How to Answer “So, What Do You Do?” Without Killing the Conversation

Learn this one sentence formula to eliminate the awkward silence

You’re at a lunch. Or a conference. Or just making small talk with someone new.

And then it comes:

“So, what do you do?”

If you’re like me, your brain scrambles.

Do I tell them the job title on my business card?

Or do I go with something that actually sparks a conversation?

I used to say, “I work in Compensation.”

But unless the other person also works in HR, that’s usually the end of the conversation.

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with a better way to answer this question, and I got some help from a TEDx talk by Clay Hebert.

Clay’s advice is gold:

“I help [who] [do what].”

That’s it.

It sounds simple, but it works.

For me?

I help introverts become better networkers.

Or even better: I teach introverts how to become better networkers.

Way more interesting than “I work in HR.”

If you're passionate about something outside your day job, or even inside it, try using this formula the next time someone asks what you do.

And once you’ve shared your one-liner, be ready to follow it with a story.

When the other person hears your one-liner and says, “That’s interesting, how do you do that?”

Clay suggests saying:
“Let me tell you a story…”

Then you can do into detail about someone you have helped and what the outcomes were.

That’s where the real connection happens.

You don’t need to be a networking expert to have better conversations.

You just need a plan.

So…
What’s your one-liner?
Drop it in the comments. I’d love to hear it.

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I’m Greg.

My mission is to change the way people feel about networking.

I share my best networking tips and tricks every week in my newsletter, The Introverted Networker.

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