Tuesday, 04 February 2025 04:27

Use this brilliant response the next time you’re asked, ‘What do you do?’

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As someone who regularly attends networking events, I get asked, "What do you do?” multiple times a month. In my experience, either you sound like you're too full of yourself or you sound boring.
Global communication expert Jessica Chen says she has a formula for answering the question in a creative way.
“Over time, I’ve discovered that the key — and often missing — ingredient for better small talk is relatability,” she says. Instead of just saying a job title, you should say, “You know how [talk about issues you solve]? So what I do is [share the solutions you offer]. In fact, [drop some proof].”
Simply naming your company and job title isn’t much of a conversation starter, she says, but asking a rhetorical question referencing a common problem helps paint a picture for others. For example: “You know how cyberattacks are getting more frequent and sophisticated?” 
Afterward, briefly explain how you solve that problem without using too much jargon, like: “What I do is create software systems that alert companies when a suspicious user tries to access their platform.”
Then finish your response with some added context. This is where you can use company names, numbers, or a story to tie it all together, Chen says. For instance, you could say: “In fact, our organization is one of the largest cybersecurity companies in the world with clients like [well-known company].” 
Though I typically hate being asked “What do you do?” maybe Chen’s formula will help me dread it a bit less, and foster some real, genuine conversation.

 

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