Dani Dearest » in an attempt to be creatively fulfilled

Preparing For an Informational Interview

Honestly, it feels a little bit weird to be talking about career advice and advancement in the middle of a pandemic. With so much uncertainty in the world today it can be difficult to find ways that you can work toward your future and work to advance your career.
That's why today I'm excited to be talking about something that you can do right now, from home to advance your career: informational interviews.
The best part about informational interviews is that they can be done virtually via phone or video call, and still serve as a great networking tool and a great way to learn about career paths and get your foot in the door.
Today's job market is more competitive than ever, and it's time to get creative on how to break in and stand out. Especially for the class of 2020, I hope this guide helps you take a step closer to your dream job!
This is part 2 of a 3 part series. You can read part 1 "Why & How to Set Up an Informational Interview" here and part 3 on June 1st!

Last week we talked about what an informational interview is, the benefits of doing them, and how to reach out to set one up (Missed that one? Read it here!). So, now that your informational interview is set up… now what? It’s time to prepare!

When you go into your informational interview you want to present yourself as intelligent, put together, professional, and most of all prepared. This may seem like a lot at first, and your first interview may take some time to prepare for, but I promise you it will quickly become second nature and you’ll be able to knock out preparing for an informational interview in a snap!

Here are the steps you can take for preparing for an informational interview.

How to Set Up an Informational Interview (& Why They’re Beneficial!)

Honestly, it feels a little bit weird to be talking about career advice and advancement in the middle of a pandemic. With so much uncertainty in the world today it can be difficult to find ways that you can work toward your future and work to advance your career.
That's why today I'm excited to be talking about something that you can do right now, from home to advance your career: informational interviews.
The best part about informational interviews is that they can be done virtually via phone or video call, and still serve as a great networking tool and a great way to learn about career paths and get your foot in the door.
Today's job market is more competitive than ever, and it's time to get creative on how to break in and stand out. Especially for the class of 2020, I hope this guide helps you take a step closer to your dream job!
This is part 1 of a 3 part series, posted each Monday morning. Read part 2 "Preparing for an Informational Interview" here, and get ready for part 3 on June 1st!

Starting your career as a young professional can come with some daunting roadblocks.

Dreaming of breaking into a competitive industry or company? Unsure what path you want your career to focus on? Struggling to figure out how to grow your network?

The solution to all of these problems is simple: Informational interviews.

An informational interview is sort of the reverse of your typical interview. In an informational interview (often just called an “informational”) a person looking to someday be considered for a specific job (you!) requests an informal meeting with someone who has that job. During this interview the roles are switched and you will become the interviewer, while the person who has the job that you admire is the interviewee.

Informational interviews have a ton of amazing benefits to them, and they’re even how I figured out my career path and got my current job in a competitive industry! Read More!

My Work From Home Routine

As of today I have been working from home for 1 month due to COVID-19. Before this, I had worked from home here and there, but never for an extended period of time like this. I also am not leaving the house for any reason aside from taking the dog for a walk, as a precaution due to my chronic illnesses.

Being at home for this extended period of time as proven both easy and difficult at the same time. Through ups and downs of anxiety, calm, productivity, and laziness I have learned what I need to do to stay sane, healthy, and productive during this time.

If you know anything about me this will not come as a surprise at all…

I made a routine.

My work from home routine has helped me feel some sense of normalcy during this crazy time, while keeping me productive without feeling overwhelmed.

Here’s what my work from home routine looks like right now!
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2020: Establish.

My word for this year is establish.

I’ve never been a big new year’s resolution or “word” person… but my workplace started doing an exercise challenging each employee to choose their word/mantra to describe their year, and after choosing mine it really spoke to me. So I wanted to share it with you.

Establish (verb) – to set up on a firm or permanent basis

What We Carry in Our Work Bags

This post contains affiliate links, which help to keep Dani Dearest running. Learn more about these links here!

As you start your career it can be a little intimidating to know what you should bring with you to work since your needs can change depending on your work environment and career path. Since Anthony and I work two very different jobs, today I’m bringing you a look into what we carry in our work bags – for two very different environments and career paths!

Mine: I work in an office – a classic 9-5, cubicle, spending 99% of my day behind a computer or in back to back meetings.

His: Anthony’s job is skilled labor, primarily in theatrical/theme park lighting/stage/technical work.

Since our day-to-day work is so drastically different, is what we carry with us on the job!

Take a look at what we carry in our work bags. Read More!

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