‘So, what do you do for a living?’
How you answer this question can be a conversation starter or a conversation stopper.
Imagine, you’re at a barbecue and meet a person for the first time. After the obligatory name exchange and polite comment about the weather, the first question one usually asks is about what you do for a living.
Many people answer this question by stating their job title, profession or function, such as ‘I’m a communications manager’ or I work in public relations’ or ‘I’m a digital content writer’.
Your job title, profession or function may be interesting but is it enough to spark a genuine conversation or just a superficial chit chat?
How to Add Substance to Your Response
Instead of just saying what you do, also convey the difference you make through your work. This extra layer of substance to your response can spark curiosity in the other person that leads naturally into a more in-depth conversation.
Revlon cofounder Charles Revson famously once said, ‘In the factory we make cosmetics. In the department stores we sell hope’.
This statement both interests and intrigues me to want to know more. What did he mean by ‘hope’? Hope for who and for what purpose?
Here’s two examples from two of my small business colleagues of how to combine what you do with the difference you make.
Example 1
‘I’m an audiologist. I help people connect with loved ones and fully participate in life through the gift of improved hearing’. (Casey Hearing)
Example 2
‘I run a female-owned painting company. We’re an industry trailblazer because we empower women to shake the mould of the typical tradie.’ (L&D Picturesque Painting)
These examples are not only interesting, they’re also intriguing.
How To Add Even More Depth to Your Response
When you answer the ‘what do you do for a living’ question by communicating what you do as well as the difference you make, you’ve got a great conversation starter. Then you can go even deeper by communicating the story behind the story. In other words, why you do what you do.
The audiologist who helps people connect with loved ones through the gift of improved hearing also worked with deaf children in a school overseas.
The female painting entrepreneur trailblazing a path in a typically male-dominated industry also empowers young women to pursue their dreams, through public speaking events.
Everyone has a back story that’s somehow connected to what they do and the difference they make now. They may not yet realise it and/or may not yet have articulated it but when they do, their conversations and world changes. Because your story brings out your passion, highlights your value and builds trust and connection.
When you combine what you do with the difference you make then add the story behind it, you have a powerful formula for conversation because now I’m interested, intrigued and inspired!
(c) Ros Weadman 2025
