Coffee Chat Do’s
Have a cc with someone on Saturday morning. How do I impress them? What’s been the things people did that made it the most memorable/best cc you ever had?
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The best coffee chat I had combined three things:
(1) Firstly, attitude. In particular in your case the banker is giving up their Saturday morning. So come organised, be on time, polite (if they offer to buy then just let them; nothing weirder than someone with far less earning power trying to elbow me away from buying a coffee) and humble. And by organised, I mean try to have done a little research and a list of questions (say, if they worked in different teams, or geographies, etc., have questions on that). This brings me to...
(2) Have good and specifc questions. I know that's like saying you can be a great chef by cooking delicious food. Don't ask generic questions ("What is the culture like?"). Ask about specific deals they've worked on, what made them choose XYZ (the bank, the team, the decision to stay at the bank versus move elsewhere), etc. There are questions you might like to ask such as "Do you have any advice for me?" (not necessarily that but you know what I mean). It is helpful to provide context about yourself (if your Dad was a shelf-stacker at a supermarket, you might have a less informed and nuanced understanding of the industry than if your Dad is an MD at JPM)
(3) Don't let the conversation get awkward. Easier said than done, but remember that they (probably) aren't interested in you. They don't have a list of questions, and if there's an awkward silence they're expecting you to fill that (with another question, etc.)
Good luck with your coffee!
"How do I impress them?"
I'd say the most I've learned about making a good impression on someone is asking the right questions and letting them talk about what they love. If you can get a person talking, they generally will like you. Be an active listener, exhibit good body language and don't order any fruity drinks.
if you ask a question and they answer the question don't go right into another question
also don't overthink it, they go home and take a shit just like you
Not always. Some people carry bags for their shit (1 in 500).
also, OP asked for only Do's not Don'ts..........
I am a prospect/incoming SA, so take with a grain of salt.
1) I like to say that it’s important to be a “normal human being”. I think good coffee chats shouldn’t feel like Q&A or any formal networking. It’s good to hit some career related topics and add fun questions like time in college, sports, hobbies, etc.
2) I always try to smile and have an “excited voice”, i.e. sound like you are thankful to have the opportunity to talk to a professional vs. sounding tired and irritated to wake up early Saturday morning.
3) Every next conversation is easier than the previous one. Keep the relationship going by giving updates every couple months and asking to meet in person if you can every half a year / year. People who spoke to you for a while will naturally go to bat for you more than someone who was just a one-time, 30 min conversation.
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