Coffee Chat Questions to Ask in Finance

A coffee chat is your chance to turn a stranger into an advocate. The students who do this well are not the ones with the slickest pitch. They are the ones who ask thoughtful questions and actually listen. Here are the best questions to ask, the ones to avoid, and how to open, close, and follow up.

What a coffee chat actually is

A coffee chat is just an informational interview, named for when people used to meet over coffee. The goal is not to ask for a job. It is to learn about the person, their group, and their firm, and to build a genuine human connection. A helpful mindset is to treat it like you are quietly interviewing them, trying to figure out whether you would enjoy working in their group. Done well, it can significantly improve your odds of an offer.

Before the call: how to prepare

• Research the person: their school, their path, their group, any deals or coverage areas.
• Have five to seven questions ready, but let the conversation flow naturally.
• Test your tech and join on time. Treat it like a real interview, because it is.

Questions about their path

• How did you decide on investment banking, and how did you break in?
• What did your recruiting process look like, and what would you do differently?
• What surprised you most about the job once you started?
• Looking back, what mattered most in landing your offer?

Questions about their group and the firm

• What does a typical day or week look like in your group?
• What do you enjoy most about your team, and what is the hardest part?
• How would you describe the culture compared to other banks you considered?
• How often do you and the other analysts actually spend time together?
• What kind of person tends to thrive in your group?

Questions that make you memorable

• What is one thing you wish someone had told you when you were recruiting?
• What is your favorite deal you have worked on, or your most memorable experience so far?
• If you were in my shoes today, what would you focus on first?

Questions to avoid

What you do not ask matters just as much.

• Technical questions meant to show off. A coffee chat is about connection, not proving you know how a DCF works.
• Anything you could have answered with a quick search, like what the firm does.
• Pay and bonus questions early on. They come across as transactional.
• Anything aggressive or showy. It reads as trying too hard.

How to close the call

End every chat with two things: a genuine thank-you, and a question that keeps your network growing.

• Ask whether there is anyone else on their team or in their network they would recommend you speak with.
• Confirm it is okay to stay in touch and keep them posted on your recruiting.

That referral question is the single highest-leverage thing you can do on a call. It is how one conversation becomes five.

After the call: the follow-up

The chat is only half the work. Send a thank-you within 24 hours that references something specific you discussed, then keep them on your radar with periodic updates. Our follow-up guide covers the exact cadence that works.