You might be hearing the words coffee chat or informational interview being used a lot. Do you know the difference between a coffee chat and an informational interview?
As international students, networking might not come naturally for us. You might feel awkward reaching out to people, asking for help. You might feel shy or as if you are bothering them. We get it!
Coffee Chat vs. Informational Interview
Both coffee chats and informational interviews are a great way to get to learn more about specific topics, ask for advice, and seek new insights. They both are critical to your job search success in Canada. However, there are some differences in how you conduct the meeting between the two.
- Coffee chat is more casual
Coffee chat is often in a set-up that is more casual than an informational interview. Depending on who you are speaking to at a coffee chat, you do not always have to have a set topic or questions. For example, you can set up a coffee chat with your colleague from work to learn more about what he or she does. However, if you are meeting someone for the first time, you want to be prepared with some questions!
- An informational interview is more structured
An informational interview on the other hand is often more formal than a coffee chat. You will set up an informational interview to gather information on an industry and on specific companies. Since your goal here is to learn about a specific topic, unlike getting to know someone on a personal level, you should have a list of questions to ask prepared before the meeting.
- Does not have to be about job search
Both coffee chat and informational interviews do not have to just be about getting a job. If you are curious about certain topics and want to explore further, you can set up a meeting to learn more about the topic of your interest! If your objective is to get to know that person professionally because you are interested in their career path, coffee chat is a better alternative since it is more relaxed.
- Coffee chat is often one-on-one
Whether you are grabbing a coffee with someone in person or virtually, it is usually being done on a one-on-one basis. This is because there is an element of getting to know each other in a coffee chat. You want to make sure you can introduce yourself properly and learn directly from the other person’s experience.
- An informational interview can be in group
Let’s say you and your friend are thinking about starting a project and you want to learn from a professional who is in the industry, you can set up an informational interview as a group. We recommend that you make this clear to the other person to make sure that he or she feels comfortable with a group conversation.
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