3 Tips to Keep Going Past the Scary Parts of Unemployment (My Unemployment Story Part 4)

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I hope you enjoyed reading my other posts about my challenges of going through unemployment in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Finally, Part 4 is the logistics of what I did to find that next job. Schedule your day When you have a job, do you feel tied...

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The Best and Worst of Recruiters (My Unemployment Story Part 3)

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One of the main reasons job seeking when unemployed is so difficult is because it is hard to maintain a positive attitude. Every time a recruiter calls you have to respond in a cheery voice and describe all of the great attributes you have without any self doubt. Many times,...

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An Apology to My Friends: 3 Things to Help if Unemployed (MyUnemployment Story Part 2)

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Dear Family and Friends, I know I haven't been around as much lately but the truth is it isn't because I don't want to be. Being unemployed is one of the hardest things I've been through and just answering the simple question of "what have you been up to?" or...

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The End of Unemployment: My Story and Tips (My Unemployment Story Part 1)

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It is finally here! I have a job! I start next week and I couldn't be happier to be contributing to society again. It wasn't easy and I'm sure I'm not the only person that has (or will have to) go through this. So I want to share my experience...

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Trash or Treasure? 3 Things You Can Recycle, Donate, or Give Away at Work Today

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Whew! What a relief to do some new year's cleaning in the basement to make room for new resolutions (a.k.a. new treadmill). A shout out to the Salvation Army for making it possible. We had an old ping pong table that would have cost nearly $50 to trash but by...

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3 Lessons from a Do-It-Yourself Project that Required a Different Kind of Patience

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The bad news is my washing machine stopped working. The good news? I wasn't afraid to get my hands dirty and fix it myself! More bad news? No one had the parts I needed. The good news? Amazon saved the day with its two-day shipping. This DIY success definitely calls...

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I know everyone is writing about the weather this week but I can't help but think of any amount of snow as just an easy "small talk" topic. Where I am in Colorado we had about a foot of snow over the weekend and it is still counting. Personally I love the excuse to cuddle up with a cup of tea. It is also a great way to break the silence in some of those awkward networking events. Filling the void of silence is not always a waste of time and small talk does have its benefits.
  1. Find something in common
    • When in an uncomfortable setting, friendly banter can ease the conversation into something a bit more relevant. You might start with snow as a topic and it might lead to you finding out that your neighbor has a condo on the ski slope that you could rent for cheap. Now you know you both like to ski and you automatically have something to talk about with them every subsequent time you meet inadvertently.
  2. Learn something new
    • Small talk doesn't have to be mindless banter. If you aren't someone who watches the news on a daily basis or not someone that follows Twitter trends regularly, you might actually learn that the Winter Storm Nika is the cause of all the moisture or to watch for the Goldieblox Super Bowl commercial sponsored by Intuit. It might not all be useless facts!
  3. Pass the time
    • Sometimes you simply are waiting out the clock. What about "time flies when you're having fun"? If you really are just waiting until the meeting starts, why not make twiddling your thumbs a bit more exciting and strike up a conversation with some else in the same situation.
Can I recommend that you stretch your small talk skills and initiate a conversation instead of checking your email needlessly on your smart phone? Whether the closest random stranger is sitting next to you on the bus, at the conference table, or in the elevator, try sparking up a conversation and it just might be worth your time. Also, if you struggle with small talk, Debra Fine is a great local speaker and author that can give you some tips!

About Me



So if you want to be happy at work like I am, then thanks for being a reader! I am a consultant that travels constantly and is always working with new people. I love what I do! I'm formally trained with an MBA and BS Engineering. At home and in my free time, I like to drink beer, travel, garden, read, hike with my dog, and play board games.

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