One of the main objectives of a chat with someone is to learn from them based on their current professional status. Once you’ve extended an invitation and are scheduled to meet, you should come prepared with questions that will give you insight into the topic you have questions about. I have four great questions you can ask that can develop into additional dialogue and provide you with more information and insight.
Where are you from? The majority of times I ask someone this question, an interesting conversation arises as there is a lot of history and information that is shared by someone explaining where they are from. If they are not from the city you are currently in, they usually talk about where they are originally from and what caused them to move here. If they are from the city you are in, there are questions you can ask in terms of what their thoughts are on the best restaurants, neighborhoods etc. This allows you to learn more information about the person that can be used to maintain the connection if there is a desire to do so.
How did you get into your line of work? Understanding how someone got to where they are today can provide endless amounts of information especially if you are considering entering their line of work. It’s rare that most people have followed a linear career path so listening to someone’s path can provide insights into the decisions they’ve made and why they made those decisions. This information can help guide, inspire or motivate you.
What advice would you give me? Based on the information you learn from your new connection, feel free to ask for advice on specific questions you might have. Getting different perspectives on the same issues or questions, is useful as you’ll get different viewpoints that can assist in making the best decision for you.
What is your dream job? I love asking this question. I always preface it with the comment that I want them to think outside of the box. What is something they would absolutely love to do if money wasn’t an issue? The answers I’ve gotten have provided great insight into what a person actually enjoys doing, given me ideas or have provided me with an opportunity to assist them in learning more about it.
The goals of questions like these are to learn more about a particular topic of interest but also to genuinely connect with each person you decide you want to learn more from. If you have a question or are interested in learning more, connect with me.