I finally tried a 30 minute coffee chat with a stranger on LinkedIn

Honestly, I always thought networking was just awkward small talk until a guy from a company in Denver told me exactly what questions they ask in their second round interviews. Tbh, that one call gave me way better prep than any website. Has anyone else gotten real advice from a quick chat like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

angelamason3mo ago

Yeah, the ethics thing is real, but what surprised me is how much you learn about the actual day to day work. I asked someone what they actually do in a normal week, and they described spending three hours every Tuesday in a meeting that everyone hates. That told me more about fitting in there than any official company values page.

dylan_rodriguez29d ago

Buddy of mine did this once with a guy he met at a coffee shop near the office. Guy told him the weekly standup was basically 45 minutes of the manager reading off his own calendar. No one asked questions, no one gave updates, it was just the boss talking at people. My friend took that as a huge red flag and dodged the offer when it came. Ended up at a different company where people told him the team goes for tacos every Friday after work. Those tiny details matter way more than any polished pitch deck.

jenny_gonzalez3mo ago

Totally get what you mean about getting good prep, but be careful with that specific example. Sharing the exact questions from a company's interview is often against their rules. That guy in Denver might have gotten in trouble if anyone found out. The real value in those chats is learning about the company's culture or the general skills they look for, not getting the test answers ahead of time. It's a better long-term strategy to build a real connection who can give you general advice, not confidential details. You want help that doesn't put anyone's job at risk.