A lot can happen over coffee. I have borrowed the tagline of an Indian cafe chain. The term "a lot" doesn't indicate excess but stimulates our imagination. I have never been a coffee addict. I love a cup of espresso to conclude an evening with friends as a conversation extender. But in Silicon Valley, I found a connection between coffee and the quest for a job.
My friend, who was incidentally looking for a new job, found a perfect match right in front of him on one of the job sites. Instead of applying immediately, he looked up one of the ex-colleagues working in the same firm. At this point, I assumed that he would call the ex-colleague and then apply for the job. I was wrong. Instead, he set up a coffee meeting with the ex-colleague. He planned to use this rendezvous to gather more information about the position before even applying.
You may call my friend cautious. On second thoughts, he is making sure what the heart wants now is not going to be a burden in the future. A coffee shop is a perfect setting to explore his options further. I wonder what would have happened if he was living in London or Paris. Would my friend have proposed to meet in a pub or a restaurant? While the answer remained elusive, I met another valley resident.
I met this valley resident with a group of friends in a neighborhood bar. Within a short time, we found out that we had a common friend in our professional circle. When the valley resident mentioned his desire to switch jobs, I nudged him towards our common friend. I was sure the common friend could help. Guess the response from the valley resident. "Let me call him and set up a coffee meeting." A lot can indeed happen over coffee.
Picture Courtesy: Jot Peh
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