If you often find yourself participating in small talk about topics you have no interest in or have already discussed to exhaustion, the solution may be asking people unexpected, thought-provoking questions that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no.
It’s a good idea to have stock questions so you don’t have to think them up in the moment.

Prepare Your Conversation Starters

<ul>
<li>If you weren’t working here, what would you probably be doing right now?</li>
<li>How did you become a [job title]?</li>
<li>What’s the craziest thing a boss has ever asked you to do?</li>
<li>If you were guaranteed to be successful, what job would you want?</li>
<li>What was your first job? Did you like it?</li>
<li>What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received? How about the worst?</li>
</ul>

Small Talk Questions About Work

<ul>
<li>If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?</li>
<li>What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?</li>
<li>What’s your go-to comfort food?</li>
<li>Are there any foods that you absolutely would not eat?</li>
<li>What are the best cheap eats around here?</li>
<li>Does your family have any “secret” or famous recipes?</li>
</ul>

Conversation Starters: Small Talk Questions About Food

<ul>
<li>What’s the best “hidden gem” around here?</li>
<li>If you could fly anywhere for free, where would you go?</li>
<li>What’s the coolest road trip you’ve ever been on?</li>
<li>Where’s the last place you traveled? What did you do there?</li>
<li>Do you prefer action-packed vacations or relaxing on the beach?</li>
<li>What’s the next trip you have planned?</li>
</ul>

Small Talk Questions About Travel

<ul>
<li>Are you reading any good books right now? How about shows?</li>
<li>Are there any apps on your phone that you can’t live without?</li>
<li>If you could only watch one genre of movies for the rest of your life, what would it be?</li>
<li>Do you have any podcast suggestions for my commute?</li>
<li>What’s the last movie that made you cry? Or laugh aloud?</li>
<li>Who is your favorite person to follow on Instagram?</li>
</ul>

Small Talk Questions About Entertainment

<ul>
<li>Where did you live before this? What are the biggest differences you see?</li>
<li>What did you think you were going to be growing up?</li>
<li>Do you have any hidden talents or surprising hobbies?</li>
<li>What’s the most unbelievable thing that’s ever happened to you?</li>
<li>Who’s the most important role model or mentor you’ve had in your life?</li>
<li>What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?</li>
</ul>

Conversation Starters: Small Talk Questions About Someone’s Life

<ul>
<li>If you were in charge of picking the eighth wonder of the world, what would you choose?</li>
<li>What do you wish you had placed in a time capsule 15 years ago?</li>
<li>What’s the strangest compliment you’ve ever gotten?</li>
<li>If you could teach a college course on any subject you want, what would it be?</li>
<li>What would be your ideal superpower?</li>
<li>If you could have any type of animal for a pet, what would it be?</li>
</ul>

Random Small Talk Questions

Good conversation starters for any social situation

corporateculture

Corporate Culture

teamwork

Teamwork

career

Career

communication

Communication

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

Conversation Starters

Conversation starters that'll make awkward small talk so much easier

How many times per week do you find yourself participating in small talk about topics you have no interest in or have already discussed a million times-just for something to say? Whether it's waiting for a really slow elevator with a co-worker, talking to an acquaintance at an industry event, or chatting with a complete stranger at a networking event, it happens to all of us.

Conversation Starters: Small Talk Questions About Food

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