Networking 3:How to- Coffee Chats
If you have not already please review the first two articles in this series:
This article outlines practical insights on the post-LinkedIn connection phase, addressing the common issue of unresponsiveness, and offering valuable advice on setting up and conducting meetings.
Rejection and Unresponsiveness:
Rejection is a part of this process you should expect one response for every three to five people you reach out to. This is normal and not personal.
Facing rejection is a common aspect of the networking process, and it’s essential to recognize that it’s not a personal reflection. The individuals you reach out to may be unresponsive for various reasons unrelated to you. Often, it’s simply a result of their busy lives or the perception that they may not immediately provide value to your objectives. It’s crucial to understand that people are not judging you; in all likelihood, they have moved on and forgotten about your message as soon as they closed it. Rejection is a natural part of the networking journey, and it should not deter you from continuing your pursuit.
If responses are lacking, consider tweaking your message or updating your LinkedIn profile, including adding a photo if you haven’t already.
Meeting Preparation:
Once you’ve successfully connected with someone. I recommend in-person as it is easier to build a connection but you can ask them their preference. Make sure you ask them for their email to send a calendar invite and send a follow-up the day before stating something like, “looking forward to chatting tomorrow; let me know if the time no-longer works”. Which can serve as a reminder.
Research their role and company, and come prepared with at least five questions to keep the conversation flowing.
Craft a brief elevator pitch (1-2 minutes) about yourself and your interests.
Familiarize yourself with industry trends for discussion.
The Meeting:
Hi [Name] thank you so much for taking the time to meet. I connected with you because I was really interested in (your profile, job experience, learning more about x role or company). I’ll tell you a bit about me, and then I would love to hear more about your experience).
Do you elevator pitch (1-2 minutes)
Pause to see if they have any questions, and then jump into yours. I usually start by asking them to tell me a little bit about themselves. After they give an overview i will ask some questions specific to their overview. If you don’t have any you can jump to the common questions listed below.
Meeting Duration:
Don’t feel that you need to use the full 30 minutes if you don’t have any more questions, but you should have enough to talk about to cover 15 minutes anything less may make them question why you booked the meeting.
If your meeting is going to exceed 30 minutes, always ask if they have a “hard stop” which essentially means they have somewhere to be at the end of the meeting. You can always schedule a follow-up if needed.
Common Questions:
Tailor these questions based on the individual’s profile and the direction of the conversation.
What is the difference between being in [role] at the various companies they worked at?
What are the current projects you are working on?
What do you not like about being at [Company]?
What advice do you have for a [a bit about you] person trying to get into this space?
What is the next step in you career?
Is there anyone else you can connect me within this space?
Closing the Meeting:
To close the meeting thank them for their time and reiterate any call to actions that might have been discussed such as sending your CV, scheduling another meeting, having them send you a resource they may have mentioned etc.
After the Meeting:
Send a follow-up thank-you email the same day or the day after, expressing appreciation and referencing a specific piece of advice or insight from the meeting.
Maintaining Relationships:
To maintain the relationship, check in quarterly or biannually. You can share relevant articles or express gratitude for advice and how it has helped you. This step is often overlooked but crucial for building lasting connections.
Please note that you don’t need to connect with everyone again; there will be some people you meet with that you connect better, and that’s okay.
These adjustments aim to retain the essence of your original content while offering minor refinements for clarity and guidance. Let me know if you’d like any further
