Notes for informationals

A nice chat with Mike S., former and current trusted advisor, left me with a good framework for the kinds of informational calls that can lead to legit career opportunities but can be non-impactful if handled poorly. In my life, I've handled them well and not well.

When speaking with a former colleague, friend of a friend, alum, or other professional contact, we should do four things:

1) Get the person's background. Do this for many reasons, primarily to *learn* something and secondarily to show your interest in the person with whom you are speaking. 

2) Give a concise summary of your background and what you seek. This is harder for me. Brevity and focus are the key here. They need a spooned-up, cooled-off mouthful of who we are and what we're after. This actually requires genuine practice, which often comes only in the moment of truth - ie not practice. Do it with those you love and who love you. That's what they're there for :)

3) Ask where you should be looking.

4) Ask for other contacts. This is THE most important thing that takes the discussion from  non-impact to impact. "Is there someone else you think I should speak to who could help direct my search?" My thinking is if each conversation leads to 1-2 more conversations, a good job will be at the end of the maze.