Coffee?

After three months of informational interviews, I have officially decided that I’ll always feel creepy making an e-mail subject line. There’s simply no good way to ask a professional that you would like to learn from out for coffee in three to four words. So, my go to subject has been “Coffee?” It’s pretty much to the point, and no matter how weird I feel each time I type it, knock on wood I haven’t been denied or ignored or told off yet!

Informational interviews sound odd in theory, because why would a successful stranger want to waste their time talking to a lowly intern? Yet, as competitive as DC is, everyone who has made it big in DC has started somewhere (plus people always like to talk about themselves). To be fair, I started slow. The first informational interview I had was with a past WAIPer, so he understood where I was coming from and probably didn’t judge me when I made my move and asked him to get coffee with me. It went really well, and after my first one I began to love the concept of asking people who I found interesting to talk to me. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with people from a variety of backgrounds with all sorts of advice, whether it be professional or just about life. Appreciating that these people take the time of their busy days to talk to me encourages me to work even harder, so that I can one day be in a position to help someone going through the same things that I’m struggling with now. I’ve always thought Starbucks was overpriced, but considering a cup of coffee can buy you a load of valuable information makes it seem pretty reasonable.

Cassidy Dawczak