The aim of this article is to provide you with the knowledge of small talk topics for interview.
Are you preparing for a job interview? Do you have that nervous sensation at the bottom of your stomach.
There’s certainly reason to be concerned. You’re concerned about getting to the interview on time without becoming disoriented or trapped in traffic. You’re frantically practicing answers to popular interview questions in the hopes of nailing your replies. But, what’s one thing you didn’t consider? Small chat, to be sure. Most job interviews entail it. Whether you’d like to break the silence throughout that walk to the meeting room or share greetings, you should be able to engage in a splendid small chat.
Why is small talk crucial in an interview?
Before your interview, make a small conversation with the prospective employer or recruiter to establish rapport. The interviewer may recall applicants best by recalling the casual conversations they had with them before the formal questions and replies. Because interviews can be stressful, it would be in good interest, to begin with, some small conversation before the interview. It would be best to prepare yourself for a brief, pleasant conversation that would set a precedent for the discussion. How could you use that relatively unimportant conversation to impress the interviewer? Here’s everything you will require to know about it.
Turn off all electronic devices
Putting your devices aside is the very first step in creating small talk. In society, when everything is connected through a network connection, it is a simple but profound gesture. Placing your tablet, laptop, and phone aside demonstrates that you are entirely focused on the individual with whom you are conversing and therefore are not waiting for anything to distract you. When mixed with reflective listening, devoting your full attention to the other person you’re talking with is indeed polite, but this also provides an opportunity to build rapport.
First and foremost, pay attention
Listening attentively in social circumstances is one method to demonstrate that you are giving your complete attention. When you’re chatting to somebody, you should have been doing both talking and listening simultaneously. When listening, use nonverbal indicators such as making eye contact and nodding with the speaker to demonstrate that you have been paying attention. Giving tiny reviews about what someone just said is indeed an excellent way to practice active listening.
Avoid cliches
It’s easy to rely on friendly conversations about the climate, weather, environment, etc. However, we can all conclude that they’re not particularly memorable or significant. So, always avoid cliches and generalizations. You could guarantee that almost every candidate is doing the same thing, but your goal is to stands out. Furthermore, unless you’re applying for a weather girl, weatherman, or meteorologist position, the weather outside is largely unimportant.
Look for a shared interest
You would have spent a bit of time investigating the interviewer before coming to the interview if you had planned. Stay updated for any common interests, goals that you share.
Post a remark on a business-related subject
You have gone, after all, to show that you’re a good match for the job. As a result, any moment you can demonstrate that you are interested in and engaged in what that group is doing is a victory for you. It would be best if you were on the alert for every sign you can use to begin a conversation, even when you’re waiting for your appointment. Perhaps the business has several accolades on display in the lobby.
You can make inquiries
Small conversation can be uncomfortable or awkward despite how well you rehearse. Whenever you are feeling panicked or don’t know what to say, don’t be afraid to use this strategy: asking questions. As a result, the focus will be drawn away from you. And when the interviewer is the recipient of apparently numerous questions for another couple hours or so, they probably don’t mind some more time to reveal something about themselves. You might feel strange that you have to prepare for the small talk. But you have to remember that if you are giving an interview for the job, you have to grab every opportunity you get. It would be best to try to make an excellent first impression and move one step closer to getting that job.
Instead of spending that polite chatter on greetings or weather that doesn’t go beyond, “I’m OK, thank you!” try these techniques to make the most of your time.
What are some good small talk topics to bring up?
In general, non-controversial yet semi-personal subjects and queries are preferable. What exactly does it mean to be semi-personal? So, take a peek around while you enter the room. Is there a pet in the picture? Or maybe a memorial, an award, trophies on the wall? By conducting a little survey, you could learn a lot about the interviewer, or at the very minimum, get enough stuff to come up with such a terrific small-talk subject. Do you see a cat image? “Oh, I adore your cat!”. I, too, own one. “What’s the name of your cat? Or perhaps you saw where the recruiters went to university and knew anyone who attended there, or maybe you both went to the same school. One powerful question or remark is all it takes to start the other person talking. Once you’ve established a rapport, small talk will turn into a conversation, and things will be so much smoother.
Questions to ask in small talk and appropriate responses
The small conversation round could include thousands of questions. Among the most prevalent ones are listed below.
- The recruiter may ask: How are you doing today? You might answer this in several ways, such as: Thank you for asking, I am fine. Or you can say, I am fine, thank you, how are you? Or I am OK, how are you?
These questions can be addressed in a variety of ways. Please ensure when answering, use the grammatically proper one.
- The other question can be about beverages. Such as the interviewer may ask, May I bring you something to drink? You can politely decline and say, Oh, no, it’s OK, I’m fine, thank you. They are courteous in the offering, but you are generous in declining. In some companies, the offer will almost certainly come from an assistant. Even so, it would be best if you reject it.
A few of you might come from communities where visitors are welcomed with drink or food, even in the workplace.
However, in offices in America, this is unusual. So, if you accept their beverage offer, they have to get up from their seat to get the drink. You’re being impolite by asking.
Other small talk topics can be about commuting and directions.
- Did you have any difficulty locating our office?” the interviewer might inquire. You must respond. No, it was relatively simple, and there was little traffic. There are numerous ways to respond to this question. Make sure to respond positively. If you did experience problems, don’t mention them.
- One of the common questions that the interviewer can ask is about the weather. The interviewer has the authority to ask questions. Isn’t this beautiful weather we’ve been having? You should give a positive response. Yes, it is one of my favorite seasons.
- Or Interviewers can ask, Isn’t the weather dreadful right now? You have the option to respond. Yes, it will continue to rain. I’m hoping it will change soon. You should agree with your interviewer if they are complaining about the weather.
Another topic for small talk questions is the evening and weekend plans.
An interviewer may pose a question. Have you had a good weekend thus far? You should respond to that. Yes, it was pretty soothing. So, how about you? The interviewer might also ask you about the game that happened that weekend. You could reply, Yeah, I could not believe my eyes when I saw what had transpired.
Small talk questions and terrible responses are given as examples.
Above we saw the excellent answers to some small talk questions. Here are a few examples of inadequate responses, along with reasons for why they are poor.
- There can be types of greeting questions. How are you doing today? The interviewer may inquire. You shouldn’t reply: Actually, I’m a little shaky. This position is critical to my career! This response is incorrect for two reasons. The first one is negative, and you should maintain a good mindset throughout the interview. The second one is in this answer; you come across as desperate. You require the position; after all, that is why you’re there. You don’t even have to say anything.
- The next topic is about commuting and directions. Suppose the interviewer asks if you had any difficulty finding us. You should not respond negatively, such as, to be honest, as I got off the train, I became lost. I was concerned that I might be late.
This response is incorrect for two main reasons. You shouldn’t use the phrase, to be honest. It has no meaning, and several people despise it. You’re truthful; otherwise, you’d be lying. Before your interview, you should have gotten all the routes, how to reach; if you didn’t, you shouldn’t let your interviewers find out. It makes you appear reckless and lazy.
- If the interviewer asks, “Isn’t this beautiful weather?” You should not respond; I recall this time the year before. It was a disaster. It seemed like it would never get warmer.
This is an adverse reaction. Try to express something good instead, even though it’s true.
Before your interview, review the following small chat topics:
Consider the following questions: Consider what other issues you might be asked. Start practicing by yourself once you can readily identify these questions and respond to them. Exercise with someone fluent in English.
What should you avoid talking about?
• You would not want to insult a potential employer. It’s a tragedy waiting to happen! Politics, personal questions, and religious questions are examples of subjects you should avoid. Everybody has a viewpoint on politics and religion, but you should avoid discussing these topics during your interview!
• regardless of how gorgeous your interviewer is to you, do not even flirt with them.
• Do not, under any circumstances, inquire about their earnings.
• Avoid criticizing a former employer or anybody for that matter; it is so because you never know who all are known to the interviewer.
• Discussing your marital status, family, medical issues, or any other screen-out reasons is not a brilliant idea.
How can you get over your fear of starting small talk?
It’s advisable to fake this until you make it if you’re nervous about an interview. Well before your interview, psych yourself up by practicing with a family or a friend, and vow you’ll give it you’re all. You will become more confident with anything as you do it frequently.
What are other discussion openers you may use as a fallback?
Icebreakers must be open-ended questions or statements that require more than a single-word response. Here’s a list of potential discussion points to help you get to know the interviewer:
• How’s it going today?”
• “This week, I greatly enjoyed the article/interview/post on the website/paper about the firm! It has to be thrilling for you.”
• “The whole office space is fantastic! Is there anything good to eat nearby?”
• If you’ve been interviewing in a new place, say something like, “This place appears to be excellent.” What interesting outdoor adventures have you discovered here?”
So, we have seen in this article how small talk is essential in an interview. The interview questions are one part, but the small talk is another. It is necessary to have an excellent first impression. The way you open a conversation could also have a significant impact on the rest of your interview. So, practice and you will surely achieve your goal. We wish you all the best in all of your future ventures.
