涉外礼仪 How to Make Small Talk and How to Tip Properly.doc

中国矿业大学2012～学年第学期 How to Make Small Talk and How to Tip Properly How to Make Small Talk A definition for small talk Small talk is pleasant conversation about common interests. Small talk is relaxed conversation that people make to pass the time. Small talk can also fill in empty silences. It makes other people relaxed, it breaks the silence, it shows friendless and good manners, and it passes the time pleasantly. The reasons and significance to make small talk There are a few different reasons to make small talk. The first, and most obvious, is to break an uncomfortable silence. Another reason, however, is simply to fill time. That is why it is so common to make small talk when you are waiting for something. Some people make small talk in order to be polite. You may not feel like chatting with anyone at a party, but it is rude to just sit in a corner by yourself. After someone introduces you to another person, you do not know anything about them, so in order to show a polite interest in getting to know them better, you have to start with some small talk. Small talk is under estimated and thought to be trivial in so many instances. However, in truth, “small talk” can be the beginning and the end to a career, a relationship and even helpful. For instance, image that you walk into a job interview and feel nervous because of the process. At this time, you can make small talk to be more confident if you knew how to start that interview with small talk and ended it the same way. Tell the interviewer, “I appreciate you taking time for me today”. A little remark such as this can be a huge compliment for that person. Also, tell that person in the middle of the interview, “Although I’m a bit nervous, I appreciate how you’ve made this a little easier”. Most people that are genius at interviewing know how to read body language and decipher what your answers really do mean. However, if you make small talk with small compliments, you’ll begin to make major impacts. Small talk