How to Share Availability for a Networking or Informational Interview

By Rohan · Last updated: March 2026

You sent the outreach message. The person said yes — they're willing to do an informational interview or networking call. Now you need to propose times, and you want to get it right because this person is doing you a favor.

The scheduling step is where a lot of networking conversations stall. You say "let me know when works," they say "how about next week sometime," and the thread slowly dies over three vague emails. Or worse, you send a Calendly link to a VP at a company you're trying to get into, and it comes across like you're the one running the interview.

Here's how to share your availability for informational interviews and networking calls in a way that's professional, specific, and respectful of the other person's time.

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The Rules for Networking Scheduling

Informational interviews and networking calls have different dynamics than regular meetings. You're usually the one asking for someone's time, which means the scheduling etiquette tilts in their direction:

You propose times, they choose. Always be the one to offer specific options rather than putting the burden on them with "when are you free?"

Offer more options than usual. For a regular meeting, 3-4 slots is fine. For networking, offer 4-6 across at least a full week. The person you're reaching out to is busy and is fitting you in around their real schedule.

Be explicit about duration. Twenty to thirty minutes is the standard for informational interviews. Saying "a quick 20-minute call" makes it easier to say yes than an open-ended meeting request.

Be flexible on format. Offer phone, video, or in-person options. Let them pick what's easiest.

Never send a booking link. This is especially important for networking. A booking link implies you're important enough that people need to schedule through your system. For an informational interview, that's the opposite of the dynamic.

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Templates for Sharing Availability

After They Agree to an Informational Interview

Thank you so much for being open to chatting — I really appreciate it.

I'd love to do a quick 20-30 minute call at your convenience. Here are some times that work on my end (EST):

Mon (3/24): 10-11am, 3-4pm
Tue (3/25): 9-10am
Wed (3/26): 1-2pm, 4-5pm
Thu (3/27): 10-11am

Happy to work around your schedule if a different time is better. I'm flexible on format too — phone, Zoom, or coffee in person if you're in [city].

Looking forward to it!

For a Networking Call with Someone in Your Industry

Would love to connect for a quick call if you have 20 minutes sometime. I've been [relevant context — transitioning into your field, working on something similar, etc.] and would love to hear your perspective on [specific topic].

Here are a few times I'm free this week and next (PST):

Wed (3/26): 11am-12pm
Thu (3/27): 2-3pm
Fri (3/28): 10-11am
Mon (3/31): 9-10am

Totally flexible if none of those work. Thanks again for considering it!

For a Student Reaching Out to an Alum

Hi [Name],

I'm a [year] at [university] studying [major], and I found your profile through [alumni network / LinkedIn / professor recommendation]. I'd love to hear about your experience at [company] and any advice you might have for someone going into [field].

If you're open to a quick 20-minute call, here are some times that work for me (CST):

Tue (3/25): 11am-12pm, 3-4pm
Wed (3/26): 10-11am
Thu (3/27): 2-3pm, 4-5pm

I'm happy to work around your schedule. Phone, Zoom, or coffee all work for me.

Thank you so much for your time!

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How to Generate Your Availability Quickly

When you're actively networking — reaching out to multiple people in the same week — manually checking your calendar for each message gets tedious and error-prone.

ShareAvailability connects to your Google Calendar with read-only access and generates a plain-text list of your free times. You paste it into your outreach message and customize the surrounding text for each person.

This is particularly useful for students and job seekers who might be scheduling 5-10 informational interviews in the same week. Instead of scanning your calendar and typing times for each email, you generate the list once and reuse it across messages.

The tool checks all your Google Calendars simultaneously, which is important if you have separate calendars for classes, work, personal events, and other commitments.

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Formatting Tips for Networking Availability

One slot per line. A vertical list is easier to scan than a paragraph. The person you're networking with is likely reading your email on their phone between meetings.

Day and date together. "Next Tuesday" becomes ambiguous if the email sits in their inbox for a few days. "Tue (3/25)" stays clear no matter when they read it.

Include am/pm explicitly. Don't assume they'll know you mean morning or afternoon. "2-3" is ambiguous. "2-3pm" is not.

State the timezone in a header. Put it before the list: "Here are some times that work (EST):" This prevents the most common scheduling misunderstanding in networking, especially when reaching out to people in other cities.

Close with flexibility. Always end with a line like "happy to work around your schedule" or "flexible if none of those work." This shows respect for their time and makes it easy for them to suggest alternatives without feeling like they're being difficult.

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What to Do After They Pick a Time

Once a time is confirmed, move fast:

Send a calendar invite within a few hours. Include the video link (Zoom, Google Meet) or the location for in-person meetings. Don't make them ask for the link.

Include a brief agenda. One or two sentences about what you'd like to discuss. This helps them prepare and shows you're not going to waste their time. For example: "I'd love to hear about your transition from [previous role] to [current role] and any advice for someone considering a similar path."

Confirm the day before. A brief "Looking forward to our chat tomorrow at 2pm!" message reduces no-shows and shows professionalism.

Send a thank-you within 24 hours. After the call, send a short email thanking them for their time and referencing something specific from the conversation. This is where networking turns into a real relationship.

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Common Mistakes in Networking Scheduling

Saying "let me know when works." This sounds polite but actually creates work for the other person. They have to check their calendar, propose times, and wait for confirmation. You're the one asking for their time — make it easy by proposing specific options.

Offering only one time. "Does Thursday at 3pm work?" has a high chance of rejection, which means another round of emails. Four to six options across multiple days almost always produces a match on the first try.

Being too vague about duration. "I'd love to chat sometime" doesn't tell them how much time you're asking for. "A quick 20-minute call" is specific and low-commitment.

Sending a Calendly or booking link. For informational interviews and networking, a booking link flips the dynamic. You're asking for their time — don't make them navigate your scheduling tool to give it to you.

Letting the thread die. If they agreed to meet but scheduling stalls, follow up once after 5-7 days with updated availability. One follow-up is fine. Two is pushy. After that, let it go.

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The Bottom Line

When someone agrees to a networking call or informational interview, lock down the time quickly with 4-6 specific options, a clear timezone, and a warm tone. Keep it to 20-30 minutes, offer format flexibility, and never send a booking link.

If you're scheduling multiple networking calls, ShareAvailability can generate your free times from Google Calendar in seconds so you can focus on writing personalized outreach instead of scanning your schedule.

The people who are best at networking aren't the ones with the most connections — they're the ones who make it easy to say yes.