...
Unfortunately, the discussions cannot be sped up or skipped and there are a finite number so in the end, it is possible to get frustrated by them. This is where the 'Boarderless Windowed mode' comes in handy as alt+tab to a website cuts the audio but lets you see how things progress if you keep the website clear of the subtitles. That's what I do anyway 
Potential rewards from successful small talk mini games (numbers corresponding with radial menu):
- Ask for: Discount (your choice of a discount with them or a station).
- -not used-
- Ask about: Job applicant (recieve directions to a random NPC of a chosen type - not great).
- Trade Updated (see below; a max of one per station; they unlock continuous, real-time market info for the Trade Window).
- Give: Item (only available with 9 or 10 points; craftables gift unlock a 2nd mini game*).
- -not used-
*Success offers rewards including 'Training Manuals' (adds a star to a hired NPC's main skills) and the location of an chosen NPC type with the best skills in-zone. Finding 'smalltalk'
Since the chance of an NPC talking is random and not all NPCs will necessarily be the kind you would like to talk to, it is sensible to find a spot with lots of NPCs to increase the chance of a useful one talking early.
...
- Generally, the bunk rooms tend to hold up to ~6 NPCs so small talk normally starts within 10-20 seconds.
- In De Vries, a handy place is the Engineering platform as groups of NPCs tend to be at the docking platform.
- In Albion a handy spot is the Trade platform since groups can hang around in the first corridor.
- In Fields Of Opportunity, there are normally many Teladi in the main, central docking area.
Potential rewards from successful smalltalk (numbers corresponding with radial menu):
- Ask for: Discount (a discount for the station unless NPC is a Trader, than you could chose a discount with them instead).
- -not used-
- Ask about: Job applicant (receive directions to a random NPC of a chosen type - not great).
- Trade Updates (see below as not all NPCS offer it; they unlock continuous, real-time market info for the NPC's station).
- Give: Item (craftable gift unlock the option to learn location of a chosen NPC type with the best-skilled in the zone*, or a 2nd mini game for Training Manuals).
- -not used-
*If wishing to look for higher-skilled crew via Smalltalk, it is best to do so in zones where the sidebar shows many hireable NPCs.
Trade Updates
These will only be offered by a subset of NPCs.
NPCs that can offer Trade Updates:
Arms Dealer
Inventory item traders (e.g. Food Merchant or Black Marketeer).
License broker
Mechanic
Recruitment Officer
Ship Dealer
Station crew, only if working on the particular station (Defense Officer, Engineer, Manager or Specialists).
NPCs that never offer Trade Updates:
Architect (even if they are working on NPC CVs during the main plot)
Captain
Hirable Defense Officer, Engineer, Manager or Specialist
Marine Officer
Pilot
Training Manuals
These are only available via the craftable gift option after the first smalltalk and if the second smalltalk was completed with a score of 9 or 10 points. Good completion of the second smalltalk allows us to ask for 'Training Manuals', which are unique to Smalltalk. They are available for various potentially important skills, such as Engineering, Leadership and Morale. A Training Manual can be used to add one star to the related skill of one of your hired NPC's primary, bold-highlighted skills (e.g. only Engineering for Engineers), to a maximum of 5 stars. Exactly which Training Manual you may be offered relates to the primary skills of the NPC in question so it is somewhat random in the sense that it is random as to which NPC may begin a smalltalk.