Materials for Your Informational Interview

I just talked to someone who was heading out the door to an informational interview. She had thought through what she wanted to talk about, looked great, and had her resume with her. I asked whether she wanted a portfolio to put the resume in. She said, “No, I’ll just fold it and put it in my purse. This is just an informal meeting and I don’t want to look too eager.”

Ok. I get that. You want to go in looking cool. You don’t want to make this look like it’s more than it is, an informal interview. But let’s face it, informational interviews are a bit of a game. You wouldn’t be having it if you weren’t interested in a new job. The person you’re talking to knows that you’re interested in a new job (incidentally, that’s why folks are often so skitterish about saying “yes” to an informational interview), so just having a portfolio with you doesn’t tell them anything they don’t know, and doesn’t put the conversation on a different footing. You can always just leave the portfolio leaning against your chair, where it will be forgotten during the interview (just don’t forget it afterward!).

The problem is that if the person my friend is meeting asks for a resume, it will be to remember the conversation and possibly to send it on to her colleagues. My friend, and you, should not want the physical reminder of the conversation to be folded. It should be pristine.

So go ahead, take what you need with you to present at your best. If you don’t feel comfortable taking something you need, be prepared to send it afterward. Just don’t compromise and take something that is almost ok.