Networking Coffee

The Outreach Strategy

Informational coffees are the primary mechanism for converting a summer internship into a full-time return offer. Do not limit outreach to your immediate team. Target alumni from your university working in adjacent departments.

The Cold Email

Keep initial outreach below five sentences. State your name, your current intern role, your shared connection (e.g., alumni status), and a direct request for a 15-minute coffee chat. Propose two specific time windows. Never ask an executive to accommodate your schedule.

Meeting Execution

The intern is responsible for managing the logistics of the meeting.

• Payment: Always offer to pay for the senior employee's coffee. They will almost certainly decline and pay for yours using a corporate card, but the offer demonstrates professional etiquette.
• Location: Suggest a coffee shop located directly in or adjacent to their office building. Minimize their transit time.
• Question Framework: Do not ask questions that can be answered via the company intranet. Ask about their specific career trajectory, team structural challenges, and their macro outlook on the industry.
• Time Discipline: Conclude the conversation at exactly the 15-minute mark. Say, "I want to be respectful of your time, so I will let you get back to your day." If they wish to continue speaking, they will signal it.