by Natalie Fisher | September 10, 2018
Re-posted from Vault

You’ve practiced your answers, prepared questions you want to ask, and feel confident about going into your interview with a sense of direction. The only thing that’s got your nerves a little off balance is anticipating the small talk pre-interview—which interviewers often use to gauge your personality and get a sense of who you are, unrehearsed. In just a few short sentences of small talk, your politeness, positivity, and overall mindset can all be revealed.

If the prospect of small talk before your interview makes you anxious, that’s normal. It can be hard to know what to say and how to make this process smooth and less awkward. The good thing is there are ways to prepare for this initial opening of the interview so that you can walk in feeling ready to meet and greet from a confident, comfortable place.

[READ MORE for] some tips to help you leverage this opportunity and leave an even stronger impression for your interview.