Warning: A bad coffee meetup in Denver changed how I network

About 2 years ago, I met a potential partner at a coffee shop on 16th Street. We talked for an hour but it was all surface level stuff (you know, the usual 'what do you do' chat). I realized I wasted a whole morning because I didn't have a clear goal. Now, I always send a quick message before meeting up with 1 specific question I want answered. It saves so much time. Anyone else have a rule they set after a networking flop?

3 comments

3 Comments

jordan1083d ago

Ever have one of those chats where you leave and can't remember a single thing you talked about? Been there. My rule now is if I can't picture what help I could actually give them, or get from them, I don't book the meet. Saves everyone the awkward small talk. That pre-meet question idea is solid, I'm stealing that.

hannahm393d ago

My last three coffee meetings were with people in totally different fields, and @jordan108, those were the most useful talks I've had all month. One was a teacher who gave me a new way to explain a project to my kid's class. If I only met with people who could "help" my job, I'd miss those random connections. Sometimes the point isn't a direct trade, it's just hearing how other people solve problems. You never know what sticks.

blair5972d ago

Totally get the random connection thing. My neighbor's a retired plumber and his stories about fixing old pipes gave me a new way to look at troubleshooting code. The best ideas come from weird places.