It was the summer after my senior year in high school and I was sitting down to chat with some of the top leaders at NBC Universal.  I started to get a little nervous.  What was I going to say?  Lucky for me, I had just spent a week at Eagle U learning exactly how to interview for information.

Back in high school, I was interested in becoming a journalist or news anchor, and I wanted to soak up the genius from people who were already out there doing it!   I didn’t want these people to give me a job or internship; I just wanted them to talk to me about their career.  What I really needed to figure out was what to say when I got in the room so I could really get to know their story.

At Eagle U that summer, I remember learning the key to interviewing for information:

BE INTERESTED, NOT INTERESTING. 

In order to show our interest in someone, we need to show that we’ve done our homework.  Before you sit down with someone to ask about their journey look up their LinkedIN profile, check out their bio online, or even ask someone who might know them for background information.

Most importantly, when you get the chance to actually sit down and interview with this person, make sure you keep the focus on their journey.  Be genuinely interested in their story and do not try to impress them with your personal successes.  The purpose of interviewing for information is to COPY GENIUS not to land an internship.

The more often you repeat this exercise with people who are successfully doing what it is you want (or might want) to do, the greater leap you will take towards your own successful future!

ACTION ITEM:

Who are 2 people you want to interview for information?  Research their background online and come up with 3 questions you would want to ask each of them.