As you prepare for an informational interview, it’s important to remember that an informational interview is still an interview.
Although they can feel more casual in tone, the discussion provides an opportunity to learn about a company you may want to work in AND to share information about your experience, passions, and unique qualifications and how those are of value to the company, even if not speaking about a specific vacancy.
Therefore, you need to prepare for informational interviews.
In this Forbes article, you can read 13 quick tips you can use to start thinking about how to best prepare for an upcoming informational meeting. My tip (#6) is specific to knowing where your strengths lie and communicating those proactively and effectively.
A common mistake we see is that people show up to interviews and take a passive role, and they assume the company will “know best” as to where to place them based on their experience and skills. Instead, we encourage you to be an active participant in the discussion, to come to the conversation with ideas on how to proactively solve problems based on your research of what the company goals are and your skills.
In the end, the company can see a bigger picture that you may not understand. Still, your proactiveness will set you apart during the process. Communicating what you can do better than other candidates will convey your passion and confidence, and it will help the company understand how they can maximize your impact on their bottom line — a win-win.