Most remote jobs are filled from a pile of strangers' applications. A few are filled differently: someone on the team already knows a person who would be great, and the hiring manager hears their name before the post goes live. You can be that person more often than you think, and the informational interview is how.
What it is
An informational interview is a short conversation, usually 20 minutes on a video call, with someone doing a job or working at a company you are interested in. You ask about their work. You do not ask for a job.
That last part matters. People say yes to "can I learn from you?" far more often than to "can you refer me?", and the conversation goes better when neither of you is under pressure.
Why it works so well for remote work
- Distance stops mattering. A call from Kigali to Lisbon costs nothing.
- You learn what job posts do not say. How the team really works, which hours matter, what the hiring process looks like and what they wish candidates knew.
- You become a name, not a CV. When a role opens, people remember the thoughtful person who asked good questions.
Who to ask
Look for people one or two steps ahead of you, not executives:
- People in the role you want, at companies that hire remotely across Africa. Company pages on Tamborin list who is hiring.
- Professionals from your country who already work remotely for foreign companies.
- Alumni from your university or bootcamp.
The message to send
Keep it short, specific and easy to say yes to:
Hi Thandi, I'm a support specialist in Accra moving into customer success. I saw you made the same move at Harbour two years ago. Would you be open to a 20-minute call in the next couple of weeks? I'd love to hear what helped most. Happy to work around your timezone.
It says who you are, why them, what you want and how long it takes. If there is no reply after a week, send one polite follow-up. Then let it go.
Questions worth asking
- What does a normal week look like in your role?
- How does your team handle working across timezones?
- What do strong candidates do differently in the hiring process?
- What do you wish you had known before you started working remotely?
- Is there anyone else you think I should talk to?
The last question is the most valuable. One good conversation often leads to two more.
After the call
Send a thank-you message the same day mentioning one specific thing you learned. If you act on their advice, tell them a few weeks later. That second message is what turns a contact into someone who will think of you when a role opens.
Do not ask for a referral in the first conversation. If a suitable role comes up later, it is fine to ask whether they would be comfortable passing your name on, and to accept a no gracefully.
Make it a habit
One or two conversations a week, kept up for a couple of months, builds a network across the companies you most want to work for. It is slower than sending fifty applications, and it works far better.