If you have a LinkedIn account, I’m sure you have started to notice that when recruiters reach out to you, they always want to get coffee. Grabbing a cup of coffee is a common way to have an informal meeting. Since it is more informal, recruiters tend to use it when they are meeting with prospective employees. If you agree to get coffee with a recruiter it can be intimidating, one of the most common worries is not knowing what you will be talking about at the meeting.
If a recruiter reaches out to you, then this is a little less intimidating. If they are reaching out to you then they should lead the meeting. They should come with questions and topics prepared to talk with you about. With that being said, you should still prepare for this meeting. Do a little research about the company and find a few things to ask questions about, things like work environment and culture are good topics. This preparation is important because you want to make sure that you show the recruiter that you are interested and have prepared for the meeting.
If you reach out to a company or recruiter, then you have some more work to do. Since you initiated the meeting, you need to lead the meeting. So, make sure you do your research and come up with a good list of questions to ask. They may ask you some questions to get to know you, but you should be in control of the meeting. A good starting point is asking them about their time at the company and the roles they have held. You can also ask them what they like about working at the company. Topics such as the work environment and culture are good things to ask about. Possibilities of long-term careers or how much they hire from within are also good things to ask about. Finally, ending with asking how the hiring process works and where to start is a good way to end the meeting.
Just remember that this meeting is more informal but it is important to remain professional while still showing who you are. They could be using this as an informal interview and you want to put your best foot forward.
