Top Quotes: “What to Talk About: On a Plane, at a Cocktail Party, in a Tiny Elevator with Your Boss’s Boss” — Chris Colin

“To enter a conversation, you ideally want to connect to something someone else is saying. So first we’ll look at “trigger words.” But sometimes, if a hole doesn’t open up in a conversation, you just have to blast one yourself, and this calls for “cold openings.””

“Bond over your (actual or feigned) shared discomfort: “Sorry, I get awkward in social situations. But you seem like you might understand, and I’m sure you’ve got a lot of interesting things to say.””

“Make sure the other person isn’t talking in order to paper over your silence. Ask “May I interject something?” Then interject something. A conversation is a heavy burden when it’s carried alone.”

“Repetition, with a few filler words, is your friend. Repeat what the interviewer is saying, but tweak it slightly so that it sounds like your own thought. After water, people’s chief need is affirmation. Deliver this, and the job and the water are yours. All you can drink.

Interviewer: There’s been a lot of change in the team recently, and we’re really focused on sustainability and trust.

You: With all the change in your team recently, you probably want to focus on sustainability and trust.

Interviewer: You’ve really put your finger on what we need! You’re hired.

When mirroring, stick close to the interviewer’s language. Don’t try to “translate” what they are saying into your own words or experience.”