Mixing
Obtaining informational interviews
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I'm looking to line up some informational interviews to support a career transition I'm in the process of making. With almost all of my prospective interviewees, I'll be an unknown. Basically, I'll be doing the equivalent of cold calls in sales. In some cases, I have email addresses for the people I wish to contact. In other cases, I only have business mailing addresses. I'm at best a "3rd" level connection for my prospects on LinkedIn. How do folks recommend I make my outreach? I'm concerned that many people don't read hard copy mail anymore & that the proliferation of junk email means my emails may be deleted rapidly. Ideas?
career-development
asked Aug 30 '16 at 0:40
CommuterBiker
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up vote
2
down vote
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I'm looking to line up some informational interviews to support a career transition I'm in the process of making. With almost all of my prospective interviewees, I'll be an unknown. Basically, I'll be doing the equivalent of cold calls in sales. In some cases, I have email addresses for the people I wish to contact. In other cases, I only have business mailing addresses. I'm at best a "3rd" level connection for my prospects on LinkedIn. How do folks recommend I make my outreach? I'm concerned that many people don't read hard copy mail anymore & that the proliferation of junk email means my emails may be deleted rapidly. Ideas?
career-development
asked Aug 30 '16 at 0:40
CommuterBiker
451
That may work. I'm a little concerned about getting a cold call taken in the age of Facebook. Do you recommendations on best practices for cold calls?
– CommuterBiker
Aug 30 '16 at 23:36
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I'm looking to line up some informational interviews to support a career transition I'm in the process of making. With almost all of my prospective interviewees, I'll be an unknown. Basically, I'll be doing the equivalent of cold calls in sales. In some cases, I have email addresses for the people I wish to contact. In other cases, I only have business mailing addresses. I'm at best a "3rd" level connection for my prospects on LinkedIn. How do folks recommend I make my outreach? I'm concerned that many people don't read hard copy mail anymore & that the proliferation of junk email means my emails may be deleted rapidly. Ideas?
career-development
asked Aug 30 '16 at 0:40
CommuterBiker
451
I'm looking to line up some informational interviews to support a career transition I'm in the process of making. With almost all of my prospective interviewees, I'll be an unknown. Basically, I'll be doing the equivalent of cold calls in sales. In some cases, I have email addresses for the people I wish to contact. In other cases, I only have business mailing addresses. I'm at best a "3rd" level connection for my prospects on LinkedIn. How do folks recommend I make my outreach? I'm concerned that many people don't read hard copy mail anymore & that the proliferation of junk email means my emails may be deleted rapidly. Ideas?
career-development
asked Aug 30 '16 at 0:40
CommuterBiker
451
asked Aug 30 '16 at 0:40
CommuterBiker
451
asked Aug 30 '16 at 0:40
CommuterBiker
451
asked Aug 30 '16 at 0:40
CommuterBiker
451
451
That may work. I'm a little concerned about getting a cold call taken in the age of Facebook. Do you recommendations on best practices for cold calls?
– CommuterBiker
Aug 30 '16 at 23:36
suggest improvements |Â
That may work. I'm a little concerned about getting a cold call taken in the age of Facebook. Do you recommendations on best practices for cold calls?
– CommuterBiker
Aug 30 '16 at 23:36
That may work. I'm a little concerned about getting a cold call taken in the age of Facebook. Do you recommendations on best practices for cold calls?
– CommuterBiker
Aug 30 '16 at 23:36
That may work. I'm a little concerned about getting a cold call taken in the age of Facebook. Do you recommendations on best practices for cold calls?
– CommuterBiker
Aug 30 '16 at 23:36
suggest improvements |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
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up vote
1
down vote
Regardless of the medium you are using: emails, calls, .... Try to figure out what's in it for the person you are contacting. If it's only about you and if there is no way you reaching out to them offers any value, don't bother.
Research the person and find out how your strengths, skills and services can help this person. Don't put the effort or burden to figure this out on the other person, especially when going in "cold".
answered Sep 17 '16 at 9:07
Bram Luyten
1113
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up vote
0
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If you have groups through Meetup.com in your area, or something similar, you might try going to Meetups that are related and make some face-to-face contacts that way. When you get to them, be open to your need to make professional contacts. If it's a large Meetup, with a speaker and social time make sure to go well in advance of the talk and mingle.
In more traditional/rural areas without Meetup, look for traditional social organizations with business tie ins. Reference librarians at public libraries can help you find such groups. The Better Business Bureau might help you.
These things will take time, but so does job hunting. Face-to-face is a good way to network your career.
answered Sep 13 '16 at 18:08
LaurelS
1011
Hi Laurel, Thanks for that. We have a lot of MeetUps in my area. You recommend being "open" regarding my need for contacts. Can you be more specific? For example, should I just say I'm here to build my network, can I add you to my LinkedIn network, meet you for coffee, etc.?
– CommuterBiker
Sep 15 '16 at 23:48
suggest improvements |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
Regardless of the medium you are using: emails, calls, .... Try to figure out what's in it for the person you are contacting. If it's only about you and if there is no way you reaching out to them offers any value, don't bother.
Research the person and find out how your strengths, skills and services can help this person. Don't put the effort or burden to figure this out on the other person, especially when going in "cold".
answered Sep 17 '16 at 9:07
Bram Luyten
1113
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Regardless of the medium you are using: emails, calls, .... Try to figure out what's in it for the person you are contacting. If it's only about you and if there is no way you reaching out to them offers any value, don't bother.
Research the person and find out how your strengths, skills and services can help this person. Don't put the effort or burden to figure this out on the other person, especially when going in "cold".
answered Sep 17 '16 at 9:07
Bram Luyten
1113
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
Regardless of the medium you are using: emails, calls, .... Try to figure out what's in it for the person you are contacting. If it's only about you and if there is no way you reaching out to them offers any value, don't bother.
Research the person and find out how your strengths, skills and services can help this person. Don't put the effort or burden to figure this out on the other person, especially when going in "cold".
answered Sep 17 '16 at 9:07
Bram Luyten
1113
Regardless of the medium you are using: emails, calls, .... Try to figure out what's in it for the person you are contacting. If it's only about you and if there is no way you reaching out to them offers any value, don't bother.
Research the person and find out how your strengths, skills and services can help this person. Don't put the effort or burden to figure this out on the other person, especially when going in "cold".
answered Sep 17 '16 at 9:07
Bram Luyten
1113
answered Sep 17 '16 at 9:07
Bram Luyten
1113
answered Sep 17 '16 at 9:07
Bram Luyten
1113
answered Sep 17 '16 at 9:07
Bram Luyten
1113
1113
suggest improvements |Â
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
0
down vote
If you have groups through Meetup.com in your area, or something similar, you might try going to Meetups that are related and make some face-to-face contacts that way. When you get to them, be open to your need to make professional contacts. If it's a large Meetup, with a speaker and social time make sure to go well in advance of the talk and mingle.
In more traditional/rural areas without Meetup, look for traditional social organizations with business tie ins. Reference librarians at public libraries can help you find such groups. The Better Business Bureau might help you.
These things will take time, but so does job hunting. Face-to-face is a good way to network your career.
answered Sep 13 '16 at 18:08
LaurelS
1011
Hi Laurel, Thanks for that. We have a lot of MeetUps in my area. You recommend being "open" regarding my need for contacts. Can you be more specific? For example, should I just say I'm here to build my network, can I add you to my LinkedIn network, meet you for coffee, etc.?
– CommuterBiker
Sep 15 '16 at 23:48
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
0
down vote
If you have groups through Meetup.com in your area, or something similar, you might try going to Meetups that are related and make some face-to-face contacts that way. When you get to them, be open to your need to make professional contacts. If it's a large Meetup, with a speaker and social time make sure to go well in advance of the talk and mingle.
In more traditional/rural areas without Meetup, look for traditional social organizations with business tie ins. Reference librarians at public libraries can help you find such groups. The Better Business Bureau might help you.
These things will take time, but so does job hunting. Face-to-face is a good way to network your career.
answered Sep 13 '16 at 18:08
LaurelS
1011
Hi Laurel, Thanks for that. We have a lot of MeetUps in my area. You recommend being "open" regarding my need for contacts. Can you be more specific? For example, should I just say I'm here to build my network, can I add you to my LinkedIn network, meet you for coffee, etc.?
– CommuterBiker
Sep 15 '16 at 23:48
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
If you have groups through Meetup.com in your area, or something similar, you might try going to Meetups that are related and make some face-to-face contacts that way. When you get to them, be open to your need to make professional contacts. If it's a large Meetup, with a speaker and social time make sure to go well in advance of the talk and mingle.
In more traditional/rural areas without Meetup, look for traditional social organizations with business tie ins. Reference librarians at public libraries can help you find such groups. The Better Business Bureau might help you.
These things will take time, but so does job hunting. Face-to-face is a good way to network your career.
answered Sep 13 '16 at 18:08
LaurelS
1011
If you have groups through Meetup.com in your area, or something similar, you might try going to Meetups that are related and make some face-to-face contacts that way. When you get to them, be open to your need to make professional contacts. If it's a large Meetup, with a speaker and social time make sure to go well in advance of the talk and mingle.
In more traditional/rural areas without Meetup, look for traditional social organizations with business tie ins. Reference librarians at public libraries can help you find such groups. The Better Business Bureau might help you.
These things will take time, but so does job hunting. Face-to-face is a good way to network your career.
answered Sep 13 '16 at 18:08
LaurelS
1011
answered Sep 13 '16 at 18:08
LaurelS
1011
answered Sep 13 '16 at 18:08
LaurelS
1011
answered Sep 13 '16 at 18:08
LaurelS
1011
1011
Hi Laurel, Thanks for that. We have a lot of MeetUps in my area. You recommend being "open" regarding my need for contacts. Can you be more specific? For example, should I just say I'm here to build my network, can I add you to my LinkedIn network, meet you for coffee, etc.?
– CommuterBiker
Sep 15 '16 at 23:48
suggest improvements |Â
Hi Laurel, Thanks for that. We have a lot of MeetUps in my area. You recommend being "open" regarding my need for contacts. Can you be more specific? For example, should I just say I'm here to build my network, can I add you to my LinkedIn network, meet you for coffee, etc.?
– CommuterBiker
Sep 15 '16 at 23:48
Hi Laurel, Thanks for that. We have a lot of MeetUps in my area. You recommend being "open" regarding my need for contacts. Can you be more specific? For example, should I just say I'm here to build my network, can I add you to my LinkedIn network, meet you for coffee, etc.?
– CommuterBiker
Sep 15 '16 at 23:48
Hi Laurel, Thanks for that. We have a lot of MeetUps in my area. You recommend being "open" regarding my need for contacts. Can you be more specific? For example, should I just say I'm here to build my network, can I add you to my LinkedIn network, meet you for coffee, etc.?
– CommuterBiker
Sep 15 '16 at 23:48
suggest improvements |Â
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That may work. I'm a little concerned about getting a cold call taken in the age of Facebook. Do you recommendations on best practices for cold calls?
– CommuterBiker
Aug 30 '16 at 23:36