Consulting Coffee Chat: Part 1
Part 1: Contextual Awareness and Mindset
Calling something a “coffee chat” makes a conversation seem a lot more innocuous than it really is when the person you’re talking to is actually someone you really want to impress. When you’re in a jobseeker position, it can be easy to feel desperate and become highly self-aware of how you’re being judged. You want to ask questions, but you also want to appear like you’ve done your research. You might want to clarify a concept or a term you’re not familiar with, but you also want to come across as intelligent. And really, what are the questions you should be asking anyway? It always seems like a hopeless case of “I don’t know what I don’t know.” Often, in retrospect, I realize I wasn’t equipped to read between the lines that someone fed me because I had no context to interpret those lines. Classic “curse of knowledge” moment: the “curse of knowledge” is a cognitive bias. It describes when individuals who are knowledgeable about a particular subject or concept have difficulty understanding or empathizing with others who lack that same knowledge. This bias can lead to assumptions that others possess the same level of understanding or awareness, resulting in ineffective communication and difficulties in teaching or conveying information to those with less knowledge on the topic.
Not to mention, I don’t actually even want coffee. (Though thankfully, most conversations aren’t done in person any more, so the “do I have to get an actual coffee” part of this awkwardness is mostly moot.)
There are three key contexts to be aware of during an informational interview. These are understanding that the person you're speaking to is willing to help, assuming a certain level of shared knowledge in the industry, and recognizing the larger job searching context. By understanding that these three contexts are at play in the background of an informational interview, you can better shape your approach and preparation for increased success and confidence.
1. An informational interview is a networking opportunity that is in your favor because whoever you’re speaking to has self-indicated interest in helping you by responding in the first place!
It's crucial to recognize that the person you're speaking with has willingly agreed to help and share their insights with you. Great news: they said yes! This should alleviate some of the pressure and desperation you might be (very naturally) feeling by virtue of being in the job seeker position. Side note: my job search motto used to be, “Beggars can’t be choosers!” Let me be perfectly clear: that’s a terrible mindset, and that phrase resonates, keep working to get rid of it ASAP!
What’s the big deal that someone agreed to speak with you for 20-30 minutes? Well, why do you think they said yes? Sure, there’s a sliver of a chance they’re not busy at all and usually just twiddle their thumbs all day. As if! Would you rather talk with a stranger about your work experience or take a nap? The fact that some stranger agreed to “share their experience and/or insights” with you is a great sign that they’re inherently willing - nay, dare I suggest - eager to help. It really is surprising how altruistic folks can be about helping other job seekers. One thing is sure though: we’ve all been there - and human empathy is really on your side. By agreeing to speak with you, this person is already invested in you. They already are rooting for you to succeed.
And just so we’re clear, I’m absolutely sure no one has the time to spare to get on a call with you just to judge you, challenge you, or mock you. If you end up on a call like that - feign a bad signal, drop the call, and don’t think twice about it.
Remember that the purpose of this conversation is to build a connection (number one) and gather some information and perspective (number two). Yes, come prepared with your elevator pitch, preliminary research and some questions, but be yourself and try to form a genuine connection (unless you’re not likable, in which case, be likable). That’s way more valuable than anything else you’ll get out of most coffee chats.
2. Fundamental commonalities of the industry you’re inquiring about (for the rest of this example, consulting) will be assumed. The curse of knowledge bias means that few people are capable of giving you a do-re-mi-let’s-start-from-the-very-beginning breakdown of their field.
The “curse of knowledge” is a cognitive bias. It describes when individuals who are knowledgeable about a particular subject or concept have difficulty understanding or empathizing with others who lack that same knowledge. This bias can lead to assumptions that others possess the same level of understanding or awareness, resulting in ineffective communication and difficulties in teaching or conveying information to those with less knowledge on the topic.
When discussing a specific industry, such as consulting, it's important to have a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts and common practices within that field. While it may be tempting to ask for a comprehensive breakdown of the industry from scratch, it's more realistic to assume a certain level of shared knowledge. Professionals with a deep understanding of their field may struggle to determine what information is common knowledge and what needs clarification (it’s that curse of knowledge bias again). As a result, they may unintentionally use industry jargon that doesn't effectively communicate the concepts to you.
Read a Vault guide or some handful of other resources explaining the “basics” of consulting first. You can come with questions from your research, as in, “I keep reading about competitive analysis, what does it really mean? What does the end deliverable look like?” or “I’m really curious if you can walk me through a strategy project, and what it really entails. How do you really go about forming that strategy for a client?”
Okay, I’ll be honest: if it becomes clear that you’ve started messaging folks for their time before you’ve done any reading, I am going to lose a little patience. I’m still here to talk you through what I know and all, but I’m also thinking, “Ugh, did you even Google and read more than five lines before getting on this call?” Don’t appear so entitled that you didn’t even read the first couple of Google search results. Respect this kind stranger who has agreed to speak with you by doing at least some research, and demonstrate it by having some questions Google can’t readily answer.
3. Everyone sees the larger job searching context an informational interview is situated within. Ask directly for the additional help you desire!
Nice try, but we all know you’re looking for a job. Isn’t the dance of a “coffee chat” informational interview supposed to alleviate the pressure? It is, but no one’s pretending that’s all there is.
I’ve been absolutely floored by the generosity of strangers on LinkedIn who opened their calendars and phone lines to me. I’ve been even more amazed by those who, having not even completed our “coffee chat” facade, proactively offer to refer me to positions in their companies. I myself have gone out of my way to deliver some brutal truths and warnings completely unprompted. (Not much of a believer in sugarcoating!) Context #1 ups the odds that whoever you’re speaking to wants to see you succeed, and Context #3 here increases the chances that they’ll offer to help you beyond just telling you about themselves if they can. Not every company has a referral system (and some specifically don’t have them for campus recruits if you’re coming straight out of school), but even then I’ve had folks offer to connect me with their HR directly in an email, suggest companies or roles I should also look into, or introduce me to someone in their network they think would be beneficial for me to further connect with.
Why is this context important? Don't hesitate to ask for further assistance or connections, even if they aren't offered proactively. Be direct in expressing your interest and request referrals or additional introductions. For example, at the end of your conversation, you can remark on which positive things really stood out to you, reiterate your interest in the field and/or this company in particular, and then ask, “If it’s possible, would you be willing to refer me to this position?” Or maybe you’d like to connect to speak with someone else through them. Ask that too! The point is, it’s not actually that awkward (and it’s certainly not rude) because it’s understood: you’re looking for a job, and if money were no object, neither of us would have just spent all this time talking about work. We’d be doing something that made us a lot happier instead.