Ask for a 15-minute chat people actually say yes to. Enter who you're asking and what you share - get 3 short, personalized requests as a LinkedIn DM or email. Free, runs in your browser, no signup.
Tip: the more specific the detail, the easier the yes. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Why the 15-minute ask works
The best job-search advice hiding in plain sight: people who share something real with you - a school, a past employer, a field - say yes to a short chat far more often than they respond to "can you refer me?". The pattern that gets a yes:
Lead with the genuine shared signal. "Fellow Cal grad", "we both spent time at Deloitte", "[mutual] suggested I reach out" - it makes you not-a-stranger in the first line.
Ask to learn, not to get hired. "I'd love 15 minutes to hear how you got here" is easy to grant. "Can you refer me" on message one is easy to ignore.
Time-box it. 15 minutes, their convenience, virtual is fine. Small asks get answered.
Make the next step frictionless. Offer two windows or "whenever suits you" and stop - no life story, no resume attached.
Advocates beat applications: one good coffee chat often ends with "send me your resume, I'll pass it on" - a referral you never had to ask for.
Got the yes? Walk in prepared: the Coffee Chat Question Generator builds a personalized question set for their exact role and company.
Don't know who to ask? Find your people first.
Coffee chat requests land when the shared signal is real. FindWarmIntros surfaces people at any target company who share your school, past employer, or field - each one a warm coffee-chat candidate, with outreach drafted for you. Free, no signup.
Frequently asked questions
How do you ask someone for a coffee chat?
Lead with what you genuinely share, one specific reason you want to talk to THEM, and a light, time-boxed ask - 15 minutes, their convenience. Not asking for a job makes yes easy (and referrals follow anyway).
What is a coffee chat?
A short, informal 15-30 minute conversation - usually virtual - where you learn how someone got their role and what advice they'd give. It's how strangers become advocates in a job search.
How long should the request be?
Under 100 words; under 300 characters if it's a LinkedIn connection note. Short and specific gets answered.
Is it OK to ask a stranger?
Yes, when something real connects you - alumni and shared-employer contacts say yes surprisingly often. No shared signal? Find someone who has one first.