Im looking for careers in banking. I am reached out to some executives and one has agreed to chat. What are some good questions to ask?
Answers
I agree with what the others have said. As a general practice, I would always suggest finishing up by asking them if, based on the conversation you've had and their understanding of your interests, they have any other colleagues the would suggest you talk with. It can be within their company or outside of it. These sorts of interviews are not just 'one and done' - you can leverage them to get more and more contacts in increasingly relevant areas.
Don't ask questions for which you can find the answers elsewhere. Things like "What are your priorities in the years ahead?" or "What is the biggest challenge facing the company today?" are probably publicly available through a quick Googling about the industry or organization. If the information isn't publicly available, an employer may not want to talk about it at all, so it may be none of your business to ask.
Instead, ask interesting, unique questions that might also lead you to tell a compelling story of your own. You MUST find a way to do this genuinely and in the interest of truly wanting to learn from them in a style that is all yours. Don't simply set them up for you to be able to tell your story. Instead, actively listen, learn, and probe deeper when needed into their response. Then delicately position your "response story" as a complement to what you've just learned from them.
An informational interview should not come off as a "sales pitch" for your skills. Rather it should be a dialogue where you both come to understand the value you may bring to each other. If handled with a sincere interest in learning and active listening skills, you'll both walk away from this "meet and greet" or "informational interview" with a better understanding and perhaps form the foundation for a future relationship.
Consider these thought starters:
"What gets you excited?"
-After their response, share a story, related to your qualifications for a potential future job about what gets YOU excited. Take cues from their response as to what angle you might approach.
"What are you looking forward to?"
-After their response, find a way to link your qualifications or experience with something that complements what they're looking forward to.
"How could someone with X skill set succeed in your organization?"
-This is an easy introduction to how YOUR "X skill" can be of benefit.
I hope these tips help.
-Scott!
Hi Kamran,
Thank you very much for your service. I agree with a lot of Susana's advice. If you could provide a little more information on who you are interviewing.
Please feel free to email me directly, kmtama@gmail.com or through this system.
Best,
Katie
Kamran,
What have you been unable to find out through the research you have done? What is important to you in a career, from a company?
Informational interviews are opportunities to deepen your understanding of a field, company and or position.
You may google informational interview questions but that won't get to the heart of what you want to know.
Are you verifying a career position or career track?
Are you confirming banking is where you want to start and best banks to apply with?
Good questions are those that will provide you with the information you need to position yourself to move forward with your career goals and job search.
What will you say when they ask, "Why do you ask that question?" if you have boilerplate questions.
Take some time and consider what you want to know and why and you will both honor the individual's time that has volunteered and moved you one step closer to your career endeavors.
Good luck,
Hi Kamran,
Thank you very much for your service. I agree with a lot of Susana's advice. If you could provide a little more information on who you are interviewing.
Please feel free to email me directly, kmtama@gmail.com or through this system.
Best,
Katie
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