The first two minutes
Get past “How are you?” warmly, without sounding scripted.
What they’re listening for
- • Are you easy to talk to?
- • Do you sound relaxed, or nervous and rehearsed?
- • Can you keep a tiny conversation going?
Small talk isn't a test of knowledge. It's a vibe check. Recruiters talk to a lot of people every day, and the ones they remember sound like people, not résumés. A simple pattern works almost every time: answer, add one small real detail, and hand the question back.
Stiff vs. natural
Interviewer: “Hi! How's your day going so far?”
Sounds stiff
“I am fine, thank you. And you?”
Sounds natural
“Pretty good, thanks! It's finally sunny here after like a week of rain, so I'm in a good mood. How's yours going?”
- “Pretty good” sounds relaxed. “I am fine” sounds like a textbook.
- One small real detail (the weather) gives them something to react to.
- Handing the question back keeps it a conversation, not an interrogation.
Interviewer: “Where are you calling in from?”
Sounds stiff
“I am located in Lisbon, Portugal.”
Sounds natural
“I'm in Lisbon! It's evening here, so I've officially switched from coffee to tea.”
- A tiny joke about yourself is the safest kind of humor.
- Mentioning the time difference shows you're thinking about logistics, without making it a big deal.
Small-talk phrases
- “Pretty good, thanks! How about you?”Your default answer to “How are you?”
- “Can't complain!”Relaxed and a little playful.
- “Oh nice, how's the weather over there?”When they mention where they are.
- “My dog decided 6 a.m. was a great time for a walk, so I've been up a while.”A life detail. Swap in something true about your day.
- “Sorry, one sec, my camera's being a little weird.”Handling a tech glitch calmly.
- “Anyway, I'm really glad we could connect.”Moving from small talk to business.
Humor and life talk
Works well
- • Light jokes about yourself: coffee, early mornings, your pet's schedule
- • Smiling at and building on their joke
- • Weather, weekends and time zones
Skip it
- • Politics, religion and money
- • Jokes about the company, the interviewer or other candidates
- • Sarcasm, which often lands badly on video calls
Now say it out loud
Rehearse with the AI interviewer and get feedback on your answers.