Having Career Conversations

First, figure out who you want to reach out to and connect with. Do research on LinkedIn, searching Google for folks who work in roles you're interested in, or connect with the Career Services office to learn more about how to find folks in the industry you're interested in to connect with.  

Once you know who you will reach out to and what you want to learn more about, it’s time to make the outreach. Depending on your research, you may have found that it’s best to make phone calls to some places and send emails or Handshake/LinkedIn messages to others. This is your judgment call. Below is a sample of what the verbiage for this outreach could look like (either written or verbal). Feel free to personalize or use your own wording. This is just a starting point. 

“Hi, [insert name]. I’m a [insert your class year] [insert your major] major at SUNY Cortland and I’m exploring my career options in [insert specific industries/areas]. I am specifically interested in [insert your interests]. I really admire your experience in [industry/role], especially your work at [company name]. I was hoping to see if you might be open to a brief 15–20 minute conversation—just an informational chat—to learn about your career path and insights into [insert field or area]/advice for someone looking to break into this industry. I would love to discuss this further and I’m happy to speak at a time convenient to you. Please let me know if you are open to this, and if so, when a good time for you to chat more may be.”

The first few calls or emails may feel awkward, but the more you practice, the more comfortable you will feel. Remember not to be too discouraged by a “no” response. They may not have the capacity right now to have a conversation like this – that is not a reflection of you. Try to keep in perspective that the answer is always “no” if you never ask/never even started this process, so remember, you are looking for the rare “yeses” and opportunities here.

Update your resume and have it looked over by a few people who know you well. Make sure you have it reviewed by the professionals in Career Services during drop-in hours before sending it out to any employers. You won’t need your resume for the first outreach, but if and when an employer responds to you, they may ask for a resume just to learn a little bit about you, and you will want to be prepared so you don’t hold up the process. Once your resume is good to go, you can copy and paste its contents into your LinkedIn account and upload to Handshake – that way, if you are doing any outreach via LinkedIn or Handshake, or the employer is tech savvy, it is already viewable.

Harvard Business Review's 5 Questions to Ask During an “Informational Interview” (October 2021) is helpful for navigating what the author calls “career conversations” (a more approachable term than informational interview). Here are some thoughts for getting started when you conduct an informational interview/career conversation:

• Connect with the person/small talk about their day and thank them for their time.
• Share a short overview of who you are and why you are interested in speaking with them. Touch on the highlights of your education, work and/or internships, and be open about any current decisions or uncertainty you’re facing.
• Ask them questions (sample questions listed here):
  • What did your career path look like? What were you involved in during college? Did you have any experiences before your professional career started that helped you get there?
  • I understand you [share what you know about their job duties]. Can you provide more details about what your typical day/week looks like?
    • (If you don’t understand their role after researching, ask a question to clarify.) In my research, it was hard for me to tell what a [job title] does. Would you be able to describe what being a [job title] has been like for you?
    • What part of your job do you find the most interesting, as well as the most challenging?
  • Which skills are most important for a job like yours?
    • What skills do you think will be especially useful in the next five years for a student like me entering the field?
  • What do you think is the best way to earn an internship (or job) in this industry (or company)?
  • I’m really interested in speaking with people [in X field / in Y role / at Z company]. Who else would you recommend that I connect with?
  • Ask a question based on your interests – don’t be afraid to stray from your list if you need clarification on something they said or if you are curious about an area that you didn’t anticipate.
• At the end, thank them again for their time and energy, and if the conversation went well, see if you can connect on LinkedIn or stay in touch for the future. If in person, ask for a business card. 
• After the conversation, send a quick follow-up thank you email sharing what was most interesting to you, or helpful for you, from the conversation. A personalized thank you note will also help them remember you longer and in a positive light, especially if you reference something you learned from them/a takeaway, and share any action items that you plan to follow up on. 

This guide is just the start – you will learn more about networking and connecting with others as you go through this process, and you will hopefully be surprised by how gracious many people are with their time and energy. And remember, the answer is always no if you don’t ask. Take the initiative, be bold, and start networking to learn more about your desired industry!

Information adapted from InterExchange’s How to Create Your Own Internship and Harvard Business Review Ascend’s 5 Questions to Ask During an “Informational Interview” (October 2021).