Latest / Career Coaching with Fexingo: Professional Coaches, Career Counselors, and Guidance for Workers / How to Use Informational Interviews to Unlock Hidden Jobs
Transcript
- Lucas: Luna, I want to talk about something that sounds almost too simple to work, but I've seen it open doors that job boards never could. Luna: Okay, I'm intrigued. What's the simple thing? Lucas: Informational interviews. Not the old-fashioned 'can I pick your brain' coffee chat — I mean a specific, structured conversation where you're not asking for a job, you're asking for their map of the landscape. Luna: Right, because most people treat it as a low-stakes chat, but the real power is in the framing. I've done a few of these, and the ones that worked felt almost like a mini-consulting session. Lucas: Exactly. And here's the concrete case that made me want to do this episode. I was talking to a friend — let's call her Sarah — she's a marketing manager who was trying to move into a more strategic role at a large consumer goods company. She'd been applying online for months, getting nowhere. Luna: Standard story. The black hole of the applicant tracking system. Lucas: Right. So she shifted tactics. She identified three senior directors in the kind of role she wanted — not at her company, at competitors. She reached out with a very specific ask: 'I'm researching how marketing strategy teams are structured post-pandemic. Could I buy you a coffee for 20 minutes to hear your perspective?' Luna: That's good. She's not asking for a job, she's asking for their expertise. Makes the person feel valued. Lucas: Two out of three said yes. In the conversations, she asked only three questions. First: 'What's changed most in how your team operates in the last two years?' Second: 'What's a skill you see that's underserved on your team?' Third: 'If you were me, what would you be reading or learning right now to prepare for this shift?' Luna: That third question is a genius closer. It invites them to mentor you without committing to anything. Lucas: Exactly. One of the directors was so impressed by how prepared she was that he said, 'We don't have an opening right now, but I have a project I could use help with. Would you be open to a short-term contract?' That contract turned into a full-time senior role six months later. She never applied. There was never a job posting. Luna: So the informational interview served as a Trojan horse for her actual candidacy. She demonstrated competence without having to pass through HR filters. Lucas: That's exactly it. And this isn't a one-off. Studies consistently show that somewhere between 60 and 80 percent of jobs are filled through networking — but most people think networking means going to events or collecting LinkedIn connections. Informational interviews are the high-leverage version. Luna: But I think a lot of people freeze at the outreach step. What do you actually write in that first email? Because 'can I pick your brain' is so overused it's become a red flag. Lucas: Sarah's approach was good. She kept it to four sentences. Sentence one: a compliment tied to something specific they'd done — an article they wrote, a project they led. Sentence two: a brief statement of her own background — one line. Sentence three: the specific ask — not for advice, but for their perspective on a trend or challenge. Sentence four: the time commitment — '20 minutes, at your convenience, coffee on me.' Luna: I like the specificity of the trend. It gives the person a clear reason to say yes — they get to talk about something they know well, which most people enjoy. Lucas: Right. And you want to make it as easy as possible for them to reply. So include a link to your calendar — don't make them play email tag. And if they don't respond? Send one follow-up a week later, referencing your first email, and then let it go. Luna: That's the part people struggle with — the lack of response. How do you not take it personally? Lucas: You have to reframe it. They're busy. Your email landed in a deluge. It's not a reflection on you. And honestly, one strong informational interview can be more valuable than ten ignored applications. So the math works even if seven out of ten people say no. Luna: What about the actual conversation? I've been on the receiving end of these, and the ones that fall flat are when the person just asks 'So, what do you do?' and expects me to carry the whole thing. Lucas: That's the death of an informational interview. You have to come with prepared questions, but also be ready to listen and pivot. Sarah's three-question structure worked because it's open-ended but focused. And she took notes — actually wrote down key points. That signals respect. Luna: And after the conversation? What's the proper follow-up? Lucas: Within 24 hours, send a thank-you email. Reference one specific insight they shared that you found valuable. Then — and this is key — do not ask for anything else in that email. No 'by the way, do you know of any openings?' You want to build the relationship first. Then, a few months later, you can reach out with a genuine update: 'I took your advice on X and it led to Y. Thought you'd appreciate knowing.' Luna: That long-term cultivation is what separates people who get one favor from people who build a network that keeps giving. Lucas: Absolutely. And the beautiful thing is, you don't need to be an extrovert. You just need to be curious and prepared. The structure does the heavy lifting. Luna: So for someone listening right now who's thinking, 'I want to try this but I don't know who to reach out to' — what's your advice? Lucas: Start with your own company's alumni on LinkedIn. People who used to work where you work often feel a sense of shared experience and are more likely to respond. Then look at people two steps ahead of you in your field — not the CEO, but a senior manager or director. And if you're in a completely different industry, find people who made a similar pivot and ask about that transition. Luna: That's a great starting point. I'd add: don't overlook people at smaller companies. They're often less inundated with requests and more willing to chat. Lucas: Good point. And if you're worried about rejection, remember that the worst that happens is a no — and that puts you right back where you started, which is no worse off than before you sent the email. The upside is potentially life-changing. Luna: It really is. And speaking of life-changing, Lucas, we should acknowledge something. We put a lot of effort into making this show practical and ad-free. If today's episode helped you think about your job search differently, it's worth mentioning that listener support is what keeps this going. Lucas: Yeah, we don't do ads, we don't do sponsors. If you found value in this conversation, the simplest way to support the show is at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Even a coffee's worth makes a difference. Luna: It really does. And it helps us keep producing episodes like this one. So if it's worth it to you, that link is there. Now back to the strategy — Lucas, you mentioned that informational interviews can also work for internal moves. Can you talk about that? Lucas: Sure. If you're at a large company and want to switch teams, the same principle applies. Reach out to someone in the team you're interested in and ask about their challenges and priorities. You're not asking for a transfer — you're learning. And that knowledge makes you a more credible candidate when a role does open up. Luna: I've seen that work firsthand. A colleague of mine used informational interviews to learn about the data science team at her company. Six months later, when they needed someone who understood both marketing and data, she was the first person they thought of. Lucas: That's the hidden job market in action. It's not about who you know — it's about who knows what you can do. Informational interviews are the most direct way to make that happen. Luna: And they cost nothing but a bit of courage and preparation. I think we've given listeners a clear blueprint. Lucas: I hope so. Because the next time you're stuck staring at a job board, remember: the best opportunities are often the ones you never see posted. Go find them.