已奖

The key to small talk is to

1) Talk often so there is more things to talk about

2) Remember what was said so you can bring it up again next time

3) Small talk generally start with some generic and then gradually get more details and more personal

If you just have just met a co-worker, this is how i would start

#1 真实内容如下:

Me: How are you? 

Cowoker:  Good, youself?

Me: Great.  How long have you been with the company?

Cowker: About a year ago. And you?

Me:  Me too, i started about five years ago too.  Which start group were you with? 

Note: My company sends new hires to bootcamp for training and is referred as start group.)

Cowoker: Start group #26. 

Me:  Cool, i know a few folks from that start group. I think xxx and yyy are from your start group.

Coworker:  Oh, yeah, i'm pretty good friends with xxx.  How do you know xxx?

Me:  I worked with xxx on a project a couple of months back.  I actually just got an email from him.

Coworker:  How is he doing?

Me:  He is doing great, just bought his first condo and is in the process of moving

.... 

[此贴子已经被Alexandria于2007-6-13 20:11:18编辑过]

I just came back from maternity leave, coworker with an older baby stopped by to chat:

真实内容如下:

Coworker:  Congrats, new mommy!

Me:  Thanks, it's been quite a ride!

Coworker:  How does it feel to join the mommy rank?

Me:  Great, despite the lack of sleep.

Coworker:  Yeap, that's part of the joy of motherhood.  Has your son been sleeping through the night yet?

Me:  Yeah, thankfully, two days before i came back to work, he started sleeping through the night.

Cowroker:  That's awesome.  How old is he?

Me:  He just turned three months.  How old is your daughter now?  When did she start sleeping through the night?

Coworker:  That's really early, you lucked out.  My daughter is 8 months now, she didn't sleep through the night till about 6 months old.

Me:  It's not just luck, it's training, my dear!  I put aiden on a schedule when he was two months old.  After struggling for several weeks, i finally got him to be on the schedule and sleeping through the night.

Coworker:  You are such a studette!!

...

已奖

[此贴子已经被Alexandria于2007-6-13 20:15:31编辑过]

My boss just came back from a trip to the east coast for a relative's wedding, so did i.

Me:  How are you?  How was the wedding and all?

Boss: It was alright, lots of family, lots of relatives, lots of coordination.  I was there for five days, i would have been happy to be done with it in three days.

Me:  I know how that feels, being told what to do, when to meet, where to eat?  It was the same way for me and my family.

Boss:  Yeah, feels like a child all over again.  How was your cousin's wedding?

Me:  It was quite good, they really lucked out with the weather.  The friday before was so muggy and hot, it would have been unbearable in a suit or dress.  The sunday after was pouring.  But on their wedding day, the weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cold.

Boss:  Did you get a chance to try out your new camera equipment?  (We had talked about my interest in digital photography before)

Me:  Oh, yeah!  The new lens is awesome, I shot over 800 pictures, most of them turned out quite good.  I'm quite pleased.

Boss:  Very good, send me the link sometimes, i always enjoy looking at wedding photos.

Me:  Will do.

已奖

[此贴子已经被Alexandria于2007-6-13 20:16:10编辑过]

已奖

Coworker returned from a weekend of skiing, 真实内容如下:

Me:  Hey, how's it going?  How was the skiing?

He: It was awesome, we got a ton of fresh snow saturday night.

Me:  That's cool.  Which resort did you go to?

He:  Went kirkwood. 

Me:  Yeah, kirkwood is great, lots of trails.  Did you ski or snowboard?

He:  Snowboard the first day and ski the second day since the powder was so good.

Me:  Is this the first time you boarded?

He:  Second time, much better than the first.  Do you ski or snowboard?

Me:  Mostly a skier, have tried the board a few times, wasn't a big fan of it.

He:  We are planning another trip in a few weeks.  We rented a cabin in the south shore. Do you guys want to join us?

Me:  Oh, thanks for the invite.  I'll check with my hubby and get back to you.

[此贴子已经被Alexandria于2007-6-13 20:16:53编辑过]

已奖

#5

Ran into an ex-coworker at the cafeteria.

Me: How are you?  Haven't see you for a long while.

She: How long has it been?  It must have been about five six months since we last saw each other.

Me:  I think so, what you been up to? 

She:  I trasferred to xxx group.

Me:  How do you like it? 

She:  It's been pretty good, i'm still learning the ropes.

Me:  Knowing you, you'll pick it up in no time.

She:  How are things with you?  By the way, i love your new hair do.

Me:  Oh, thanks.  I just got it cut short to get ready for the summer.  I'm still getting used to it, feel so much lighter.

She: It looks great, where did you get the cut?

Me:  I got it

[此贴子已经被Alexandria于2007-6-13 20:17:49编辑过]