Latest / The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry / How to Use Informational Interviews to Re-Enter the Workforce
Transcript
- Lucas: You know that moment when you've been out of the workforce for a few years, and you finally feel ready to go back, but every job posting says 'submit your resume online' and it feels like sending your application into a black hole? Luna: Yeah, that's the worst. And it's even worse when you have a gap, because you know that resume is going to get sorted out before a human even sees it. Lucas: Exactly. So today I want to talk about a specific tactic that I think is actually the most effective way to bypass that black hole, especially after a gap: informational interviews. Luna: Okay, I love this topic. But let's be real — informational interviews can feel awkward. You're essentially asking someone for their time with no clear ask. So how do you do it without feeling like you're imposing? Lucas: Right, and that's the biggest hurdle. But let me start with a concrete example. I talked to a woman named Priya — former marketing manager at a consumer goods company. She took five years off to raise her two kids. When she was ready to go back, she decided she didn't want to go back to the same industry — she wanted to move into tech marketing. Luna: So she had a double challenge: the gap plus a industry switch. Lucas: Exactly. And she told me she sent out maybe 40 online applications over two months and got exactly one automated rejection. So she switched strategies. She decided to do informational interviews. Her goal was to have 15 conversations over six weeks. And she landed a job at a mid-size SaaS company, as a marketing manager, through a referral she got from the tenth conversation. Luna: That's a great story. But how did she find those people? That's always the part that stumps people. Lucas: She used LinkedIn, but not the way most people use it. She didn't just message random people. She identified a list of 30 target companies, then found people who had a job title similar to what she wanted — marketing manager, but at those companies. Then she filtered for people who had maybe three to five years of experience, because they're more likely to be open to a conversation than a VP. Luna: So not the C-suite. Mid-level. That's smart. Lucas: Right. And here's the key — she didn't ask for a job. Her message was very specific. She said something like, 'I'm exploring a transition into tech marketing and would love to hear about your experience at. I'm not asking for a job — just 15 minutes to learn from your path.' Luna: And that's the magic phrase: 'I'm not asking for a job.' It takes the pressure off. People are much more willing to help if they don't feel like you're trying to get something from them. Lucas: Exactly. She sent that message to about 30 people. She got replies from about half — 15. And out of those, most said yes to a 15-minute call. Now, the key part is what happens during the call. Luna: This is where most people mess up, right? They either go in without any questions, or they treat it like an interview and start selling themselves. Lucas: Exactly. Priya had a list of five questions. They were all about the person's career journey, what they liked about the company culture, what skills they thought were most important for the role. She didn't talk about herself unless asked. But at the end of every call, she asked one question that made all the difference: 'Is there anyone else you'd recommend I speak with?' Luna: Ah, the classic 'who else should I talk to' ask. That's how you build your network exponentially. One conversation leads to two more. Lucas: Right. And then the follow-up is critical. She sent a thank-you note within 24 hours, but she also added a personal touch. She mentioned something specific they talked about — like, 'I looked up that book you mentioned, and I'm halfway through it.' Then, about two weeks later, she sent a brief update: 'Just wanted to share that I followed your advice about and it led to a great conversation with.' That kept her top of mind without being pushy. Luna: So she was building relationships, not just collecting business cards. And eventually, one of those people thought of her when a position opened up. Lucas: Exactly. The tenth conversation was with a senior marketing manager at that SaaS company. They had a great call, and two weeks later, a junior marketing manager role opened up. The manager thought of Priya, reached out, and she applied through an internal referral instead of the public portal. She got the interview and the job. Luna: And because she had done all those informational interviews, she also had a much better understanding of the industry. So when she got to the actual interview, she could speak the language. She wasn't faking it. Lucas: That's a huge point. The informational interviews are also market research. You learn what skills are in demand, what the culture is like, what the pain points are. So when you do get an interview, you're not starting from zero. Luna: And for someone with a gap, that confidence boost is enormous. Because you're not coming in as 'the person who's been out of work' — you're coming in as someone who's done their homework and knows what's going on. Lucas: Right. And I think there's a broader lesson here about how to make networking work for you after a gap. It's not about asking for a favor. It's about showing genuine curiosity and being willing to learn. And if you approach it that way, people want to help. Luna: So let's talk about the nuts and bolts. If someone listening wants to try this, what's the first step they should take this week? Lucas: First, make a list of 10 companies you'd actually want to work for. Don't just pick any company — pick ones that align with your values or have a culture you're curious about. Then, on LinkedIn, find three to five people at each company who have a title close to where you want to be. Write a draft message that's short and clear — mention why you're interested in their path, not why you need a job. Luna: And don't send it to all of them at once. Send it to maybe two or three people a day. You want to be able to manage the responses. Lucas: Good point. And if you don't hear back, don't take it personally. People are busy. Follow up once after a week, then move on. The goal is not to get a yes from everyone — it's to get a few genuine conversations. Luna: And I would add: don't limit yourself to just LinkedIn. Think about alumni networks, former colleagues, even people from your past who have moved into industries you're interested in. A warm introduction is always better than a cold message. Lucas: Totally. And here's something that might surprise people: informational interviews can actually be more effective than applying directly, even for people without a gap. But for someone with a career gap, they're almost essential. Because you're fighting against that automated resume screening. The only way to get past it is to have someone on the inside vouch for you. Luna: And I think a lot of people worry that they're wasting someone's time. But actually, most professionals enjoy talking about their career. It feels good to share advice. So if you approach it with genuine curiosity, you're giving them a gift, not taking one. Lucas: Yeah, and that's the mindset shift. If you think of it as 'I'm asking for a handout,' you'll feel awkward. But if you think of it as 'I'm learning from someone's experience,' it becomes natural. And honestly, if we've helped you start thinking about your own career move or feel a little more confident about reaching out, that's exactly what we want. Luna: And you know, we keep this show ad-free because of listeners who find value in it and want to support it. If this episode or any of our past ones has helped you take a step — whether it's sending that first message or reworking your resume — and you'd like to support the show, you can do that at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Exactly. That small bit of support from listeners is what keeps us independent and able to keep digging into these practical angles. No pressure, but if it's made a difference for you, we appreciate it. Luna: Okay, back to informational interviews. Let's talk about what to do after you've had a few conversations and you're starting to feel ready to apply. When should you pivot from informational to actual job seeking? Lucas: Good question. I think there's a natural inflection point. After maybe five to eight conversations, you'll start to notice patterns — recurring advice about skills, recurring complaints about the industry. That's when you know you have enough context to write a compelling cover letter and tailor your resume. Then, you can start applying. But keep doing the informational interviews in parallel because each one is a potential referral. Luna: And once you land a job, don't forget to circle back to everyone who helped you. Send a note saying, 'I took your advice and it worked out.' That's how you maintain those relationships for the future. Lucas: Absolutely. And that's the thing about informational interviews — they're not just a job search tactic. They're a career-long habit. The best networkers I know do this regularly, even when they're not looking. They're always learning, always building connections. Luna: So if you're listening and you're feeling stuck, try this: pick one company, one person, and send one message this week. That's it. Just one. See what happens. Lucas: And let us know how it goes. We love hearing from listeners who try something we've talked about and it works. Maybe we'll share your story on a future episode. Luna: That would be great. Alright, that's all for today. Thanks for being here.