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Networking Coffee Chats

career · medium · 1-2 hours per week

What is Networking Coffee Chats?

Schedule 2-3 short (20-30 minute) coffee meetings per week with people in your industry or adjacent fields. Don't pitch or ask for favors — just learn what they're working on and share what you're doing. Over time, you become the most connected person in your space, and opportunities flow to connectors.

Is there evidence for it?

EVIDENCEstrong

How do you do Networking Coffee Chats?

  1. 1.Identify 20 people you'd like to know better — colleagues, industry peers, people you admire
  2. 2.Send a short, specific message: 'I loved your talk on X. Would you have 20 min for coffee this week?'
  3. 3.Prepare 3 thoughtful questions about their work — never ask 'Can you help me find a job?'
  4. 4.During the chat, listen 70% and talk 30% — take a mental note of what they need
  5. 5.Within 24 hours, follow up: send a relevant article, make an introduction, or just say thanks

How long does it take?

1-2 hours per week.

Is it hard to start?

medium.

Source: Keith Ferrazzi, Never Eat Alone (2005); Reid Hoffman & Ben Casnocha, The Start-Up of You (2012)
career · networking · relationships · growth · social
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This is one entry from the library Shift matches against. It is general information, not advice about you, and nothing on this page came from anyone's conversation.