from Google Analytics to Amplitude really stuck with me. I'd love to do a quick side project analyzing our current funnel in Amplitude and share a three-slide summary with you next week. Would that be helpful?' Luna: Oh, that's good. She offered value, not just a request. Lucas: Right. She didn't ask for a referral or a resume review. She asked for permission to do a small piece of work that demonstrated her skills and gave the director something useful. The director wrote back within an hour and said 'Yes, that would be great.' Luna: And then what happened? Did she actually do the project? Lucas: She did. Took her about four hours over a weekend. Sent the three slides on Wednesday. The director forwarded them to the hiring manager for a role that wasn't even posted yet. She was in the pipeline before the job description was written. Luna: That's the dream scenario. But I think a lot of people hear that and think 'I don't have four hours and I don't know what project to offer.' What's a simpler version? Lucas: Simpler version: ask for a specific introduction. 'Based on what you shared about the data team, I'd love to be introduced to your colleague Sarah who runs the analytics group — I think my background in SQL and Tableau would be a fit for her team.' That's one sentence. It's specific. It gives the person a clear, low-effort way to help. Luna: And you're naming the person and the reason. That's much easier to say yes to than 'keep me in mind for future roles.' Lucas: Much easier. The biggest mistake people make in follow-up emails is they ask for something the person can't easily deliver — 'let me know if you hear of any openings' or 'please keep me in mind.' That puts the work on them to remember you later. A good follow-up gives them a single, concrete action they can take right now. Luna: What about timing? You said two hours. Is that really that important? Lucas: I think it matters a lot. The conversation is still fresh in both your minds. You can reference a specific joke they made, or a frustration they mentioned, and it feels natural. Wait 48 hours and that specificity is gone. Plus, people check email more frequently right after a meeting. Luna: Okay, so within two hours, make a specific request. What if the person doesn't respond? Lucas: Then you send a gentle reminder five to seven days later. Keep it short — 'just circling back on my note below. No worries if the timing isn't right.' And if they still don't respond, that's your answer. Send a final thank you and move on. Luna: And you don't burn the bridge. Because maybe they're just busy or the request didn't land. Lucas: Exactly. You can always reach out again in six months with a new angle. But the biggest point I want to make today is that the informational interview doesn't end when you stand up from the coffee shop table. The real return on that twenty-minute investment comes in the two hours after. Luna: I like that framing. So if listeners take one thing from this episode, it's: have a specific ask ready before you even walk into the meeting. Lucas: Yes. And don't be afraid to make it small. A five-minute phone call with someone they name. A one-paragraph introduction. A single piece of advice on a specific skill gap. The smaller the ask, the more likely they say yes — and saying yes once makes them more likely to say yes again later. Luna: That's a good note to end on. Thanks Lucas. Lucas: Thanks Luna. Talk to you next time.