What are the most appropriate responses to some very uncomfortable and awkward questions?
Share any question you’ve been asked which would make any other person feel awkward from answering it and an answer to responsibly deal with it without compromising yourself.
“How’s the job search coming?” is usually meant to be encouraging, but it can feel like a stab in the back if you read it as “still unemployed, huh?”
What can help is to approach this from a “seen any job opening that piques your interest?” view. Think of 2-3 positions, locations, etc., that you can talk about with some interest. Maybe you’ve never worked in that field, so you tell the person that you hadn’t considered it before and what might draw your interest, or there’s an opening in a city/place you’ve never been and you can talk about that. Most people aren’t looking for the spiel, so this satisfies them without embarrassing either of you.
This doubles as practicing interview questions (“why do you want this job?”) that you’ll need in the future, anyways.
“It usually takes me some time to be comfortable around new people.”
I’ve found that people are usually quite understanding and make an effort to include you in conversations if you just be honest with them instead of being snarky.
I believe some comedian suggested to respond with a similar vulgar question about their sex life. I think that’s a fair point.
Tho you can always ask them if their first question to a stranger is a deeply personal one to get their own perversions fed. That way you are still on the high horse :)
My partner gave the reply “No, we’re just practicing”, the lady looked horrified. You asked about a near stranger’s sex life, lady. I don’t know what she expected.
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