Informational Interviews & Networking Events

What is an Informational Interview?

NOT a Job Interview:

You're gathering information, not asking for a job
Casual 15-30 minute conversation
You ask questions, they share experiences
No pressure on either side

Goals:

Learn about career paths and roles
Understand company culture
Get portfolio/resume feedback
Build genuine relationships
(Eventually) Get referrals

Preparing for Informational Interviews

Research First:

Read their LinkedIn profile thoroughly
Review their company's ML work (blog, papers)
Check recent projects they've worked on
Know what you want to learn

Prepare 5-7 Questions:

Career Path Questions:

"How did you transition into ML from [previous role]?"
"What does a typical day look like as an ML engineer at [Company]?"
"What skills have been most valuable in your ML career?"

Company-Specific Questions:

"What kind of ML problems does [Company] work on?"
"How large are the ML teams? What's the team structure?"
"What's the balance between research and production engineering?"

Actionable Advice Questions:

"What would you look for in a junior MLE's portfolio?"
"Are there any skills you wish you'd learned earlier?"
"What resources helped you most when learning [specific skill]?"

Questions to AVOID:

✗ "Can you get me a job?" (too direct)
✗ "How much do you make?" (inappropriate)
✗ "What's the interview process?" (Google it first)
✗ Generic questions they've answered 100 times

During the Interview

First 2 Minutes:

"Thank you for taking time to chat! I'm [Name], currently
building ML projects and transitioning into ML engineering.

I've been really impressed by [Company]'s work on [specific
project] and wanted to learn about your experience there.

I have about 5 questions prepared, but feel free to go off
on tangents - I'm here to learn from your experience!"

Active Listening:

Take notes (ask permission first)
Ask follow-up questions
Share relevant experiences briefly
Don't dominate the conversation (70% them, 30% you)

Closing (Last 3 Minutes):

"This has been incredibly helpful. A few quick things:

1. Could I send you my portfolio for feedback?
2. Are there other people on the ML team you'd recommend I talk to?
3. Is it okay if I keep you updated on my progress?

Thank you again for your time!"

After the Interview

Within 24 Hours: Send thank-you message:

Hi [Name],

Thank you for the informational interview yesterday! Your
advice about [specific point] was really valuable - I'm
already [action you're taking based on their advice].

I especially appreciated learning about [interesting topic
you discussed]. It helped me understand [specific insight].

I'll keep you posted on my progress. Thanks again!

Best,
[Your Name]

1-2 Weeks Later: Send update:

Hi [Name],

Quick update: I implemented your suggestion about [specific
advice] in my project - here's the result: [link/screenshot].

Also wanted to share this paper on [relevant topic] I thought
you might find interesting: [link]

Thanks again for your help!

When You Get a Job:

Hi [Name],

Wanted to share some exciting news - I just accepted an ML
Engineer role at [Company]!

Your advice about [specific thing] during our chat was
instrumental in helping me get here. Thank you for taking
the time to help me.

I'd love to stay in touch and return the favor someday.

Finding Networking Events

Online Events (Easiest to Start):

MLOps Community meetups
Weights & Biases webinars
HuggingFace community events
PyData virtual meetups
Company tech talks (public)

In-Person Events:

Local ML/AI meetups (meetup.com)
University AI clubs
Kaggle meetups
Tech conferences (NeurIPS, ICML - expensive but valuable)
Company career fairs

How to Find Events:

1. eventbrite.com → "machine learning [your city]"
2. meetup.com → "AI" or "Data Science"
3. LinkedIn Events → Filter by "Technology"
4. luma.com → ML/AI events
5. Follow ML influencers who share event announcements

Networking at Events

Before Event:

Review attendee list (if available)
Identify 2-3 people to talk to
Prepare 30-second intro

Your 30-Second Intro:

"Hi, I'm [Name]. I'm building ML projects and transitioning
into ML engineering. Recently deployed an LLM chatbot on
HuggingFace Spaces.

What brings you to this event?"

During Event:

Arrive early (easier to start conversations)
Ask open-ended questions
Listen more than you talk
Get LinkedIn/email, not just business card

Conversation Starters:

"What brought you to this event?"
"What are you working on right now?"
"Have you been to these meetups before?"
"What did you think of [speaker]'s talk?"

Red Flags to Avoid:

Don't immediately ask for job referrals
Don't monopolize someone's time
Don't hand out resumes (too aggressive)
Don't interrupt presentations to network

Following Up After Events

Within 48 Hours:

Hi [Name],

Great meeting you at the [Event Name] last night! Really
enjoyed our conversation about [specific topic].

I'd love to continue the conversation - are you open to
a quick coffee chat or video call?

[Include link to your LinkedIn/portfolio]

Best,
[Your Name]

If They Mentioned a Resource:

Hi [Name],

Thanks for recommending [book/course/tool] at the meetup
yesterday. I just started it and already finding it helpful!

Would you be interested in discussing [related topic] over
coffee sometime?

Converting Network to Opportunities

Timing Matters: Don't ask for referrals immediately. Build relationship first.

After 3+ Touchpoints:

Hi [Name],

Hope you're doing well! I saw [Company] just posted an ML
Engineer role (Req #12345) that aligns perfectly with what
we discussed.

Given your insights about the team, I'm very interested in
applying. Would you be comfortable providing a referral, or
could you introduce me to the hiring manager?

I'd be happy to send over my resume and portfolio.

Thanks for considering!

Making It Easy for Them:

Provide your resume in their preferred format
Include 2-3 sentence summary they can forward
Mention specific projects relevant to the role
Don't pressure - make it a soft ask

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Quiz