The Molecular Biologist's Guide to Informational Interviews
By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD ·
Quick Answer
- Request informational interviews through concise, specific emails that show you have researched the person's actual work and can articulate a clear reason for the conversation.
- Prepare a structured question set focused on career pathways, daily tasks, skill requirements, and workplace culture instead of asking for a job or salary information.
- Send a thank-you note within 24 hours and maintain periodic contact, because the relationship formed during an informational interview often matters more than the information itself.
At a Glance
Informational interviews are structured conversations between a job seeker or career explorer and a professional working in a field of interest. For molecular biologists, these conversations provide access to career path details that are rarely written in job postings or published in laboratory manuals. The table below summarizes the key decisions you will make at each stage of the process.
| Stage | Primary Decision | Recommended Action | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identifying contacts | Who to approach | Target people whose role, employer, or career trajectory matches your interest | Choosing only senior executives who are difficult to reach |
| Crafting the request | What to ask for | Request 20 to 30 minutes for a conversation about their career path | Asking for a job, internship, or letter of recommendation |
| Preparing questions | What to learn | Focus on daily tasks, skills, work environment, and career progression | Asking questions that can be answered by reading a website |
| Conducting the interview | How to manage time | Let the professional speak most of the time and take notes | Dominating the conversation with your own background |
| Following up | What to do after | Send a thank-you note within 24 hours and connect on professional networks | Never following up or asking for a job in the thank-you note |
Why Molecular Biologists Hesitate to Request Informational Interviews
Molecular biology training emphasizes experimental rigor, controlled variables, and reproducible results. Students and early-career researchers are taught to avoid wasting reagents, time, and the patience of senior colleagues. The same mindset often carries over to career conversations. Many molecular biologists worry that requesting an informational interview is an imposition, that they have nothing to offer in return, or that the conversation will be an awkward exercise in self-promotion.
These concerns are understandable but they rest on a misunderstanding of how professional networks function. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics describes the work of biochemists and biophysicists as involving laboratory research, data analysis, and the study of chemical processes in living organisms. The Occupational Outlook Handbook also notes that most biochemists and biophysicists work full time in laboratories and offices, often for universities, research institutes, or pharmaceutical companies. What the handbook does not describe is how people actually move between these settings, how they choose one employer over another, and what daily work looks like beyond the published job description. Informational interviews fill that gap.
The National Institutes of Health Office of Intramural Training and Education provides career development resources for researchers at all stages, including those who are exploring career options. The NIH emphasizes that career exploration is a process that benefits from structured reflection and conversations with people who have relevant experience. For a molecular biologist, this means that requesting an informational interview is not a favor being asked of a busy professional. It is a standard part of career development, and many professionals expect to receive such requests.
The American Society for Microbiology offers career resources that include networking and professional development guidance for microbiologists and related life scientists. The organization's career materials describe networking as a core professional skill, not an optional activity. For molecular biologists, this means that informational interviews are a recognized method for learning about the range of roles available in the field.
What an Informational Interview Is and Is Not
An informational interview is a conversation with a professional for the purpose of learning about their career path, their daily work, and the skills that matter in their role. It is not a job interview. It is not a request for a referral. It is not a negotiation. The distinction matters because it changes how you approach the conversation and what you can reasonably expect from it.
The U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET OnLine provides detailed descriptions of the tasks, skills, and work contexts for hundreds of occupations. For a molecular biologist, O*NET describes tasks such as conducting research, analyzing data, and preparing scientific reports. The work context includes laboratory settings, collaboration with other scientists, and the use of specialized equipment. What O*NET does not provide is the personal narrative of how someone chose their specialty, what they wish they had known earlier, or how they navigated a difficult career decision. Informational interviews provide that narrative.
The National Science Foundation describes the work of its scientific staff as including research, program management, and the review of proposals. The NSF careers page lists a range of roles, including program directors, scientists, and administrative staff. A molecular biologist who is considering a move from the bench to a programmatic role could use an informational interview with an NSF program director to learn about the transition. The conversation would not be about a specific job opening. It would be about the nature of the work, the skills required, and the path that the program director took to get there.
The Boundaries of an Informational Interview
The boundaries of an informational interview are important to understand before you send a request. The conversation is about the other person's experience, not about your qualifications. You are there to listen and learn, not to present yourself as a candidate. You are not asking for a job, a referral, or a letter of recommendation. You are asking for information and perspective.
The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges provides career resources for students who are considering veterinary medicine. The organization's materials describe the importance of exploring the profession through conversations with practicing veterinarians and other professionals. The same principle applies to molecular biology. The conversation is a way to test your assumptions about a career path and to learn what the path actually looks like from someone who has walked it.
Identifying the Right People to Interview
The first step in the informational interview process is identifying who to contact. The goal is to find people whose roles, employers, or career trajectories are relevant to your own interests. You are not looking for the most senior person in the field. You are looking for people who can provide useful information about a specific path.
Start with Your Existing Network
Your existing network includes professors, laboratory supervisors, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and alumni from your institution. These are people who already know you or who have a connection to your institution. They are more likely to respond to a request because there is a shared context.
The NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education provides training and career development for researchers at the NIH. The organization's resources emphasize the importance of mentoring and professional development. A postdoctoral researcher at the NIH is a good example of a person who might be willing to speak with a graduate student who is considering a similar path. The shared context of the NIH makes the request more natural.
Expand to People in Target Roles
If you are interested in a specific role, such as a regulatory affairs specialist at a pharmaceutical company, you should look for people who hold that role. You can find them through professional organizations, LinkedIn, or the employer's website. The American Society for Microbiology provides career resources that include information about the range of roles available to microbiologists. The organization's career pages describe roles in academia, industry, government, and other settings.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics describes the work of biochemists and biophysicists in a range of settings, including research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences. The handbook also describes work in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing. If you are interested in a role in pharmaceutical manufacturing, you should look for people who work in that setting.
Consider People in Adjacent Roles
Molecular biology skills are transferable to a range of roles that are not strictly laboratory based. The National Science Foundation describes the work of its scientific staff as including research, program, and technical work. A molecular biologist who is interested in science policy might interview an NSF program director. A molecular biologist who is interested in science communication might interview a science writer or a public information officer.
The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges provides career resources for students who are considering veterinary medicine. The organization's career pages describe the range of career paths available to veterinarians, including research, clinical practice, and public health. A molecular biologist who is interested in animal health might interview a veterinarian who works in research.
How to Craft a Request That Gets a Response
The request is the first impression. A well-crafted request is specific, respectful, and easy to respond to. A poorly crafted request is vague, demanding, or confusing.
The Structure of a Good Request
A good request has four parts. The first part is a brief introduction that states who you are and why you are writing. The second part is a specific reason for contacting this particular person. The third part is a clear request for a short conversation. The fourth part is a note about your flexibility and your willingness to work around their schedule.
The introduction should be one or two sentences. You should state your name, your current role or status, and your institution. You should not provide a full biography. The reason for contacting this particular person should be specific. You should mention something that you have learned about their career, their employer, or their work. This shows that you have done your homework and that you are not sending a mass email.
The request for a conversation should be specific. You should ask for 20 to 30 minutes, and you should offer to meet in person, by phone, or by video call. You should also offer to work around their schedule. The note about flexibility is important because it shows that you respect their time.
What to Avoid in a Request
You should avoid asking for a job, a referral, or a letter of recommendation. You should avoid asking for a long conversation or a formal meeting. You should avoid asking questions that you could answer by reading the person's LinkedIn profile or the employer's website.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a description of the work of biochemists and biophysicists, but it does not provide the personal narrative of how someone chose their career. The informational interview is the way to get that narrative. The request should make it clear that you are interested in the person's experience, not in a job.
Preparing Questions That Matter
The quality of the informational interview depends on the quality of the questions you ask. The questions should be designed to elicit information that is not available in a job description or on a website.
Questions About the Person's Path
The first set of questions should be about the person's career path. You might ask how they got into their current role, what they did before, and what they would have done differently. These questions are about the person's experience, not about your own.
The NIH Office of Int and Training and Education provides career development resources for researchers. The organization's resources emphasize the importance of understanding the range of career paths available to researchers. The informational interview is a way to learn about those paths from someone who has actually taken one.
Questions about the Role
The second set of questions should be about the role itself. You might ask what a typical day looks like, what the most challenging part of the job is, and what the most rewarding part of the job is. You might also ask what skills are most important for the role and what skills the person wishes they had developed earlier.
The U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET OnLine provides a detailed description of the tasks, skills, and work contexts for occupations. The O*NET description for biochemists and biophysicists includes tasks such as analyzing laboratory results, preparing scientific papers, and supervising research staff. The informational interview can provide the context that O*NET does not provide, such as what it actually feels like to do those tasks on a daily basis.
Questions about the Workplace
The third set of questions should be about the workplace and the culture. You might ask what the person likes about their employer, what they would change, and how the culture supports or hinders their work. You might also ask about the work-life balance and the expectations for working hours.
The National Science Foundation provides a description of the work of its scientific staff. The NSF careers page describes the range of roles available, including scientific, program, and administrative work. The informational interview can provide the context that the NSF careers page does not provide, such as what it is like to work in a federal research organization.
Questions to Avoid
You should avoid asking about salary, benefits, or job openings. You should avoid asking questions that are too personal or too specific. You should avoid asking questions that you could answer by reading the person's LinkedIn profile or the company website.
The American Society for Microbiology provides career resources for professionals. The organization's career pages describe the range of roles available to microbiologists and the skills that are important for those roles. The informational interview is not the place to ask for a job or a referral.
Conducting the Interview
The informational interview is a conversation, not a presentation. The person you are interviewing is the expert on their own experience. Your role is to listen, to ask follow-up questions, and to learn.
The First Five Minutes
The first five minutes of the conversation set the tone. You should thank the person for their time, and you should briefly restate your reason for the conversation. You should not spend the first five minutes talking about yourself. You should let the person know that you are interested in their experience and that you have prepared questions.
The Middle of the Conversation
The middle of the conversation is where you ask your prepared questions. You should let the person speak most of the time. You should ask follow-up questions when you do not understand something. You should take notes, but you should not be so focused on your notes that you are not listening.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics describes the work of biochemists and biophysicists as involving laboratory research and data analysis. The informational interview is an opportunity to learn about the work from the perspective of someone who does it. The person you are interviewing is the expert on their own experience.
The Last Five Minutes
The last five minutes of the conversation are important. You should ask the person if they have any advice for someone who is considering a similar path. You should also ask if there is anyone else they would recommend you speak with. This is a natural way to expand your network.
You should also ask the person if you can stay in touch. This is not a request for a job or a referral. It is a request for a professional relationship. The person may say yes or no, and you should respect their answer.
Following Up and Building the Relationship
The follow-up is the part of the informational interview that most people skip. The follow-up is what turns a single conversation into a professional relationship.
The Thank-You Note
You should send a thank-you note within 24 hours of the conversation. The note should be short and specific. You should thank the person for their time, and you should mention one or two specific things that you learned from the conversation. The note should not be a request for a job or a referral.
The Periodic Check-In
You should maintain periodic contact with the person you interviewed. This does not mean sending a message every week. It means sending a message every few months to share an update on your progress or to share an article that you think they might find interesting. The goal is to keep the relationship alive without being a burden.
The NIH Office of Int and Training Education provides career development resources for researchers. The organization's resources emphasize the importance of mentoring and professional relationships. The informational interview is the first step in building a professional relationship that can last for years.
Common Failure Patterns
The informational interview process can fail at any stage. The most common failure patterns are described below.
The Vague Request
The most common failure is a request that is too vague. The request does not say who you are, why you are contacting this particular person, or what you want to talk about. The person receives the request and does not know how to respond. The request is deleted or ignored.
The Job Interview Mistake
The second most common failure is treating the informational interview like a job interview. The person asks for a job, a referral, or a letter of recommendation. The person is not interested in the conversation. The person is interested in a job. The conversation is awkward and unproductive.
The Monologue
The third most common failure is the monologue. The person who is being interviewed does not get a chance to speak. The person who is conducting the interview talks about their own experience, their own goals, and their own questions. The conversation is not an interview. It is a monologue.
The No Follow-Up
The fourth most common failure is the no follow-up. The person has a good conversation, but they do not send a thank-you note. They do not maintain contact. The relationship is lost.
Records and Measurements
The informational interview process is more effective when you treat it like a laboratory experiment. You should keep records of your requests, your conversations, and your follow-ups. You should measure your progress and adjust your approach.
What to Record
You should record the name of the person you contacted, the date of the request, the date of the conversation, and the key points from the conversation. You should also record the follow-up actions you took and the responses you received.
How to Measure
You should measure the response rate to your requests. You should measure the number of conversations you have had and the number of follow-ups you have sent. You should also measure the quality of the conversations. Did you learn something new? Did you get a referral to another person?
How to Adjust
You should adjust your approach based on your measurements. If your response rate is low, you should revise your request. If your conversations are not productive, you should revise your questions. If you are not following up, you should set a reminder to do so.
Limitations and Professional Escalation
The informational interview process has limitations. The process is not a guarantee of a job. The process is not a substitute for a job search. The process is not a way to get a referral or a letter of recommendation.
The process is also not a substitute for professional advice. If you are considering a major career change, you should consult with a career counselor or a mentor. The NIH Office of Int and Training Education provides career development resources for researchers. The American Society for Microbiology provides career resources for professionals. These organizations can provide additional guidance.
If you are a student, you should also consult with your academic advisor or your institution's career services office. The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges provides career resources for students who are considering veterinary medicine. The same principle applies to molecular biology. Your institution's career services office can provide guidance on the informational interview process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find people to interview for an informational interview?
Start with your existing network, including professors, laboratory colleagues, and alumni from your institution. Then expand to people who hold roles you are interested in, using professional organizations like the American Society of Microbiology and professional networking sites. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides descriptions of the work settings for biochemists and biophysicists, which can help you identify the types of employers and roles that are relevant to your interests.
How long should an informational interview last?
The request should ask for 20 to 30 minutes. The conversation should be structured so that the person you are interviewing has time to speak most of the time. You should respect the person's time and end the conversation at the agreed-upon time.
What should I do if the person does not respond to my request?
You should wait about one week and send a polite follow-up message. If the person does not respond to the follow-up, you should move on to another person. The person may be busy, or they may not be interested in participating. You should not take the lack of response personally.
What should I do if the person asks me to send them my resume?
You should send the resume if you are comfortable doing so. The person may be interested in your background, or they may be considering you for a future opportunity. You should not interpret the request as a job offer. You should continue to treat the conversation as an informational interview.
What should I do if the person offers to refer me to a job?
You should thank the person for the offer. You should also be clear that you are not asking for a referral. The person may be willing to refer you, but you should not expect it. The informational interview is about learning, not about getting a job.
How many informational interviews should I conduct?
The number of informational interviews depends on your goals. If you are exploring a new career path, you should conduct several interviews with people in different roles and settings. If you are focused on a specific role, you should conduct interviews with people who hold that role. The goal is to gather enough information to make an informed decision.
What should I do after the informational interview?
You should send a thank-you note within 24 hours. You should also maintain periodic contact with the person. The relationship is the most valuable outcome of the informational interview.
What should I do if I am not sure what to ask?
You should prepare a list of questions before the conversation. The questions should be about the person's career path, the role, and the workplace. You should also be prepared to ask follow-up questions based on the person's responses.
Using the Evidence
| Source | Best use in this topic | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Outlook Handbook | official guidance | Check the linked page for current local requirements |
| O*NET OnLine | official guidance | Check the linked page for current local requirements |
| Office of Intramural Training and Education | official guidance | Check the linked page for current local requirements |
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References and Further Reading
- Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- O*NET OnLine. U.S. Department of Labor.
- Office of Intramural Training and Education. National Institutes of Health.
- Careers at NSF. U.S. National Science Foundation.
- Career Services. American Society for Microbiology.
- AAVMC Career Resources. Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges.
- NCBI Literature Resources. National Center for Biotechnology Information.
- PubMed. National Library of Medicine.
This article is educational and does not replace institutional policy, professional advice, or applicable safety and regulatory requirements.