Talk Coffee to Me
I like my cafe-cito with a side of some good conversation whilst making a good genuine connection. Whether you want your mornings to start with a cold brew, or a hot cup of tea, or are a Celsius addict like myself, taking that time to re-charge by creating a connection with someone in your network just might be what ignites that spark for the rest of the day, week, month or possibly year.
In this article, I will be explaining not only the anatomy to conduct a successful coffee chat but also the value of coffee chats in building professional relationships and gaining insights into different industries and career paths as well as some of my own personal experiences with coffee chats.
Why is “Coffee Chats” Important?
Coffee Chats can go a long way in helping one build professional relationships and gain insights into different industries and career paths.
- Grow your network
- Fine-tuning your networking skills
- One-on-one with an industry professional
- Give you a better chance of standing out
- Building a strong, genuine long-term relationship
Personal Experiences
By nature, I am a person that plans a plan before I plan, so out of habit, I usually come into any meeting prepared with the questions I want to ask and have a hard time reeling some of the questions back to make it feel less like an interview but a conversation in which I can gain insight and provide insight with my own experiences and opinions.
During one of my most recent coffee chats, it wasn’t on a one-on-one basis but I gained some really great insight while meeting with John Emilio, Technologist at Strategio, and Ernie Hsiung, Enterprise Simulator Leader. While both John and I gained some great insight into Ernie’s background and his motivations in tech, I had the opportunity to also know much more about the background of my colleague, John, and his journey into the world of tech. Gaining so much perspective on his life and background was where I realized how my own experiences and opinions can be impactful regardless of my skill level or title.
Anatomy of a Successful Coffee Chat
Setting up a Coffee Chat
Depending on who you are trying to meet with you might have to tailor your approach but when setting up a coffee chat some important things to consider:
- Be Purposeful — initiate setting up the coffee chat with some intention or purpose for the coffee chat, something you both set to accomplish by the meeting.
- Be Specific — time is currency. It is important to understand that most people are extremely busy so their time is valuable so it is vital to set a time in which you will meet as well as
Tips
It is important to try to go into the coffee chat with the intention of making a genuine connection, and it is good to have a couple of questions prepared however more importantly make sure you are actively listening and contributing to a positive conversation. Try to connect on a personal basis and make note of a key takeaway from the meeting.
Some of my favorite general questions to ask during coffee chats:
- What originally got you into tech (or any other industry)?
- What is something you wish you could tell the younger version of yourself?
- What are some of your hobbies outside of work?
- What projects excite you?
- What is the best advice you have received?
- Do you currently have any mentors and how did you go about picking them?
- What has been your proudest moment so far (Work related or otherwise)?
- What do you feel brings you your biggest/main source of fulfillment?
It is important to note that any questions you ask, be prepared for the question to be turned back on you so have those answers prepared as well.
When concluding the conversation, don't forget to Thank them for carving some time in their schedule to speak with you, and if based on your conversation they have anyone they recommend you also speak with that can help highlight some more insight on a specific topic and pay it forward by connecting them with someone else in your network.
“The more we give away, the more is given to us.” — Wayne W Dyer
The Follow Up
A nice personal touch after a Coffee Chat would be to send a kind note thanking them again as well as any details on restaurants, books, articles, and music that were discussed during your conversation.
(e.g. “Here’s the name of the Book I was talking about in case you’re interested in reading! Let me know what you think if you do end up reading it”)
Thank you for reading this article! Connect with me on LinkedIn if you would like to set up a Coffee Chat with me in the future!
