Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions people ask most, grouped by topic.
Getting started
Browse Getting startedIs KoffeeChat free?
Yes, it's free to start, and coffee chats themselves are free: shepherds volunteer their time. The Free plan includes 2 coffee chats in total and 20 KoffeePoints a month. Plus and Pro give you more chats every month and a bigger KoffeePoints allowance. Plus opens every public company, and Pro opens every company, public and private.
Who are shepherds?
Professionals a step or two ahead of you who volunteer their time for coffee chats. They aren't KoffeeChat staff, and what they share is their personal view, not professional, legal, financial or immigration advice. Every shepherd profile is checked by our team before talents can book it.
Can I be a talent and a shepherd?
Yes. As a shepherd you can plan your own next move on Grow, and book peer coffee chats with fellow shepherds from Network in the same three steps talents use. If you've also set up the talent side, Shepherd dashboard in your account menu takes you back to your shepherd pages.
Which countries does KoffeeChat cover?
Company information covers Nigeria, Kenya and the United Kingdom, including UK employers licensed to sponsor visas. Shepherds can be anywhere, and every time is shown in your own time zone. You need to be 16 or over to use KoffeeChat.
How do I restart the tour?
Open your account menu and choose Take the tour. Talents can also go to Settings → Onboarding tour and press Restart tour.
Which email should I sign up with?
Your personal email. Your KoffeeChat account stays with you when you change jobs. If your employer invites you to a work account, that usually lives on your work email and is kept separate.
I didn't get my confirmation email. What now?
Check your spam or promotions folder first. If it isn't there, try signing up again with the same address, or use Continue with Google instead. Still stuck? Email hello@koffeechat.com.
Discover and companies
Browse Discover and companiesCan I follow a company that isn't on KoffeeChat?
Yes. You can follow any company, and turn on alerts for it with the bell beside Following. A company only sees that you follow it once it runs its own organisation on KoffeeChat, and then it sees everyone who follows it, including people who followed before it joined.
Read more: Following a company and showing interest in a role
How do I stop the weekly company digest?
Press unsubscribe from this digest at the bottom of the email, or switch off Weekly company digest in Settings (talents: Settings → Notifications; shepherds: Settings → Notifications). The companies you follow and their alerts stay as they are.
Read more: Following companies, alerts and the weekly digest
Why did opening a company use a KoffeePoint?
On the Free plan, opening a company for the first time uses 1 KoffeePoint. Going back to it is free after that. Plus includes every public company, and Pro includes private ones too, so opening a company never uses points on those plans.
Why can't I open a private company?
Private companies are included on Pro. On Plus, a private company shows This is a premium feature, with the option to upgrade. On Free, you can open any company for 1 KoffeePoint the first time.
Are company reviews anonymous?
Yes, by default. Post anonymously is on, so your review is signed "A talent" or "A shepherd" (or "A KoffeeChat member" if you work there now or used to). New reviews go public in a daily batch within 3 days, so nobody can match a review to when you visited.
Can my employer see what I shared about pay, perks or interviews?
No. Nobody sees individual answers, only totals from 3 or more people (5 or more for pay), without names or dates. Pay is only ever shown as ranges, and interview totals are never shown to the company's own team.
Can a company see that I looked at its page?
No. Companies see how many times their pages and jobs were viewed, never who viewed them. A company only sees your profile when you follow it or show interest in one of its roles.
Coffee chats
Browse Coffee chatsHow do I book a coffee chat?
Go to Coffee Chats, press Book chat ☕ on a shepherd's card and follow three steps: pick a time, choose a topic and say what you'd like to discuss, then share any context and press Request coffee chat.
How long does a shepherd take to reply?
Shepherds are volunteers, so it varies. We email you as soon as they answer. If the time you picked passes without an answer, the request shows as Not confirmed under Your coffee chats.
Can I change the time of my chat?
While it's still a request, open the shepherd's profile from their card, press Book a coffee chat ☕, choose Withdraw request and pick a new time. Once it's confirmed, message your shepherd to agree a new time.
Can I cancel a chat that's already confirmed?
Not in the app. Message your shepherd as early as you can from Messages to let them know, and agree a new time together if you'd still like to meet.
What happens if a shepherd declines?
We email you to let you know, and the chat shows as Declined under Your coffee chats. A declined request doesn't count towards your plan's coffee chats, so you can book someone else. If a shepherd can't make a chat they'd confirmed, we tell you in the app and by email, and it shows as Declined too.
How many coffee chats can I book?
Free: 2 in total. Plus: 4 a month. Pro: 8 a month. Each request also uses 1 KoffeePoint. Declined and withdrawn requests don't count.
Why is there a minimum length for my request?
A few specific words help your shepherd prepare, and make the chat worth it for you both. Your request needs at least 30 characters: a sentence or two is plenty.
What does a shepherd see when I book?
Your name and photo, the time, your topic and what you wrote, plus anything you tick in step 3: your CV, Growth Plan, Career Ladder or LinkedIn. They see your request even if you've hidden your profile from the Talents list.
Do I need an account to book?
You need one to send a request, but not to start. From a shepherd's booking page you can pick a time and write your questions first, then create your free account at the last step. Nothing is sent until you press the button.
Read more: Booking from a shepherd's page without an account
Where do I find the meeting link?
When your shepherd accepts, we email you a calendar invite with their meeting link. If the link is missing, send them a message from Messages. If your shepherd is trying audio calls on KoffeeChat, press Join call on the chat instead: their link is the backup.
Why can't the call use my microphone?
Your browser is blocking it. On iPhone, tap aA in Safari's address bar, then Website Settings, and set Microphone to Allow. On Android, tap the icon to the left of the address, then Permissions. If you opened the link from WhatsApp, LinkedIn or Instagram, open it in Safari or Chrome instead.
What if my shepherd doesn't turn up?
Send them a message first: plans sometimes slip. If it keeps happening, choose Report a problem in your account menu, pick Coffee chats & bookings and we'll look into it.
Does a shepherd's meeting link use a KoffeePoint?
No. A chat from a shepherd's instant call or one-off link is free, and it doesn't count towards your plan's coffee chats.
Grow
Browse GrowHow much does a growth plan cost?
Creating a growth plan uses 2 KoffeePoints. Opening a plan you've already created, ticking tasks and browsing its resources are always free.
Does my career ladder cost KoffeePoints?
No. Building your career ladder, rebuilding it and changing your roles are all free.
Does exploring other paths cost KoffeePoints?
Your first set of paths is free. Each new set after that, from ↻ Explore other paths or after you save ✨ Improve accuracy, uses 2 KoffeePoints.
What happens when my career path slots are full?
You'll be asked to free a slot before anything is built or charged. On Free (1 path), you can upgrade for more paths or remove one. On Plus (3 paths) you can upgrade to Pro (5 paths) or remove one. On Pro, and for shepherds, you'll see Remove a path to free a slot. Removing a path removes its career ladder but keeps its growth plan and ticked tasks.
How do I change my dream role?
On Grow → Career Ladder, press Edit dream role at the top right of the top rung, pick or type a role and press Save dream role. We rebuild your ladder so every rung leads there. It's free.
How accurate is the AI?
Growth plans, career ladders, path suggestions and Kofi's review summaries are written by AI from your answers and from real reviews. They're a good starting point, but they can be wrong or incomplete, so use your judgement and talk them through with a shepherd. The more you tell us, for example under ✨ Improve accuracy, the better they get.
Why don't I see resources for my exact role?
We don't have a shelf for every role yet. When there's no exact match, Resources shows the Closest shelf to your role, or picks for every career, and says so. Use Select role to browse the shelf for another career.
Your profile, CV and privacy
Browse Your profile, CV and privacyWho can see my profile?
Approved shepherds, in their Talents list, once you've finished setting up, unless you switch off Show my profile to shepherds in Settings → Privacy & visibility. Anyone you share your public profile link with sees the parts you choose in What visitors see on your Profile. Your CV, LinkedIn, growth plan and career ladder stay private until you switch them on or include them in a booking. Organisations see your profile only when you follow them or show interest in a role.
Will my public profile show up on Google?
No. Your public profile link asks search engines not to list it, and its random ending makes it hard to guess, so people normally find it only if you share it. If you change it to just your name, it's easy to guess. You can switch the link off on your Profile at any time.
How do I switch off my public profile link?
On your Profile, use the switch at the bottom of Your public profile link. Anyone opening it then sees Profile not available. Switch it back on whenever you like; the link stays the same.
Can I hide my photo?
Yes. In Settings → Privacy & visibility, switch off Profile photo and shepherds browsing talents see your initials instead. A shepherd you book still sees your photo with your request.
What CV formats can I upload?
PDF, DOC or DOCX, up to 10 MB, in Settings → CV & LinkedIn. If your file is too big, saving it as a PDF usually helps.
How do I change the name people see?
Go to Settings → Profile, change your First name and Last name and press Save. People always see the name you typed, never your email address.
How do I remove my CV?
Go to Settings → CV & LinkedIn, press Remove on Your CV and confirm. Shepherds can no longer open it after that.
KoffeePoints, plans and billing
Browse KoffeePoints, plans and billingWhat are KoffeePoints?
Your monthly in-app allowance for things like requesting a coffee chat, opening a company profile on the Free plan or creating a growth plan. They have no cash value and can't be sold or transferred.
When do my KoffeePoints top up?
On the 1st of every month, back to your plan's allowance: 20 on Free, 100 on Plus and 200 on Pro. Unused points don't roll over, and that includes points you earned.
Can I earn extra KoffeePoints?
Yes, two ways. Share what a company you work at is like, or how an interview went, and get 3 KoffeePoints for each set of answers, up to 15 a month. Or invite friends with Refer & earn: 10 KoffeePoints for each friend who joins with your link. Points you earn last until the end of the month. Coffee chats don't earn points. For a bigger allowance, upgrade to Plus (100 a month) or Pro (200 a month).
How much do Plus and Pro cost?
In Nigeria, or if you haven't set a country, Plus is ₦6,490 a month and Pro is ₦11,990 a month, paid through Paystack. In US dollars they're $9.99 and $16.99; in the UK £7.99 and £12.99; in the euro area €8.99 and €14.99; in Canada C$13.99 and C$23.99, paid by card through Stripe. Prices include VAT where it applies. See the pricing page
When does my upgrade start?
As soon as your payment goes through and your subscription is active, usually within a moment. Your new coffee chats, KoffeePoints and company access apply straight away. If it hasn't changed after a few minutes, choose Report a problem and pick Payments & KoffeePoints.
How do I cancel my plan?
Choose Report a problem in your account menu, pick Payments & KoffeePoints and tell us, or email hello@koffeechat.com. We'll take care of it, and you keep your plan until the end of the period you've paid for.
Can I move from Pro to Plus?
Yes, we'll do it for you. Choose Report a problem, pick Payments & KoffeePoints and tell us which plan you'd like, or email hello@koffeechat.com. Moving up is self-serve: press Upgrade to Pro in Settings → Plan & billing.
Can I get a refund?
Payments aren't refundable, except where the law requires it. If a payment went wrong, choose Report a problem, pick Payments & KoffeePoints and we'll look into it.
Shepherding
Browse ShepherdingWhy don't I see who follows my company?
Only shepherds the organisation verified see its followers: it invites you at your work email and you accept, so your shepherd profile is linked to it. Typing the company's name on your profile isn't enough, a profile waiting for approval sees them once it's approved, and the card only shows for a company page the organisation has claimed.
How do I become a shepherd?
Create an account and choose I'm a Shepherd under How will you use KoffeeChat?. Tell us your name and we set up your shepherd profile. Our team reviews every new profile, and we email you and let you know in the app as soon as you're approved. Adding your LinkedIn on Your profile speeds up the review.
Why can't talents book me yet?
New shepherd profiles are reviewed before they're listed, so talents can't book you until you're approved. Already approved? Check you haven't paused your bookings (look for On a break in your header) and that you have open times on Profile → Availability (weekly hours, or date-specific hours), within your booking window and weekly cap.
How do talents see my free times?
From your weekly hours on Profile → Availability, and any date-specific hours (which replace a date's weekly hours), shown in each talent's own time zone. Slots start after your minimum notice (12 hours unless you change it), stop at the end of your booking window (4 weeks) and stop for the week once you reach your weekly cap (2 chats). With no hours of your own, talents see suggested hours: Monday to Friday, 18:00 to 20:00.
How do I take a break?
Choose Pause availability in your account menu, or press Pause on the Pause bookings card on Profile → Availability, where you can also set a Back on date. For a single day off, give that date no hours under Date-specific hours instead. Talents can't send new requests while you're away. Chats you've already accepted stay booked.
Can I decline a request?
Yes. Press Decline on the request under Chats → Requests and we'll let the talent know by email, so they can book another time or another shepherd. Not sure yet? Press Message or Ask for CV / plan / ladder first.
I logged the wrong outcome. Can I fix it?
Yes, for 30 days after the chat started. Press Change outcome on the chat under Chats → Past to switch between Completed and No-show. Once your rating of a completed chat has been shared, it stays completed.
Do I get anything for my coffee chats?
Yes: Pro on us. Complete 3 coffee chats in a month and get Pro free for the next month. Keep doing 3 a month to keep it. Chats count once you log them as completed, in Lagos-time months. If you already pay for a plan, it stays as it is.
Why am I back on Free?
Pro on us runs until the end of the month after the one you completed 3 chats in. If the next month had fewer than 3, it ends after its last day. Complete 3 in a month and it's back straight away.
How do I see a talent's CV before a chat?
If they included it in their request, open it from the request or from Prep. If they didn't, press Ask for CV / plan / ladder and they can share it in one tap. A CV opens through a link that expires after a few minutes. Please keep what talents share with you confidential.
Read more: Asking for and sharing a CV, growth plan, career ladder or LinkedIn
Where do I add or change my meeting link?
Open Edit profile from your account menu or Your profile, and paste your Google Meet, Zoom or Calendly link into Meeting link. Talents get it by email when you accept their request, so add it before you accept. It stays private: it isn't on your public page, and only people with a confirmed chat with you get it.
Can I meet someone outside my weekly hours, or right now?
Yes. Meeting links, on Home and on Profile → Availability, has Start an instant call (a call now) and New one-off meeting (one time you pick). Share the link: the first person to open it and confirm gets it.
What is the Pioneer 100?
Our first 100 verified shepherds can claim their own page at koffeechat.com/yourname. It shows your profile with Book a coffee chat, and carries your Pioneer number. Claim yours on Pioneer 100.
Organisations
Browse OrganisationsWho can see the talents who follow us?
Your owners, admins, super admins and recruiters see them on Talent. Shepherds you've verified (invited by email, so their profile is linked to your company, and approved by KoffeeChat) see the followers who share their profile with shepherds (on the Free plan, only those among the first 3 people you see). Nobody else does, including shepherds who only type your company's name.
How do we claim our company page?
Create an account and choose We're an Organisation, then Claim your company page. Find your company, add your work email and how many roles you're hiring for, and press Claim page. If you signed in with an email at your company's own web address, it goes through straight away; otherwise we check it first, usually within 2 working days. Universities, schools, government bodies and free email addresses are always checked. Not listed yet? Choose Create a private organisation instead.
How do we invite our team?
Go to Team & Access → Invite Employees. Upload a roster (CSV or Excel) or add people one by one, choose how each person joins and their access, and press Send. Invites only go to addresses on your own email domain, and each person gets a personal link that works only for their work email.
An employee says their invite link doesn't work. What should we do?
They need to sign up or sign in with exactly the email address the invitation went to. If they're signed in with another account, the page offers to sign them out first. If the invitation can't be found, press Re-send invite in the Invites list; if you revoked it, press Send a new invite.
Why can't I send invites from my Gmail account?
Invites only go to addresses on the same email domain as yours, which keeps work accounts safe. A personal address like gmail.com has no company domain, so you'll see Invites need your work email. Type your work email and press Ask KoffeeChat to add it: our team makes it an admin of your organisation, and you then sign in with it to send invites. If your work email is already an admin, press Sign in with it.
When can we pay for an organisation plan?
Employer billing is coming soon, so you can't upgrade in the app yet. To talk about Pro or Enterprise now, choose Report a problem and pick Payments & KoffeePoints, or email hello@koffeechat.com.
Who can see our organogram?
Only members of your organisation, unless you change it. Press Visibility on the organogram to choose Private, Structure only (positions and departments, no names) or Public (names, never emails). Work emails are never shown outside your organisation.
Can we see who viewed our company page?
No. You see how many people viewed your page and jobs, split by talent tier, but never who they were. Talents only appear by name when they follow you or press I'm interested.
Work accounts
Browse Work accountsCan my employer see my personal coffee chats and growth plans?
No. Your work account and your personal account are separate logins, and your personal growth plans, coffee chats and job hunting are invisible to your employer. Your organisation only sees your seat on the organogram and the growth you choose to share there.
Why does it say there's no work account on this email?
Your organisation added you under a different address, usually your work email. Press Sign in with work email and sign in with that address, or press I have a joining code. Same email for work and personal? Ask your admin to invite you.
Can I opt out of Surprise Koffee?
Yes. Taking part is optional: press Opt out under Surprise Koffee in your work account and you'll sit out new rounds. Press Opt back in whenever you like.
How do I switch between my personal and work accounts?
Use the Personal | Work switch in the header. Your work account and your personal account are separate logins, so if your work account was set up through an invitation, create your personal account with your personal email.
My invitation link isn't working. What can I do?
Sign up or sign in with exactly the email address the invitation went to. If the page says the invitation can't be used, ask your admin to send a new one. Still stuck? Email hello@koffeechat.com, or choose Report a problem and pick Account & sign-in once you're signed in.
Messages
Browse MessagesWhy can't I message a shepherd yet?
You can message a shepherd once they accept your coffee chat or write to you first, or straight away if they've switched on Open profile. Until then, book a coffee chat: the shepherd can write to you as soon as you've sent your request.
How do I block someone?
Open the conversation, press the Conversation options menu (three dots) and choose Block, then confirm. Neither of you can send messages there until you unblock them. To tell us about it, choose Report this conversation from the same menu.
How do I stop emails about new messages?
In Messages, press Message settings and switch off emails. Talents can also do it under Messages in Settings → Notifications. New messages still show in Messages and in your notifications.
Can KoffeeChat read my messages?
Our team doesn't read your messages. If you report a conversation, we look at what you tell us about it so we can help.
Ratings and reviews
Browse Ratings and reviewsAre ratings anonymous?
Yes. A rating is shared only together with ratings from at least 3 different people, and people see an average, the most common chips and Kofi's summary, never who said what. Your written comment is never shown to the person you rated.
Can I change a rating I gave?
Yes, while it's still private: press Edit your rating next to your stars and press Update. Once it has been shared with other people's ratings (it says Shared), it's final.
Why does a profile say New instead of a rating?
Ratings only show once at least 3 different people have rated someone, so no single rating can be traced. Until then, their profile shows New.
I think a rating or summary about me is unfair. What can I do?
You can't see who rated you, but you can tell us. Choose Report a problem and pick My profile, and describe what looks wrong. Our moderators can hide ratings that break the rules.
Account, notifications and security
Browse Account, notifications and securityCan I change my email address?
Not in the app yet. Choose Report a problem in your account menu and pick Account & sign-in, or email hello@koffeechat.com, and we'll help.
How do I delete my account?
Talents can delete their account in Settings → Account → Delete account. It's permanent and removes your profile, bookings, growth plans and CV. Shepherds and organisations can email hello@koffeechat.com.
I forgot my password. What do I do?
Press Forgot password? on the sign-in page, type your email and press Send reset link. Open the email, choose a new password and press Update password. Signed up with Google? Use Continue with Google instead.
Can I stop KoffeeChat emailing me?
You can switch off emails about coffee chat invitations from shepherds and about new messages in Settings, and the weekly company digest in Settings or with the unsubscribe link at the bottom of it. Invitation emails have an unsubscribe link too. Emails about your account and your coffee chats, such as confirmations and calendar invites, always go out, because they're about things you're part of.
Get help
Browse Get helpHow do I report a problem?
Choose Report a problem in your account menu, pick what it's about, tell us what happened and add up to 3 screenshots. We reply by email and under Your reports.
How do I contact the team?
In the app, use Report a problem in your account menu. For privacy or data requests, or if you can't sign in, email hello@koffeechat.com.
Can I report a problem without an account?
Reports need you to be signed in. If you don't have an account, or can't sign in, email hello@koffeechat.com and tell us what's happening.
How do I know what's happening with my report?
Open Your reports to see each report's status (Received, We're on it, Waiting on you, Resolved or Closed) and our replies. We also email you and send a notification when we reply.
What is Beta testers?
A board of features we're thinking of building. Anyone signed in can look; choose Join beta testers in your account menu (one click) to vote, comment, suggest your own ideas and try new features early.
Who can see the ideas I suggest?
Only you and the KoffeeChat team, until we publish an idea on the board. Then everyone signed in can see and vote on it, with your first name and last initial as the person who suggested it, unless your profile was hidden from shepherds when we published it or is hidden now. Your own description stays private: the team writes the summary on the card.
Where did Earnings and Peers go?
They moved from the talent Profile to Beta testers, as previews with example figures. Join beta testers, then open Earnings or Peers under Try it early.