Be prepared to answer clearly, but do not turn the coffee chat into a rehearsed interview.

Consultants ask those questions for many reasons: curiosity, understanding your background, deciding how helpful they can be or informally assessing whether they would feel comfortable referring you.

Have a concise, genuine explanation of why consulting and why you are exploring that firm. Then let the conversation flow naturally instead of delivering a two-minute memorized speech.

If the person becomes more evaluative, you can match the tone. The consulting coffee chat guide can help you prepare without making the interaction feel scripted.