20 smart coffee chat questions to ask

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💼 Topic: 20 smart coffee chat questions to ask

• Type 1: Icebreakers

• Type 2: Spotlight Questions

• Type 3: Role-Related Questions

• Type 4: Opportunity Questions

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TOPIC
20 smart coffee chat questions to ask

Ever walk into a coffee chat thinking,

Or,

Most people fall into the trap of having coffee chats because someone told them to.

The result? A one-time conversation that doesn't lead to anything.

But if you take the time to prepare thoughtful questions (even if it's only for 10 minutes), you can create a lasting connection.

One that might lead to a job opportunity later down the road!

Which is why I spent a few hours over the weekend creating a cheat sheet just for this.

It has 20 questions divided into 4 categories that you can use in your next conversation.

Feel free to skip to the bottom to download a copy of it right away 🙂 

Type 1: Icebreakers

These questions are asked in the first 5 minutes of the conversation.

You’ll ask these to:

• Ease into the conversation

• Share details to make others comfortable

• Set up a rapport before the actual questions

Type 2: Spotlight Questions

These questions are asked in the middle 20 minutes of the conversation.

You’ll ask these to:

• Show genuine interest

• Make the conversation engaging

• Make the other person feel heard/valued

Type 3: Role-Related Questions

These questions are also asked in the middle 20 minutes of the conversation.

Mix these in with your Spotlight Questions.

You’ll ask these to:

• Get the behind-the-scenes of their job

• Realize if you’ll like or hate the job

• Understand what success looks like in their field

Type 4: Opportunity Questions

These questions are asked in the last 5 minutes of the conversation.

You’ll ask these to:

• Set up follow-up chats

• Get referrals

• Get interview or job offers

💡 Bonus Tip: Don’t ask for referrals or job offers in your 1st chat; instead, set up a 2nd or 3rd chat to solidify that connection - then ask.

Download the cheat sheet!

Want to write effective cold emails that get you job offers?

I highly recommend the cold-email guide in the REFERRALS section below.

All you need is 1 referral to get a free copy.

See you next Tuesday 🤝

-Michael Ly

P.S.
Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:

1. Book a call with me: Schedule a coffee chat or coaching call.

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3. Join Insider Epics: My private newsletter for online writers. Learn how I create, promote, and monetize written content.

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