#3 tip on networking as newcomer to Toronto: coffee chats

You are a newcomer striving to build your professional network in Canada. What to do when there's a professional with an interesting background you'd like to meet, or a recruiter from a company you’d love to work at, but no one to introduce or connect you both?

Invite them for a coffee chat!

Now, it may appear to be simple at first, but these invites require time, efforts and a lot of research in advance. After all, you’re not calling a friend to catch-up and chill out. Coffee chats or, in other words, informational interviews, must be taken seriously and you have to be well prepared for them!

For the past couple of months since I moved to Toronto, I have set up a few coffee chats with recruiters and marketing professionals mostly through LinkedIn. Based on my experiences, here are some of the key tips and learnings and how to make the most out of these meetings:

1) Planning and research

First of all, think carefully about your goals. What do you want to know and learn about? Is it a broader industry trend you would like to get deeper into or the workplace culture of a specific company? Outlining clear objectives will make your approach much more precise and straightforward, which helps to increase your chances of success.

Then, research thoroughly! Get to know who are the top local professionals in your field. Or, if you are targeting specific companies, see who are the talent acquisition executives or the hiring managers, for example. In the meantime, visit their professional profiles and check their latest activities, read their published content if they have any and seek what are their main priorities and topics of interest.

Don't make it about yourself only, but about them too! That's how you will capture their attention to your invitation and what you have to offer them.

Also, look for points in common - anything relevant on their profile that could elicit familiarity and used as a conversation starter. When you write your intro message, leave it as succinct as possible and bespoke to that person. Don't copy-and-paste previous texts and always end with a clear call-to-action. And, of course, be courteous to make yourself available to meet whenever and wherever is most convenient to them.

2) The coffee chat

In case of a positive answer, congratulations! Now it's time to prepare for the coffee chat ?.

Prior to the meeting, list top questions you would like to ask and key messages you would like to convey - I'd also consider writing them down on a notepad and take it to the meeting just as a helpful guide. Dress yourself appropriately (the rule of thumb is a business, corporate attire) and last but not least, arrive early. In some meetings, I arrived half an hour before just to make sure that I wouldn't be late!

During the meeting, try to relax and stay confident. The first meetings can be a bit awkward, but you become less nervous as you practice, so hold tight! After introducing yourself, begin with a light topic, such as a quick comment on weather (apparently, this is a common "icebreaker" in Canada!). Take the time to get to know your invitee and have a sense of how he/she feels more comfortable with the interaction. Some might welcome you to ask questions throughout, others may be inclined to answer specific inquiries only at the end. Oh, and you'll pay them the coffee or meal, of course!

Now, the talking points and messages you mapped in advance are indeed important, but let the conversation flow naturally and, above all, be an active listener and follow his/her cues. Don't be upset if you don't get to say or ask everything you planned.

Several topics could be brought up, such as career advice, local market characteristics, potential job opportunities or further information about the company and the respective industry. There are many websites that offer sample questions for informational interviews, but make sure you are personalizing them to that particular professional, instead of general, one-size-fits-all questions.

An important point to highlight: even though the ultimate objective of your networking efforts is to get a job, never ask for it intentionally or bluntly before, during or after the meeting! At the end of the coffee chat, he/she might offer help with a referral to current or future job openings, or even forward your resume internally. However, that does not guarantee success in your job application, so bear that in mind.

3) Follow-up and one last piece of advice

Coffee chats usually last around 30 minutes, unless if the invitee accepts to extend it. When it finishes, appreciate the given opportunity and, after returning home, send a follow-up e-mail or LinkedIn message as soon as possible. I have been advised to do this within 24 hours after the meeting, so timing is very important here.

On your "Thank You" note, take the chance to leave a positive impact and make your invitee remember you favorably. Be polite and show gratitude for what you have learned from the conversation. Also, don't rush to ask any favors at this point - be patient and wait for the person's reply.

In my case, a professional whom I invited for a coffee has accepted to send a referral to a job opening weeks after my follow-up. Another professional has connected me to a fellow recruiter for an available opportunity at the time.

Regardless of your coffee chats' outcomes, avail yourself of these experiences to network and learn new ideas and insights. Also, don't feel discouraged if your invitations are being rejected or not getting a response at all. Be positive and keep on striving - there's always someone willing to help and, here in Canada, there are many people open to support newcomers.

So this has been my experience with coffee chats in Toronto so far. Hope you enjoyed the post and please feel free to like, share or leave a comment!

For further reading, I recommend the following links:

What I learned about Coffee Interviews as a Newcomer to Canada!, by Ronak Gandhi

Coffee Questions: What questions should we be asking during a networking coffee?, by Mukai Matsiga

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