What an informational interview actually is
An informational interview is a genuine, low-pressure conversation with someone in a role, company, or industry you are curious about, aimed purely at learning, not at directly asking for a job. Approached well, it builds real relationships and understanding that can indirectly open doors later, but only if it does not feel like a disguised job pitch.
How to request one respectfully
Reach out with a brief, specific, genuine reason for wanting to talk to this particular person, and explicitly acknowledge you are asking for a short amount of their time purely for insight, not a job. Suggest a specific, brief time commitment (fifteen to twenty minutes) to make the ask easy to say yes to.
What to actually ask
Ask genuine, specific questions about their actual day-to-day work, what they find most challenging or rewarding, and how they would advise someone trying to move into a similar path, rather than generic questions easily answered by a company website. Listen more than you talk, and let genuine curiosity guide the conversation.