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A consultant has canceled our coffee chat twice. Should I try to reschedule a third time?

Networking & Coffee Chats

A consultant agreed to speak with me but has now canceled twice because of client work. They were apologetic both times. I don't want to be annoying, but I also don't know whether I should let the conversation die. Would you follow up again?

Oct 8, 2026United States

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

Yes, one more low-pressure follow-up is reasonable if they have continued to signal that they are willing to talk.

A consultant asked me "why consulting?" during a coffee chat. Should I treat that like an interview question?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I was expecting a casual conversation, but the consultant asked why I want consulting and why their firm. I answered informally, but afterward I wondered whether they were screening me. How polished should those answers be in networking calls?

Oct 8, 2026United States

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

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

A consultant asked me to send my resume before our coffee chat. Is that normal, and what version should I send?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I have a coffee chat coming up and the consultant asked me to send my resume beforehand. I wasn't expecting that and now I'm wondering whether this is turning into an informal screen. Should I send the same resume I would use to apply?

Oct 6, 2026Australia

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

Yes, this is normal. Consultants often ask for a resume simply so they can understand your background before the conversation.

Is it weird to ask for another coffee chat six months after the first one?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I spoke with a consultant about six months ago and the conversation was useful. Since then I have gained more experience and I am getting closer to applying. Is it normal to ask for another short chat, or should one conversation be enough?

Oct 4, 2026Russia

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

A second conversation is reasonable when there is a genuine update or new reason to reconnect.

Should I send a thank-you after a 10-minute recruiter networking call?

Networking & Coffee Chats

The call was very short and mostly logistical, but the recruiter did answer a couple of questions about the office. A full thank-you email feels almost too formal for ten minutes. Is it still worth sending something?

Sep 28, 2026United States

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

A short thank-you is appropriate if the recruiter gave you useful time or information, but it does not need to be formal.

A consultant has not replied after offering to connect me with someone. Should I remind them?

Networking & Coffee Chats

A consultant said they would introduce me to a colleague in another practice area, but it has been about a week and I have not heard anything. I know they are busy and I do not want to sound pushy. Is a reminder okay when they were the one who offered the introduction?

Sep 24, 2026United States

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

A brief reminder is reasonable after about a week, especially because the consultant offered the introduction themselves.

A consultant introduced me to another consultant without me asking. Do I need to keep both updated?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I had a good coffee chat and the consultant introduced me by email to someone else in the office. I am going to speak with the second person, but I am not sure what the etiquette is with the first consultant. Do I need to update them afterward, or does that become annoying?

Sep 20, 2026Belgium

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

A short update is appropriate, especially because the first consultant made the introduction. It does not need to become an ongoing reporting process.

Recruiter coffee chat in 2 days. Is that different from chatting with a consultant?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I have a coffee chat with a recruiter in 2 days. Most coffee chat advice I see is for talking with consultants, so I'm not sure if the conversation should be different. What should I ask a recruiter versus what should I save for consultants?

Sep 17, 2026United States

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

A recruiter coffee chat is usually more useful for process, timing, office hiring needs, role eligibility, and how the application is evaluated. A consultant is usually better for day-to-day work, team culture, projects, and personal experience.

Coffee chat in 3 days and I have nothing interesting to ask. What would you do?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I have a coffee chat in 3 days and every question I write sounds generic. I already know the person's background and read the firm's website. How do I come up with questions that don't sound like I copied a networking list?

Sep 13, 2026Canada

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

Start with the person's actual experience, not a generic list. Look for one or two things in their background, tenure, practice, or office that genuinely make you curious.

What do you talk about in a second coffee chat with the same consultant?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I'm reconnecting with someone I spoke to a couple months ago. First chat already covered their role, office, recruiting, and why they joined. How do you make a second conversation useful without just repeating the first one?

Sep 9, 2026United States

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

A second conversation should move the relationship forward rather than repeat introductory questions. Bring an update, a specific recruiting question, or a topic connected to something they mentioned previously.

Coffee chat next week with a McKinsey manager. What should I actually prepare?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I have a coffee chat next week with a manager and I don't want to waste it on questions I could answer from the website. It's my first chat with someone at that level. What should I prepare beforehand, and what kind of questions are actually worth asking?

Sep 10, 2026United States

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

Prepare enough context to make the conversation specific: who the manager is, their office or practice, your recruiting situation, and two or three questions you genuinely cannot answer from the website.

How many coffee chats is enough before applying to one office?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I've spoken with two people in the office I want and both chats were useful. I could keep reaching out, but at some point it starts feeling like networking for the sake of networking. Is 2-3 solid conversations enough, or do people usually do way more?

Sep 5, 2026United Kingdom

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

There is no magic number of coffee chats. Two or three useful conversations can be enough if you already understand the office, recruiting process, and culture.

How do you follow up after a coffee chat without sounding transactional?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I had a good coffee chat with a consultant and they were genuinely helpful. I want to stay in touch, but I don't want every follow-up to sound like I'm fishing for a referral or asking for something. What does a normal follow-up cadence look like when you actually want to build the relationship?

Sep 1, 2026Thailand

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

A good follow-up is tied to the conversation, not to a request. Send a short thank-you, mention one thing you found useful, and then only reach out again when you have a genuine update or relevant question.

Consultant said 'keep in touch' but didn't offer a referral. Should I ask later?

Networking & Coffee Chats

Had a good coffee chat and the consultant ended with 'keep in touch'. They didn't mention a referral and I didn't ask because it felt too early. If we reconnect later, is it okay to ask directly or should I wait and see if they offer?

Sep 4, 2026United States

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

Do not interpret 'keep in touch' as a hidden promise of a referral. It is an invitation to maintain the relationship, not necessarily to ask immediately.

What are you actually supposed to talk about in an MBB networking call?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I have an MBB networking call coming up and I feel weirdly underprepared because it is not an interview but it also does not feel casual. I do not want to waste the person’s time with generic questions they have answered 100 times. What do people actually talk about in these calls that makes the conversation useful and not awkward?

Jul 21, 2026Singapore

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

The best networking calls usually mix three things: a little bit of rapport, a few thoughtful questions about the person’s path or current work, and some targeted recruiting questions that genuinely help you make decisions.

Asked for a coffee chat and got left on read. Follow up or let it go?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I reached out to someone at an MBB office for a coffee chat, they opened the message, and then nothing. It has been a while and I cannot tell whether following up is normal or if that just makes me look annoying. Do people usually send one follow-up in this situation, or is being left on read basically a soft no?

Jun 24, 2026United States

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

One respectful follow-up is completely fine. Busy consultants miss messages all the time, and a short nudge after several days is normal professional behavior, not desperation.

What should you ask consultants in coffee chats before applying?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I have a few consultant coffee chats scheduled and I keep defaulting to generic questions about culture and staffing. What questions actually help before applying without sounding like I copied a list from Google?

Jul 20, 2026Saudi Arabia

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

Ask questions that help you make a decision or understand something you cannot learn from the firm's website.

Does optimizing LinkedIn help with MBB recruiting?

Networking & Coffee Chats

I keep seeing LinkedIn optimization services claiming they can help people get noticed by MBB recruiters. Is there any real value in polishing LinkedIn for consulting recruiting, or is this mostly irrelevant compared with the actual resume and networking?

Jul 23, 2026Switzerland

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

A clean LinkedIn profile is useful because people you contact may look you up, but it is rarely the main reason an MBB candidate gets screened in.

Is networking over golf still a thing in consulting?

Networking & Coffee Chats

Random question: does anyone actually network with consultants over golf anymore, or is that mostly old-school finance lore? If you genuinely play and someone at a firm invites you, is it useful or just an awkward four-hour coffee chat?

Jul 18, 2026Hong Kong SAR China

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

If both people genuinely enjoy golf, it can be a perfectly normal relationship-building setting. The activity itself is not a recruiting hack.

How much networking do you need if you are already at a target school?

Networking & Coffee Chats

If McKinsey/BCG/Bain already recruit heavily at your school, how much extra networking is actually necessary? Is attending official events enough, or should you still be doing individual coffee chats before applying?

Jul 13, 2026Australia

Top answer Mayank G.

Mayank G.Coach

At a target school, you already have access that many candidates spend months trying to create. That means networking can be more selective.

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Community Forum

A consultant has canceled our coffee chat twice. Should I try to reschedule a third time?

A consultant asked me "why consulting?" during a coffee chat. Should I treat that like an interview question?

A consultant asked me to send my resume before our coffee chat. Is that normal, and what version should I send?

Is it weird to ask for another coffee chat six months after the first one?

Should I send a thank-you after a 10-minute recruiter networking call?

A consultant has not replied after offering to connect me with someone. Should I remind them?

A consultant introduced me to another consultant without me asking. Do I need to keep both updated?

Recruiter coffee chat in 2 days. Is that different from chatting with a consultant?

Coffee chat in 3 days and I have nothing interesting to ask. What would you do?

What do you talk about in a second coffee chat with the same consultant?

Coffee chat next week with a McKinsey manager. What should I actually prepare?

How many coffee chats is enough before applying to one office?

How do you follow up after a coffee chat without sounding transactional?

Consultant said 'keep in touch' but didn't offer a referral. Should I ask later?

What are you actually supposed to talk about in an MBB networking call?

Asked for a coffee chat and got left on read. Follow up or let it go?

What should you ask consultants in coffee chats before applying?

Does optimizing LinkedIn help with MBB recruiting?

Is networking over golf still a thing in consulting?

How much networking do you need if you are already at a target school?