We are confronted with challenges in the job market right now. People are losing their jobs, and gas prices are on a continual rise, along with people’s anxiety levels. Is your job secure in these troubling economic times? Have you already been downsized? We can always use career development help, even more so in challenging times.

Informational interviews are a simple yet powerful strategy for career development that people at all career levels can tap into. They let you make a sincere, genuine connection with another person. After all, an informational interview is really just talking to someone. It is not a job interview. The purpose of a job interview is to get a job, whereas the purpose of an informational interview is to get information.

It is critical to appreciate that in an informational interview you never ask for anything other than a person’s time and some information. People are naturally inclined to help other people, and if you are sincere, kind and professional in your requests, they will respond in a very positive way. Careers are built on person-to-person connections.

Setting Up Some Conversations

Start with a short list of perhaps five to ten dream companies you want to work for. You might want to work for them because of their products, their services, their reputation, or their location. Use Google, Yahoo! Financials, your local newspaper, your chamber of commerce, and industry associations and trade magazines to research your target companies.

Next, leverage your existing network to get to decision makers in those companies. Tap into your alumni network, which many colleges have made available online. Consider contacting past managers, employees and co-workers of any company you’ve been associated with. Other useful sources of networking connections are your church, social clubs, and professional or fraternal organizations such as the Jaycees, Toastmasters, Rotary or Kiwanis. Several online networking databases are also available. One that I highly recommend is LinkedIn.com.

Once you have a target list of people in your dream companies, contact them and ask for an informational interview. I suggest that you call them, since email is less personal. Phrasing your request in the form of a 30-second commercial, ask them for their time. This is a non-confrontational approach that is concise, specific, and likely to entice them to help you.

Here’s an example of a pitch I would use for this purpose. It quickly conveys the basic information without being aggressive or threatening.

People Want to Help

We are all fellow human beings. There is something inside us that wants to help other people. If, however, somebody is really unavailable to meet with you, just move on to the next name on your list. I have met people for coffee, for lunch, for drinks, sometimes for dinner. Strangers have gone out of their way to help me. Why do they do this?

I believe it is because the proposal I make to them is real, authentic and sincere. I want to hear about them. I want to hear about their business. I ask them about their product. I ask them what they like. If I do not get a job, a client, or a financial reward immediately, that’s fine. I’m not looking for an immediate reward. Life doesn’t work that way. You’re planting seeds and, with enough patience and care, your seeds will grow.

When you meet with someone, follow some basic rules. Remember, you do not want anything but their time and information. Nothing! Be kind, be considerate, be on time, and be professional. During the time you are with that person, they will be the most important person to you, and they deserve your full respect and attention. Turn off your cell phone, go to the bathroom before your meeting, and keep your schedule flexible. For example, if a senior vice president of your dream company wants to give you an impromptu tour of the facility, accept this gracious invitation.

During your conversation, ask the person sincere questions. What do you really want to learn about? If a question seems too basic, do not ask it. It’s a waste of your time and theirs. I like to make people think with challenging questions, such as, "What was the hardest decision you ever had to make in your job and why was it so hard?"

At the end of your time together, ask them a basic question that can lead to more information interviews. The following is a good example.

After you ask this question, remain silent. Resist the urge to say anything more. Your host will think about people to refer you to. The question they ponder will not be "Should I help this person?" but rather, "How can I help this person?"

If you are authentic and sincere, if you are coming from a real place, people will help you. They will refer you to other people. The informational interview is a process you can repeat again and again. By simply being out there and talking to people, you will develop connections. Things will happen for you.

When you conclude an informational interview, your connection with that person is not severed. Remember to follow up, first by sending a thank-you card. We all appreciate being appreciated.

Remember also that relationships don’t expire. There is nothing wrong with contacting the person months later, even if you are not job searching. I believe that people cannot have too many positive people in their lives. If you made a positive connection with the person you interviewed, keep in touch with them.

Regardless of where we are in our careers, we have commonalities with other people. We enjoy the opportunity to help others and share our stories. When you approach people for informational interviews from a place of sincerity, people will respond to you in positive ways that will expand your network and supercharge your career development.