Free Online Course: Conducting Informational Interviews

Edx is offering this free online course as a final part of the Business Networking Professional Certificate Program with the title “Conducting an Informational Interview”, where you’ll be able to put your knowledge into practice by preparing for and conducting an informational interview. You will introduce yourself, write effective emails, highlight your best qualities and conduct an informational interview with a person of your choice. First off, you’ll clarify your goals and set up a practice informational interview. You’ll practice talking on the phone to make arrangements to meet. Then, you’ll set up a second informational interview. You’ll learn how to research a person and write questions to learn more about them or their career, and you’ll learn the parts of an interview. Finally, you’ll learn the key steps for following up with a person after your interview, and you’ll successfully complete a whole cycle of networking activities. The course lasts for 6 weeks, with a weekly effort of 3-5 hours.

Who can join:

This course is designed for people at an intermediate level or above in English. Some of the vocabulary might be easy for you, but you can probably benefit from the activities. That means you should be able to talk about everyday topics. If you are a beginner, some of the activities might be difficult, but you can still learn from them.

What you'll learn:

1. Research a person you would like to interview using LinkedIn and other tools
2. Prepare for and conduct an informational interview with someone you already know, and follow up with a thank-you note
3. Prepare for and conduct an informational interview with a new contact
4. Follow up with a thank-you note
5. Share your lessons learned about informational interviews and networking
6. You can receive a Verified Certificate for $99

This opportunity is designed by the University of Washington:

The University of Washington is one of the preeminent public research universities in the world dedicated to preparing leaders of change, promoters of ideas, and creating a culture of collaboration. The UW is ranked number one among public universities nationally that receive federal research and training funds, and since 1975 has been in the top five for public and private universities. The most recent report from China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University ranked the UW 16th among the world’s top universities (14th nationally), and the Higher Education Evaluation & Accreditation Council of Taiwan, which measures the quality and impact of research endeavors, identified the UW as the top public university in overall ranking worldwide.