Career Prep 2009 Summer Blog

Connect on a personal level. Wlad Maracaba from Yale University warns that one should not just talk about the weather. The best way to start a conversation is to let the other person talk about him/herself. People love to do that. Therefore, questions such as "What does your day look like?" and "How was your weekend?" are winners. They help you connect with the other person on a personal level and also fill you in with what they are doing at work. Once you get to know him/her better, hopefully, you will not have to think about conversation starters anymore! Vanessa Johnson from the University of Connecticut adds that you can start a conversation by asking an individual what his/her interests are. When trying to start a conversation with someone in your actual internship, you can inquire about how they developed an interest in their current field and what they like the best about their job. These topics could help break the ice.