It’s normal to panic when it’s your turn to share a “fun fact” at work. Gorick Ng, a career adviser at Harvard and faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley, says many early career employees freeze up when asked for a fun fact, assuming it’s a test – which it is, but only partially.
Finding work-appropriate and engaging content is tricky. It’s important not to be boring but not to cause HR problems. Find out what five career experts say about themselves in their go-to icebreakers. There is value in learning from each person’s strategy for picking what to reveal in getting-to-know-you exercises.
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“I Used To Do Magic Tricks.”
Don’t talk about work, don’t ask incriminating questions, and share something cool about yourself. Make your point in a way that doesn’t seem incriminating, so people think, ‘Tell me more’ or ‘No way, me too!’ Compatibility, commitment, and competence are the three C’s people consider when evaluating you. Tell them a fun fact to build compatibility.
“I’ve Done Improv, And I’m From Turkey.”
“It’s not about coming up with the ‘right’ answer. It’s about getting everyone comfortable speaking, contributing, and taking turns.” – Bonnie Dilber, Zapier recruiter.
Try To Make An Icebreaker Stress-Free
Here are some best practices to consider when designing an icebreaker.
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Give People A Heads-Up.
Introducing yourself and sharing a fun fact can make a big difference at our kickoff meetings. It can be helpful to inform employees in advance that there will be an icebreaker. Without it, improvisers can dominate discussions.
Be Upfront About Reason For Fun facts
Hogan said that an icebreaker could get people talking immediately, build relationships between strangers, or inject humor into a boring or quiet meeting. Introduce your icebreaker question with the goal!