Did you make a lot of exciting connections during the last networking event? Did you send the best follow-ups possible and got a positive answer from one of your targets? Awesome! All you have to do now is to schedule a coffee interview! Every month, BC Talents finds the best speakers to help you achieve the career of your dreams and thrive in your professional goals. This month, we will host Issabelle Frial, Senior Marketing & Community Manager at Yelp, who will share her tips on how to successfully conduct a coffee interview. On October 1st, come meet Issabelle and the BC Talents team to learn more about coffee interviews and relevant questions to ask! Also, we will be celebrating our 50th CONNECTWorking! We are very excited to share that moment with you, and note that there will be prizes to win!

1. Informal Interviews
Be Casual & Meaningful

2. yourmainguy.com
What are we covering?
• What is a Coffee Interview?
• Why to ask for a Coffee Interview?
• How to prepare for a Coffee Interview?
• 5 questions to ask during a Coffee Interview
• How to conclude a Coffee Interview?
• Strategy to get Coffee Interviews

3. yourmainguy.com
Coffee Interview: What is it?
It’s an informal meeting with a potential employer,
candidates, future colleague, or network connection.
It should be casual and prepared.
For the recruiter, it's a way to meet a potential
employee on a more casual basis to determine if
there could be a role for the person at the company.
For the candidate, it's a way to learn more about a
company without having to participate in a formal
interview, at least at the start.
- The Balance Careers

4. yourmainguy.com
Why ask for one?
Many reasons exist but here are the major ones:
• Meet people in your field,
• Get a better knowledge of your industry in BC,
• Connect on a deeper level with your network,
• Invest in your next 5-year career,
My Tip: You never know who will be your next
colleague, manager, supplier, or vendor. So do it
today!

5. yourmainguy.com
How to prepare?
• Conduct extensive research on the company, role,
and the interviewer(s)!
• Confirm the location, time, and date, of the
meeting the day before
• Attire: business casual
• Things to bring to the coffee interview: an extra
copy of your resume, business cards, notepad/pen
• Be prepared to discuss your previous experience,
career path, and long term goals as you would in a
formal interview,

6. yourmainguy.com
Few tips before
• Wait to order coffee till they get there to see if
they’ll be getting something
• Don’t order food - the less spills and distractions,
the better!
• Focus on the interview and interviewer - coffee
shops are prone to a lot of distractions,
•Put your phone away and on mute,
• Keep things professional, despite the informality
of the interview and laxness of the interviewer
•Stay engaged and ask relevant questions,

7. 5 Questions to Ask

8. yourmainguy.com
#1: Tell me about you
It will help you in many ways, mostly to:
• Show that you understand how things work here,
• Get more background info about the person in front of
you, especially if you didn’t find everything you need,
• Precise your upcoming questions or even make you
think of more,
Canadians love to hear and tell good stories. Any good
“networker” has to work on an elevator pitch
My Tip: Demonstrate that you understand them while you
ask the question. Do not ask: Tell me more about you.

9. yourmainguy.com
#2 - Dive into the position
Canadians use a strong vocabulary in every kind of
situation. They are passionate about their job.
What you should try to ask:
- What do they like about their Job/Company?
- How do they see the company/job evolving?
- How did you build your career to access to this job?
My Tip: Do not ask brand questions like “What is your
day-to-day like”?

10. yourmainguy.com
#3 - Challenges & Successes
It is not a secret, we all love to talk about ourselves
and even more about a significant challenge or
achievement.
It will reveal what skills, traits or values are required
for the position you’re looking for or to work in the
company you’re interested in. Don’t forget this is a
conversation. It has to flow
My Tip: Put the interlocutor in an expert position, to
ensure to get more relevant information.

11. yourmainguy.com
#4 - What can I do for you?
It is the most important question, far beyond every other. Asking in
which way you can help the person in front of you will show your
motivation.
If you want to get something from your guest, you need to show that
you’re ready to give before asking. It will be highly appreciated and
noticed.
Being unemployed doesn’t mean that you don't have anything to
bring to the table!
You never know where; when and how an opportunity may come
My Tip: Sometimes, it is hard to come up with this question, but if
you have the GIVE GIVE GIVE mindset, it will come naturally.

12. yourmainguy.com
#5 - Request something
So, what do you want to ASK?
Examples of what you should ask for:
- To connect with one of their connections,
- To get introduced with their company,
- To add them on LinkedIn,
- To ask to send your application,
My Tip: Be in line with your previous discussion and ask
to be connected with someone that they referred to.

13. yourmainguy.com
Take aways
Do extensive research on the company and the person,
Follow up and thank the person for taking the time to
meet with you and express your further interest,
Confirm the time, date, location, the day prior to the
interview
Prepare for a coffee interview the same way as a formal
interview
Ask questions
Put your phone away and on mute
Don't order food, but order them a drink

14. yourmainguy.com
How to conclude?
• Exchange contact info and LinkedIn if you haven’t
already,
• Always follow-up and thank the person for their
time!
• People want to see that you’re able to follow up and
know that you’re excited to connect with them,
• Even if you’re not interested, still follow-up!
Connections are important regardless.

15. yourmainguy.com
Strategies to get them
• When you meet someone at a networking event, ask
for a coffee later on,
• Connect on LinkedIn, explain your situation, and ask
for a coffee,
• Somebody connect you to someone,
• When you get along with someone at a volunteering
organisation,

16. Any Questions?

17. Connect With Me
linkedin.com/mainguyjulien
mainguyjulien
yourmainguy.com