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How to Become a Small Talk Master
How to Become a Small Talk Master
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Small talk, or small talk, is often fearful, especially in professional communication. Lifehacker has collected tips to help you keep the conversation going in a variety of situations.

How to Become a Small Talk Master
How to Become a Small Talk Master

At the interview

Interviewing, even if you don't get hired as a result, is a great way to expand your connections and improve your speaking skills.

Usually talking about nothing helps you overcome the awkwardness at the beginning of the interview. Besides, as research confirms. Making contact through small talk affects first impressions. So be prepared to comment on the company's office or even the weather.

You can also share some interesting information about yourself that is not on your resume. Mention, for example, that you recently ran a marathon or were on vacation. Most importantly, do not speak incoherently and do not jump from subject to subject. Be short and precise when answering questions.

At events

We often freak out walking into a room full of strangers, especially if we're not very talkative by nature. But remember, most people are likely to be as nervous as you are.

If you find yourself in such a situation, take your time, take a look around. Take a drink and walk up to someone standing alone. Introduce yourself and start the conversation by asking what brought the other person to the event.

Set yourself small, easy-to-do tasks. For example, say to yourself, "Today I will meet one new person" or "Today I will meet three new people."

On the first day at a new job

If you are hired, therefore, the employer liked you. It's clear that on your first day on the job, you want to make a good impression and start building relationships with new colleagues.

If management has not assigned you a mentor, ask someone who is familiar with the company to help you. Ask to be shown the layout of the office and briefly introduce other staff.

And to make it easier to strike up a conversation, take a look at the company's pages in social networks in advance.

How to Become a Small Talk Master

1. Prepare in advance

In order to start a conversation, use free information - raw data. For example, you are at a conference, it happens in the summer. Then you can ask the interlocutor: “What brought you to this conference? Do you already have plans for the summer? Do you live here or just passing through?"

Such questions will allow you to learn more about the interlocutor and facilitate further conversation.

Also prepare interesting answers to simple questions in advance. For example, to the question "How are you?" you can answer: “Okay, just tired. Yesterday I returned late from a trip, but I finished reading a book "or" Ok, I'm going to play golf on the weekend. " This will interest the interlocutor and help to continue the conversation.

2. Take on the brunt

Strike up a conversation yourself. For this, the following questions are suitable: "What do you do besides work?", "What are you working on now?" Avoid asking too personal questions about family and children. If this is not the first time you see each other, you can ask: "What's new with you?"

During the conversation, do not forget to give verbal cues to show that you are listening to the other person. And really listen. Often we are distracted and think more about what we will say in response than about what we are being told. Try to break this habit.

3. Don't be afraid to mention politics and religion

The main thing is to be sincerely interested in the opinions of others. If you are speaking about politics, ask the other person what their position is. It's okay if your views do not coincide, just do not try to convince anyone, then there will be no disputes.

However, in certain situations, for example at an interview, it is still better not to touch upon such controversial topics.

4. End the conversation politely

If someone brings up a sensitive topic in a conversation, do not interrupt the person right away, let him finish the sentence. Show that you heard the other person by saying something neutral, for example, "Very interesting" or "We'll see how things go." Then change the subject.

If you want to end the conversation altogether, do so politely. Don't lie to get away from the other person. Just say, “It was great talking to you. I noticed acquaintances with whom I need to talk."

5. Don't talk only about yourself

Your answers should consist of one or two sentences, you should not give out a whole story about yourself.

Listen to the other person and ask questions. This will help keep the conversation going.

For example, if your new friend mentioned that he recently went on vacation with the children, you can ask what exactly they did during the trip, whether they liked the local food, how old the children are. Here you can say a little about yourself and your preferences.

6. Exercise

Remember, like any other skill, small talk needs to be trained. Start attending more work events and start talking to coworkers you don't normally associate with. You can also challenge yourself to talk to one stranger a day.

And to keep track of your progress, use apps that help you develop good habits, such as Way of Life, Balanced, or Coach.me.

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