How to Find People to Chat With
Discover the best channels for finding coffee chat partners — from LinkedIn to alumni networks to conferences.
One of the biggest barriers to coffee chatting isn't technique — it's simply not knowing who to reach out to. Students often say, "I want to network, but I don't know anyone in the industry." The truth is, you have far more access than you think. You just need to know where to look.
And here's something that might surprise you: people say yes much more often than you'd expect. Most students assume the response rate for reaching out will be close to zero. In reality, alumni requests get responses 50-70% of the time. Even cold outreach to strangers converts at 20-30%. The bottleneck isn't other people's willingness — it's your willingness to send the message.
Channel 1: Your University's Alumni Network
This is your highest-conversion channel. Alumni feel a genuine connection to students from their school. They remember being in your shoes, and most are eager to give back.
How to find them: - LinkedIn: Search for your university name + the role or company you're interested in - Your university's alumni directory or career services platform - Ask your career center if they have a mentorship matching program - Departmental alumni lists (your academic department may track graduates)
Why it works: Shared alma mater is one of the strongest cold-outreach connectors. "I'm a fellow Michigan alum" immediately creates warmth and a reason to say yes.
Channel 2: LinkedIn (Strategic Searching)
LinkedIn is the largest professional database in the world. Used strategically, it's an incredibly powerful tool for finding coffee chat partners.
How to search effectively: - Use the search filters: filter by current company, past company, school, industry, location - Look for people 3-7 years ahead of you in their career — they're close enough to remember early-career challenges and usually more accessible than executives - Check who's posting content about topics you care about (active posters are often open to conversations) - Look at the "People Also Viewed" sidebar when viewing someone's profile
Say you're interested in MSL roles at mid-size oncology companies. 1. Search "Medical Science Liaison" + "Oncology" 2. Filter by 2nd-degree connections (you have a mutual connection who could introduce you) 3. Filter by your university if you want the alumni angle 4. Look for people who were recently promoted or changed companies (they're in a reflective, giving-back mindset) 5. Check who's posting about MSL life, career transitions, or oncology — they're signaling openness to conversation This takes 10 minutes and gives you 5-10 warm leads.
Channel 3: Your Professors and Mentors
Your professors — especially those who came from industry or collaborate with industry partners — are goldmines for warm introductions. A warm intro ("Professor Chen suggested I reach out to you") has a dramatically higher response rate than a cold message.
How to ask: "Professor Chen, I'm really interested in learning more about regulatory affairs careers. Do you know anyone working in that space who might be open to a brief conversation?" Keep it specific and low-pressure.
Channel 4: Professional Organizations and Conferences
Industry organizations are designed for networking. Many have student chapters or early-career programs.
Key organizations in biotech/pharma: - ISPE (International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering) - DIA (Drug Information Association) - ASCO, AACR (oncology-specific) - PDA (Parenteral Drug Association) - Your local biotech association (MassBio, BayBio, etc.)
How to leverage them: Attend events (many offer free or discounted student rates), engage in panels, and follow up with speakers. Saying "I enjoyed your talk at [event]" is a natural conversation starter.
Channel 5: Company Info Sessions and Career Fairs
These are underutilized. Companies send real employees — not just recruiters — to campus events. These are people who voluntarily signed up to talk to students. They want to be approached.
The move: Don't just drop off a resume. Have a brief, genuine conversation. Ask a thoughtful question during the Q&A. Then follow up on LinkedIn within 24 hours: "It was great meeting you at the info session. I was the one who asked about your team's work on [X]. Would you be open to a 20-minute coffee chat?"
Start with your warmest connections and work outward. The progression: alumni → professor intros → 2nd-degree LinkedIn connections → conference contacts → cold outreach. Each step builds your confidence and your network, making the next step easier. By the time you're doing cold outreach, you'll wonder why you were ever nervous about it.
How to Prioritize Who to Reach Out To
1. Relevance: Are they in a role, company, or function that genuinely interests you? 2. Accessibility: People 3-7 years ahead of you are the sweet spot — experienced enough to offer real insight, accessible enough to say yes 3. Connection strength: Warm connections (alumni, mutual contacts, conference interactions) before cold ones 4. Activity level: People who post on LinkedIn, speak at events, or publish are signaling openness to engagement
Open LinkedIn right now and find 5 people you'd want to have a coffee chat with. For each person, note: 1. Their name and current role 2. How you found them (alumni, 2nd-degree connection, etc.) 3. One reason their path interests you 4. One potential conversation starter based on their profile This is your working list. We'll use it when we practice outreach in Module 6.
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