Networking and Finding Mentors · Lesson 6 of 8 · 12 min

Informational conversations and coffee chats

A coffee chat (also called an informational conversation or interview) is a short conversation where you learn about someone's job and path. The CVs and Interviews module introduces the idea; this lesson shows you how to run one well from start to finish.

What it is for

Fordham University's Career Center describes coffee chats as 10 to 30 minute conversations that are not interviews; they help you learn how a field and hiring really work.
You are asking for advice and information, not a job. The Graduate Recruitment Bureau lists asking for too much immediately as a common mistake.
Coffee chats can happen over video or phone, and many do. Despite the name, nobody has to drink coffee.

Asking for one

Ask for 20 to 30 minutes (UCSF) or 15 to 20 minutes (Graduate Recruitment Bureau), and suggest a time 'in the next few weeks'.
Offer flexibility: phone, video or in person (UCSF, Graduate Recruitment Bureau).
Personalise it: mention how you found them or who suggested you contact them (UCSF), and any shared link such as your school or university (Graduate Recruitment Bureau).
Example: 'I'm a first-year economics student at [university] and saw that you also studied here before joining [organisation]. Would you be open to a 20-minute video call in the next few weeks about how you got into sustainable finance?'
If you are under 18, let a parent or guardian know, and choose video or a public place.

Preparing

Read their public profile and their organisation's website so you do not ask questions the website already answers (Graduate Recruitment Bureau).
Fordham suggests preparing a two-sentence story about yourself and researching one recent development at their organisation.
Decide what you most want to find out (UCL Careers) and write a short list of questions, but treat it as a guide, not a script.
Once they agree, confirm the time and platform (Graduate Recruitment Bureau).

During the conversation: questions that work

How did you get into this work, and what surprised you about it? (Graduate Recruitment Bureau)
What does a typical day look like, and what are the most and least enjoyable parts? (UCL Careers)
Which skills do you use most, and what should I explore before applying? (Graduate Recruitment Bureau)
Are there professional bodies, journals or recruitment agencies I should look into? (UCL Careers)
Watch the time and do not overrun unless invited. End by thanking them and mentioning one or two useful points (Graduate Recruitment Bureau).

After: thank, act, update

Send a thank-you within a day or two that mentions a specific takeaway (UCSF, Graduate Recruitment Bureau). Fordham suggests within 24 hours and saying how you will act on it.
Act on their advice: read what they recommended or contact the person they suggested.
Send a short update later. UCSF's sample follow-up comes 2 to 3 months after the chat, explaining what you did with their advice.
If they offered an introduction, ask how they would suggest you make contact. Do not ask them to forward your CV widely (Graduate Recruitment Bureau).

Practise in real life

Tick each one off when you have done it.

Choose one person (a family friend, teacher's contact or older student) whose path interests you and draft a coffee chat request using the example.
Write six questions for that conversation, then cross out any that the organisation's website already answers.
Draft a thank-you message template with a space for 'one thing I learned' and 'what I will do next'.

Remember

A coffee chat is a short conversation for advice, not a job interview.
Ask for 15 to 30 minutes, be flexible on format and personalise your request.
Prepare by researching them, but let the conversation flow.
Thank them within a day or two, act on their advice, and update them later.

Note: Sources suggest slightly different lengths (15 to 20 minutes, 20 to 30 minutes, 10 to 30 minutes) and thank-you timings (within 24 hours, or 1 to 2 days). Any of these is reasonable; the key is to be brief and prompt.

Check yourself

1. How long are coffee chats usually, according to Fordham's Career Center?

2. When does UCSF suggest sending a thank-you note after an informational conversation?

3. Which is a common mistake listed by the Graduate Recruitment Bureau?

4. What does UCSF's sample follow-up note, sent 2 to 3 months later, do?

5. If someone mentions a colleague you could talk to, what does the Graduate Recruitment Bureau suggest?