The Art of Small Talk

Because the vast majority of jobs are never advertised, job-seekers need to have a wide network of contacts that can provide support, information and job leads. Every person met can be a potential lead or opportunity, so being able to strike up or maintain a conversation with a new person is an essential career skill.

One of most underrated skills in networking is small talk. Most, even the uber-outgoing, agree that small talk and making conversation are skills that can be learned. However, too often we find ourselves in a networking opportunity and feel a loss for words. Numerous circumstances require us to communicate with people we don’t know (or don’t know well) in order to make a good impression.

Small talk is sometimes thought of as being fake or shallow, but it is essential to building rapport with a new person - especially a potential boss. There are easy ways to make small talk genuine and intentionally beneficial for your goals in the conversation. Effective small talk demonstrates attentiveness, positive listening, and genuine interest.

Read more http://www.examiner.com/career-advice-in-fort-collins/the-art-of-small-talk

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