How to set up successful information meetings Jason Wodlinger
Industry Centre > Blogs > How to set up successful information meetings | Jason Wodlinger
Posted by Jason Wodlinger
on Thursday, November 20, 2008.
Categories: Careers
This post will discuss the benefits of information meeting requests with senior executives as well as how to research who to contact, how to contact them and survival tips for the meeting itself.
An information meeting is an opportunity to speak with a professional in your employment field of interest in order to learn more about their job, their industry, company and seek career advice. A secondary benefit is to increase your network of colleagues and mentors. Finally, the information meeting is a stepping stone towards the ultimate goal of developing your career and seeking new opportunities.
I encourage everyone to send in their own suggestions as well as anecdotes about their information meeting experiences.
In my personal opinion, this type of meeting is distinctly not a job interview or an inquiry into job opportunities. It’s simply a chance to learn and share ideas from a seasoned professional.
I can assure you that if you are clear in your request for information (as opposed to a veiled attempt to seek out job opportunities) then there is a higher probability that more professionals will accept your meeting request.
People are usually only interested in meeting with a job seeker when they have a job opening; however, everyone likes to share information, offer advice and meet new aspiring colleagues (who one day may become an excellent candidate when a job opportunity comes up). For these reasons I recommend that you separate your employment inquiries from your information meeting requests.
I can trace two of my most rewarding jobs from some very memorable information meetings.
My first anecdote begins with Rogers Communications. After graduating with my MBA, I decided to contact graduates from my alma mater to request their time to talk with me about my career ambitions.
Although never having ever heard of me, one senior vice president from Rogers Communications (and fellow MBA graduate) agreed to meet. He's a highly respected and very successful veteran in the industry - needless to say, I was nervous about meeting him. It ended up being one of the most inspiring conversations I’ve ever had. As luck would have it, as I left his office after our chat, he mentioned his meeting with me to a human resources colleague and I ended up being invited in for an interview.
Four weeks later I was working in their business department.
My second story involves a time when I was researching CBC’s TV department and discovered a fascinating project which involved the executive director of one of the TV divisions. Again, though she didn’t know me at all, she was very kind to agree to meet.
One week later we were sitting in her office. 20 minutes into our conversation she stopped everything, called up a colleague of hers and asked him to come speak with me about a position for which he was interviewing. At no time during our meeting did I ever ask her about job opportunities. However, one thing led to another and three weeks later I began a new job with their TV department.
While it is highly unlikely that an information meeting would ever result in a new job, the advice and contacts that you make from such discussions will be very beneficial to you throughout your career.
So where to begin?
Before you draw up your list of ideal people with whom you want to meet, first decide your own career direction. Why waste your time requesting a meeting with the executive producer of TV drama if you're developing a career in radio?
Once you've focused on your career goal, it’s easier to develop the list of professionals to approach and the questions to ask. List in hand, the research begins…
Finding the people
So who should you contact for information meetings?
Since you know the direction in which you want to take your career, why not speak with an expert who has already travelled down that path with great success? Who is a leader in your industry of choice? Who is a specialist within the scope of work that interests you? Who is a senior executive at a company that fascinates you?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, research will help:
- Read the industry journals specific to your vocation to find information on people and companies that interest you
- Read the local and national newspapers for the latest industry trends and the people at the forefront of such developments
- Set up Google news alerts to track the latest developments of key media firms
- Monitor the reports and articles written by journalists and media analysts who track media entrepreneurs at the forefront of innovations
- Research guest lecturers at workshops, seminars and conferences
- Investigate panelists speaking at industry festivals
- Ask your colleagues for suggestions of individuals
- Read annual financial reports of media companies which list their senior executive leaders
- Visit your university/college alumni centre for a list of graduates who have been working in the industry 10 years or longer (the longer the period the greater the seniority of the professional).
Requesting a meeting with a senior executive results in an opportunity to learn about the big picture and overall perspective from someone who can integrate different elements of the industry into a comprehensive summary.
Now, you may ask, "What makes me think that I have the right to contact a senior executive when my resume is a footnote compared to their legacy?" Keep reading and I’ll address this crucial question further on.
How to contact the people
Now that you know who to contact, how do you actually reach them?
There are two issues for discussion: method and manner.
Methodology can be as simple as telephone, email, hand written note, social internet portal or a combination of them all. The method of choice depends on your level of comfort and what you may already know about their preferences. If you're perhaps shy or somewhat intimidated, it might be best for a more passive approach: email and internet social portals. These two communication tools allow you to formulate your introductory message and offer your contact time to digest your request and respond at their convenience.
Leaving a telephone message before or after work hours has the same advantages and is a more personable approach. You might want to follow up a phone message with a quick email due to the fact that your contact information can easily be lost on a message pad while an email is can be saved and recalled.
Members who have joined social internet portals like Facebook and LinkedIn are probably more amenable to the decorum and communicative behaviour as set out by the portal environment. That's to say, a request for an information meeting from a total stranger via Linkedin may not be as surprising as a telephone call out of the blue. Online social community users out there may disagree with this philosophy (and I welcome your thoughts and discussion), but the bottom line is that your communication tool of choice depends on your comfort level with business correspondence and your knowledge of that of your counterpart.
An introduction from a colleague between you and your list of contacts is a useful strategy. I assume that most high profile professionals receive many information meeting requests – any strategy you can use to stand out is advantageous.
The second issue, manner, encompasses the way in which you communicate your request for an information meeting. My recommendation is to strive to be succinct, upfront and direct about your reasons for contacting them.
As mentioned at the beginning of this post, if your intent is to gather advice and information, state this intention upfront. Next, describe the information or advice you’re looking for.
For example is it to:
- Learn more about a new industry trend?
- Learn more about their company?
- Ask advice regarding career steps that can lead to your ultimate career goal?
- Seek advice about the next educational step to take for your career ambitions?
Next, it’s important to state why you've contacted them specifically and/or how you found them.
For example:
- They've recently or are currently working on a high profile project which interests you
- Their specific career path is highly relevant to your own career ambitions
- You had specific questions regarding a subject matter about which you heard him/her speak or write
- A mutual colleague recommended their name to you
As we all know people are very busy and don’t have a great deal of time to read lengthy messages. If you've addressed these three elements: who you are, what you want and why them, then you’ve probably written 90% of what’s needed in your introductory message.
I wouldn’t worry if you don’t hear a response overnight. Most people triage their messages - information meeting requests are usually a low priority. However, there’s nothing wrong with following up your request a week or so later.
I would recommend that a follow up message be polite and respectful stating that you’re enquiring after your first message of X date and reiterating your enthusiasm to meet with them. If they didn’t receive your original request (email is not always 100% reliable) you can offer to resend it.
It’s highly probably that your follow up message will reinforce to them your enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge. There’s nothing wrong with demonstrating a little tenacity and assertiveness - what senior executive succeeded to the top of the totem pole without these two character traits?
How prepare for the meeting
On average, given peoples’ busy schedules, I usually aim for a meeting duration of no more than 30 minutes. You need to use this time wisely. It's absolutely essential that you diligently prepare yourself for this meeting by gathering all the information and research required in order to make the most use of this precious time.
Asking a sophisticated question will not only elicit a thoughtful and comprehensive answer, but also demonstrate your intelligence, your commitment to the subject and your respect for the other person’s time. Pick three to five of your most pressing questions. Don’t bother with questions that are meant as a “warm up” for your subject. Jump right in and cut to the chase.
Develop your questions by working backwards from the main goal of this information meeting. If you seek career advice, what three questions would elicit the most information. If you want to learn about their work or past projects, research everything there is to know about this subject and make sure your first question drives to the very heart of the issue you want to explore.
Conduct during the meeting
Here are some quick tips:
- State at the beginning of the meeting why you requested their time and why you contacted them specifically
- Mention that you’ve prepared questions; thus, relieving them of the responsibility of constructing an agenda for the meeting. Of course, if they have a suggestion for topics of discussion, even better
- Confirm with them your understanding of the time they’ve granted you
- As you near your last question, check in with them and confirm if there is still remaining time to chat; you never know, they may decide to extend the meeting even longer
- Listen, listen, listen – remember that this meeting is not a job interview. This conversation is not your opportunity to pontificate on your philosophies or ideologies. You requested their time to hear their thoughts. Of course there’s nothing wrong with asking probing questions during the conversation. If anything, questions demonstrate that you’re actively listening to what they’re saying and are developing ideas.
- If you get the sense at the beginning of your meeting that your counterpart is perhaps shy or uncomfortable a good ice breaker is to ask them about their own career journey. Everyone has an interesting story about their vocational adventures and people usually enjoy sharing them. There is always something one can learn from someone’s rich and extensive history.
While active listening is critical during this meeting, I do recommend taking some time to offer a brief summary of your career history. Such information helps your colleague place your level of comprehension in context; thus, allowing them to share information that is relevant to your level of experience.
However, I suggest that you keep your resume brief. More often than not, your contact will ask you about yourself and your aspirations. Be clear and concise. The more specific you can be in your answer the more specific they can tailor their advice for you. If you have no idea what your aspirations are, perhaps you can discuss the type of work or tasks that excite you and about which you are passionate.
Practice your resume speech at home - the last thing you want to do is waste your colleague’s time while you brainstorm and begin a stream of consciousness monologue. My general career summary involves summarizing my work history, the main competencies acquired at each company and my future goals. This brief story segues nicely into the obvious question that you can pose to your colleague which is: having been where you’ve been in our career, do they think that you have what it takes to get to where you want to go.
At the end of your meeting, if you think it's appropriate, feel free to ask your colleague for recommendations of other people you can contact to learn more about your areas of interest. If they can’t suggest any names on the spot, simply follow up with them a week later.
It’s always courteous to send a thank you note the next day. Perhaps touch on one or two salient points during the meeting that really struck a chord with you. The very act of going over the meeting in your head to find that salient point is a good exercise in it of itself as it ensures you’ve understood the key learnings.
If your colleague does recommend a colleague that can contact, let them know how that meeting went and thank them again for the introduction. Stay in touch with the people you meet every four or six months. Notify them of any career changes or successes. Keep an eye out for news about their achievements.
Why would anyone grant a meeting with me?
Remember that senior vice president at Roger’s I mentioned at the beginning of this post? Here's a small transcript of what I consider to be an inspiring conversation:
Me: Thanks for meeting with me, I have to admit I was a little nervous.
Him: Why?
Me: Well, I know that you’re very busy and that you had never heard of me until today…
Him: So?
Me: Well, I probably wouldn’t have contacted you if you hadn’t been a U of T graduate like me.
Him: That’s ridiculous? Why wouldn’t you?
Me: Well….
Him: Do you not have the right to contact me?
Me: Well…
Him: Regardless of your length of professional experience, do you not have the right to ask me a question?
Me: Well…
Him: Jason, you have the right to ask anyone you want for advice. They certainly don’t have any obligation to answer you, but you have the right to ask.
Me: Ummm, I guess so…
Him: No, not you guess so, you know so. What’s the worst that can happen by asking for advice? That they say no? So, if that’s the worst that could happen to you, you’ve got nothing to lose.
Me: You’re right, thanks. That’s great advice.
Him: Good. And the next time someone that you’ve never heard of before contacts you for a meeting, I hope you’ll remember this conversation.
I have never forgotten this advice and it’s inspired me many times during my career. Yes, there will be people who never respond to your requests. There may even be a few individuals who do respond only to ask that you never contact them again.
I believe Wayne Gretzky once said “You will always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
If you don’t pick up the phone or send that email, you can be sure that no-one will say 'no' to you. Ask any successful professional in the media world how their first few career breaks came to be and they will more than likely tell you that someone helped them along the way. People remember their humble beginnings and they welcome an opportunity to return the favour.
As I stated at the beginning of this post, I feel very strongly that an information meeting is distinctly different from an employment inquiry. But let’s be frank: the motivation for requesting this meeting is to seek knowledge and advice which is a component in your overall career development strategy. Now that you’ve met these individuals and presumably left a lasting and positive impression, more doors of opportunity have opened up for you. jason@wodlinger.com
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Views expressed here are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).
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The views expressed here are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).