April Webinar Recap

Click here for the link to the webinar recording!

Informational interviews are the hidden gems of career development; they are often overlooked but immensely powerful. In our recent April webinar, we had the pleasure of hearing from Noelani Wayas, who shared invaluable insights on how to excel in these conversations. From understanding their importance to mastering non-verbal communication skills, here’s a recap of what we learned:

A) The Importance of Informational Interviews:

• Internship Networking: 9 out of 10 students who had an internship during college engaged in networking through informational interviews.
• Internship Success: Students with 2 or more internships were 8x more likely to have conducted an informational interview.
• Networking Impact: Students who engaged in cold networking were 2X as likely to earn an internship compared to those who relied solely on warm networking.
• Conversion to Full-time: Interestingly, warm networking led to fewer internships converting to full-time positions (cold networking = 70%, warm networking = 40%).
• Confidence Boost: The more informational interviews students conducted, the higher they reported levels of confidence and feelings of career readiness.

B) Preparing for Success:

• Define Your Values: Understand what matters most to you and how it aligns with the company's culture, mission, and values.
• Research: Dive deep into the company's background, culture, and recent news.
• Craft Meaningful Questions: Ask questions that resonate with you and demonstrate your genuine interest. Examples included queries about recent company events, challenges faced by employees, and volunteering initiatives.

C) Mastering Non-Verbal Communication:

• Sensory Information Interpretation: Our brains process visual cues (80%) far more than auditory (10%) or tactile (10%) stimuli.
• Tips for Success: Maintain eye contact, practice good posture, use appropriate hand gestures, express facial emotions, and engage in active listening. Additionally, grooming plays a subtle yet crucial role in making a positive impression.

In conclusion, informational interviews offer a unique opportunity to network, gain insights, and showcase your interest in a potential employer. With the right preparation and non-verbal communication skills, you can turn these conversations into powerful stepping stones toward your career goals.

Missed the webinar? Watch it below! Remember, mastering informational interviews could be your secret weapon in landing your dream job!