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Professional Communication & Teamwork · Career Navigation

Networking and mentors

Reading34mLesson 3 of 3 in this module

Write a short, specific informational-interview request and follow up well.

Why it matters

Many jobs are filled through people who already know the candidate, or who were introduced by someone who does. Beyond jobs, the people you know help you learn which careers suit you, which skills matter, which employers are good and how to get past early-career obstacles. For licensed and trade careers, a mentor or a contact in a union, apprenticeship programme or professional society can explain the real path to a licence better than any website.

Networking is not about collecting contacts or selling yourself. It is about building honest, two-way professional relationships over time. Introverts can be excellent at it, because it works best in small, thoughtful conversations.

The informational interview

An informational interview is a short conversation (usually 20–30 minutes) with someone who works in a field you are curious about. You ask about their work and their path. You are not asking for a job. That makes it easier for them to say yes, and easier for you to ask honest questions.

Good reasons to request one:

  • You are choosing between careers, for example data analyst versus data engineer.
  • You want to know what a typical day in a role really looks like.
  • You want advice on which skills, certifications or programmes matter.

Finding people

Start with people who have some connection to you:

  • friends, family, former teachers and classmates;
  • alumni of your school, college or bootcamp;
  • people you met at meetups, career fairs or online communities;
  • professional societies and local chapters (for example engineering, IT, lab science or trade associations);
  • people whose posts, talks or projects you found useful.

A shared connection ("We both studied at...", "I enjoyed your talk at the meetup") makes a reply much more likely.

Writing the request

A good request is short, specific and easy to accept. It covers:

  1. Who you are, in one sentence.
  2. Why them: the connection or what you noticed about their work.
  3. The ask: a short conversation, with a time limit, about their experience, not a job.
  4. Flexibility: a call or video chat, at a time that suits them.
  5. A polite exit: make it easy to say no.

Example:

Subject: 20-minute chat about your path into cloud engineering?

Hi Daniel,

I'm finishing an IT support certificate at Riverside College and
I'm exploring cloud engineering. I saw your talk at the City Cloud
Meetup on moving a small company to the cloud, and the part about
starting with backups stuck with me.

Would you be open to a 20-minute call in the next few weeks? I'd love
to hear how you moved from support into cloud work and what skills
you'd focus on if you were starting today. I'm not asking about job
openings, just your advice.

I'm free most weekday afternoons and can work around your schedule.
If now isn't a good time, no problem at all.

Thanks,
Leila Haddad

It is under 150 words, gives a reason, sets a time limit and removes pressure.

During the conversation

  • Be on time and keep to the time you asked for. Offer to stop when it is up.
  • Prepare questions, for example:
    • "What does a typical week look like for you?"
    • "What surprised you most about this work?"
    • "Which skills do new people in your team most often lack?"
    • "If you were starting today, what would you learn first?"
    • "Is there anyone else you'd suggest I talk to?"
  • Listen more than you talk. Take short notes.
  • Do not ask for a job. If they offer help, accept it gratefully.

After the conversation

  • Send a thank-you message within a day. Mention one specific piece of advice you plan to act on.
  • Follow up later with what happened: "I took your advice and finished the AWS free-tier labs. Thanks again." This turns a one-off chat into a relationship.
  • Offer something back when you can: an article they might like, a thank-you on a public post, or help to someone else later.
  • Keep a simple record (name, date, what you talked about, next step) in a spreadsheet or notes app.

Mentors

A mentor is someone who gives you advice over a longer period. Mentorships often grow naturally out of good informational interviews, rather than from asking a stranger "Will you be my mentor?". Many schools, employers, professional societies and apprenticeship programmes also run formal mentoring schemes. Look for them, and come to each meeting with a specific question or a progress update.

Common mistakes

  • Long, vague messages with no clear ask.
  • Asking for a job or referral in the first message.
  • Not preparing questions, so the other person has to lead.
  • No thank-you or follow-up.
  • Only reaching out when you need something.

Not everyone will reply, and that is normal. People are busy. Send a polite follow-up once after a week or two; if there is still no reply, move on without taking it personally.

Quick recap

  • Informational interviews: short conversations to learn, not to ask for a job.
  • Start with people connected to you; give a specific reason for asking.
  • Request: who you are, why them, a time-limited ask, flexibility, an easy exit.
  • Prepare questions, keep to time, thank them and follow up.

Try it

Open the Do tab. You will find a person to contact and write an informational-interview request.

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