As a college student, everyone tells you to network. Networking, however, has become a bit of a buzzword. We know we should do it, but not really sure how to start. That’s where coffee chats come in.
Coffee chats are a great tool to start building your network and professional communication skills. Essentially, a coffee chat is a short, casual meeting, traditionally done over a cup of coffee but now more frequently completed over the phone.Â
I was terrified of networking because I thought it was a formal or bothersome process. My fear started to dissipate, however, when I realized that a coffee chat is just a conversation. Typically, the goal for this conversation is to learn more about the person you are speaking to professionally or their industry, but your goal can vary from chat to chat.Â
Before your coffee chat
Start with a message
Choosing a professional to reach out to doesn’t have to be scary! Start with an alum or someone you know, like your distant relative or friend’s parent, who has a cool job that you’re interested in.
Keep the message professional and polite. I have found that it works best to offer a time and date and provide other times that you are available in the original message.
Of course, you should still frame your message as a request and be grateful for the time they are giving to you. In your message, include what you want to discuss, whether it’s their professional journey or career advice.
Have your resume ready
Oftentimes, the professional that you’re chatting with will offer to look over your resume, so it’s good to have your resume handy. They can help you polish your language and highlight skills that they look for when hiring or find useful in their own application process, or pass it on to hiring managers.
Prepare questions
Showing up to a coffee chat unprepared is not a good look! Before the call, scan the professional’s LinkedIn and generate questions from their experiences and your commonalities. Handshake has a good list of sample questions that you can personalize to fit your goal for the chat.
During your conversation
Break the ice
The ARE method by Dr. Claire Fleming is a small talk method to break the ice. During the conversation, you should anchor by saying something generic about your shared reality, reveal something about yourself, share from your shared reality, and then engage by asking a related question. Weather, for example, is a good way to ask where they are from or if they have snow, rain, etc.
Go with the flow
Typically, the more experience the person has, the more they will lead the conversation. Nevertheless, you should go with the flow of the conversation. Luckily, you have prepared a list of questions to ask during a lull!
Really show interest in what they are saying and make connections to your own experiences. It’s important to find a commonality to build a future rapport!
After the call ends
Send a thank you
A quick thank you message within two days after the call goes a long way and is an important part of building a respectful relationship.
Follow up periodically
This does not need to be excessive, but part of building a network is staying in touch. You can comment on their LinkedIn posts or send articles or updates on something you talked about. Remember: Your network is built from relationships!
Networking doesn’t have to be scary! It all starts with a conversation. If you prepare for the conversation, be polite and friendly, and stay connected, you are on your way to building a strong professional network!