Prototype Booking requests only — no real payments are processed.
30 minutes. One banker. Zero cold emails.

Get the industry insight your LinkedIn messages never answer.

Cortado connects students with working and former bankers for paid, one-on-one career conversations — about the job, the recruiting process and how to break in, straight from people who have done it.

No subscription. You pay per conversation.

How it works

Three steps between you and a real answer

01

Find the right person

Filter by bank, role and expertise. Every profile shows employer, experience, a fixed price and open time slots — and whether the banker works there now or did before.

02

Request a time slot

Pick an open slot and send your request with the questions you have. The banker confirms, so nothing is booked without their say-so.

03

Have the conversation

30 to 60 minutes, one-on-one, no recruiter listening in. Ask what you would never put in a first cold email.

For students

Get a trusted, first-hand answer instead of guessing what recruiting really looks like.

  • Verified profiles with employer, role and years of experience
  • Fixed price and open slots visible before you request
  • Current and former bankers clearly labelled

For bankers

Turn the coffee chats you already get asked for into scheduled, compensated time.

  • You set the price, session length and your own time slots
  • You keep 88% of every booking
  • Your name stays private until you confirm a request
  • Verified through your work email or, for former bankers, your LinkedIn profile
Questions

Before you request

Is this real mentoring or just a paid favor?

It is compensated time — and that is the point. Bankers can be generous with their calendar without feeling exploited, and you skip the guessing game of whether it is too much to ask for free.

What if a banker cancels?

Your slot is released and you can request another open slot with the same banker or someone else.

Do bankers need approval from their firm?

Every current banker confirms compliance with their employer's outside-activity policy before a profile goes live. Sessions are limited to career and recruiting conversations — never confidential deal, client or trade information.

Why don't profiles show names?

Banker profiles show role, employer, location and experience — what the person offers. A banker's name and contact details are shared only once they confirm your request. That protects bankers' privacy and keeps the focus on the experience you are booking. Bankers see the name of the student who requests a chat.

What does "former" mean on a profile?

Former bankers share first-hand experience from past roles, for example three years as an analyst in New York. They are labelled clearly, so you always know whether you are talking to someone who works there today.

Is this only for investment banking?

Cortado starts with banking, where the information gap in recruiting is especially large. The same model applies to consulting, law and tech.

Ready to skip the cold email?

Create your profile in a few minutes — as a student, as a banker, or both.