By Kristen Carter
Contributor, Career Services
One of the new networking strategies that you may have heard buzz about is informational interviews. This term was developed by Richard Nelson Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?, and its purpose is to gather information on a particular industry and/or specific company you may wish to work at one day. Think of it as an information gathering session, not an opportunity to ask for a job. This is an excellent strategy for a potential job seeker or career switcher to employ; however, it does require substantial initiative and persistence as you must convince these professionals why they should meet with you.