Coffee Chat Questions: What to Ask (and Not Ask) Bankers
7 min read
The Purpose of a Coffee Chat
A coffee chat is not an interview. You are not being tested. The purpose is to build a genuine connection with someone at a target firm, learn something you cannot find online, and — eventually — earn a referral.
The biggest mistake candidates make: treating it like a Q&A session where they fire 10 questions in 15 minutes. That is not a conversation. It is an interrogation.
The Right Questions
Prepare 4-5 questions. Expect to ask 2-3 in a 15-minute call. Quality over quantity — listen more than you talk.
About their path: "What made you choose [Group] over other teams at the firm?" — This is personal and specific. It invites a real answer, not a rehearsed one.
About the work: "What has been the most interesting deal you have worked on recently, and what made it stand out?" — Shows genuine curiosity about the actual work.
About preparation: "If you were recruiting today, what would you do differently in your preparation?" — This is the highest-value question. It gives you actionable intel you cannot find anywhere else.
Questions to Avoid
- "What does a day in the life look like?" — Too generic. Everyone asks this. The answer is always: "It varies."
- "How are the hours?" — Signals you are worried about workload before you have even started.
- "What is the culture like?" — Too vague. Ask something specific: "How much client exposure do analysts get in your group?"
- Anything you could find on the firm's website. — Do not ask about office locations, group structure, or recent deals that are public knowledge. It shows you have not done basic research.
How to Follow Up
Send a thank-you message within 24 hours. Reference something specific from the conversation — not a generic "thanks for your time." Keep it to 2-3 sentences.
If the conversation went well, stay in touch. Send a relevant article or deal update once every 6-8 weeks. After 3-4 genuine touchpoints, you have earned the right to ask for a referral.
Take Your Preparation Further
Download our free Networking Script Kit with outreach templates and coffee chat questions. Track all your networking contacts with the free Firm Research Tracker.
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