Cold Call vs. Informational Interview
I am starting an effort to contact some alumni working at boutique banks in my area. My main objective: to interview for SA positions.
But, when planning this effort, I feel that I am stuck in an area of ambiguity between cold-calling and seeking informational interviews. My strategy is to ask for 15 minutes on the phone, ask some background & informational questions, then approach the subject of "Has your firm previously hired interns?" and "How could I best position myself to interview for your firm?".
Is this a respectable approach to landing an interview? Is this a cold call or informational interview? I always perceived informational interviews as an unconditional form of networking and just a means to establish a connection for future possibilities. That is why I ask.