Coffee Chats
Getting someone to agree to a short call is a good start, but the call still needs a little preparation. If you show up with vague questions and no clear purpose, the conversation may be pleasant but not very useful.
A good coffee chat is simple: respect the person's time, ask thoughtful questions, learn something real about the team, and close with a sensible next step. Sometimes that next step is a referral. Sometimes it is another person to talk to. Sometimes it is just better information. All three can help your search.
The Three Purposes of an Informational Interview
An informational interview has three practical purposes.
First, you want to understand the team better than a job description can tell you. Second, you want the other person to see that you are serious and prepared. Third, if there is a real fit, you may want to ask about the best way to be considered.
Do not treat the call as a hidden way to get a referral. People can feel that. At the same time, do not pretend there is no job-search purpose at all. The honest middle is best: you are exploring the company, you value their perspective, and you would like guidance on the right next step if the conversation goes well.
Preparation is what makes the call useful. Ten minutes of research before the conversation helps you ask better questions and avoid spending the call on things you could have found yourself.
Here is the full arc of an informational interview, from prep to next step.
The middle of the call is where you learn about the team, but the two ends carry most of the value: arriving prepared earns the person's attention, and closing with a clear next step turns a pleasant chat into progress on your search.
Running the Call
Prepare for ten minutes before the call
Read the person's LinkedIn profile, skim the company's engineering blog if they have one, and review the role or team you are interested in. Look for two or three specific things to ask about, such as a project their team shipped, a technology they use, or how the team is structured.
Show up on time and ready
Test your audio, have your questions written down, and keep your resume nearby in case they ask about your background. You do not need to sound rehearsed, but you should be ready.
Open by respecting their time
Thank them for making time and confirm the length of the call. A simple opening works: "Thanks for taking the time. I know we planned for 15 minutes, so I'll be mindful of that."
Ask your prepared questions
Start with specific questions that show you did basic research. Then listen. This should feel like a conversation, not an interview script.
Give a short version of your background when it fits
They may ask what you are working on or what kind of role you want. Have a two-sentence answer ready so they understand your background without getting a long career history.
End with a clear next step
In the last couple of minutes, ask a next-step question that fits the conversation. You might ask whether the team is hiring, who else you should speak with, or whether they would be comfortable referring you for a specific role.
Send a thank-you within a day
Send a short note within a day. Mention one specific thing from the conversation and thank them for their time. If they offered to refer you, include the role link, your resume, and a short summary.
The Questions Worth Asking
Good questions help you understand the role and show that you came prepared. Vague questions make the other person do too much work.
Five questions worth asking:
- "What does a typical week look like on your team right now?" This gets closer to the real work than the job description.
- "What is the hardest technical problem the team is working on?" This shows interest in the engineering and gives you useful context.
- "How did you decide to join, and has it matched what you expected?" This can surface honest information about the team and company.
- "What would make someone successful on this team in their first six months?" This tells you what the team actually values.
- "Is the team hiring, and if so, what is the best way for someone with my background to be considered?" Ask this near the end, after you have had a real conversation.
Five questions that waste the call:
- "What does your company do?" You should know the basics before the call.
- "What is the salary range?" This usually belongs with a recruiter or hiring manager, not an engineer on an informal call.
- "Can you refer me?" as your opening. It is too abrupt before any real conversation has happened.
- "What is it like working in tech?" This is too broad to answer well.
- "Do you have any tips for my job search?" This is too broad. Ask a specific question instead.
Ending the Call Well
The last two minutes matter. Do not let the call end with only "this was great, thanks." Ask for a specific next step that matches how the conversation went.
If the call went well and the team is hiring, ask directly but politely:
If the team is not hiring, or you are not sure a referral ask fits, choose a softer next step:
Both options keep the door open without pushing too hard.
Then send a thank-you within a day and make it specific.
Post-call thank-you template:
Why this works: It references a specific moment from the call, confirms the next step, and gives them what they need if they offered to refer you. It is specific without being pushy.
Common Coffee Chat Mistakes
A coffee chat can end pleasant and still leave you with nothing useful, usually because of one of these six errors.
- Showing up without preparation. Generic questions lead to generic answers. Ten minutes of research makes the call better.
- Treating it as only small talk. It can be friendly and still have a purpose. Bring questions and close with a next step.
- Opening with the referral ask. Ask for context first. If a referral makes sense, bring it up near the end.
- Asking questions you could have looked up yourself. "What does the company do?" signals that you did not prepare.
- Running long. If you asked for 15 minutes, respect that. Ask before going over.
- Skipping the thank-you. A specific thank-you note is professional and helps the next step happen.