Stop Being Boring When People Ask, “So What Are You Doing?”
Small talk will never be awkward because in order to get to know someone, you have to ask some difficult questions. Some questions should remain taboo , but it’s almost always fair to ask, “So what do you do for a living?” However, answering it can be a pain in the ass.
Perhaps the last thing you want to talk about is your shitty job. Maybe you have a difficult job and it is not easy for you to explain it. Perhaps you, like me, will enter therapy regimen and start letting go of all your emotional attachments to your career. To avoid these pitfalls, try Fast Company ‘s tips for a compelling description of what you do :
- Find something interesting: Explain your job in a way that an average person might have contact with. “Did you know there are simpler slots on the lids of the cereal boxes that won’t tear? My company invented them. ” “If you are involved in a fatal car accident and the car company is to blame, I decidewhether to recall the product .”
- Avoid the smallest details: Don’t list your resume or discard all of your career concerns. This is especially important for freelancers or entrepreneurs who may feel obligated to account for all of their streams of income. The other person doesn’t want timesheets; they need a starting point for a pleasant conversation. Pick what you like best, whether it is profitable or not, and talk about it.
- Show, don’t tell: If you can carry an example of what you are doing, go for it. But if you’re not attending an online event, don’t turn it into a presentation.
These tips amazed the Lifehacker team. Writing careers are non-linear and involve many aspirations and concessions, which is why writers often over-explain or judge themselves. This can be embarrassing for another person who may feel obligated to support your ego or coax you into going through a personal crisis. In any business, speak confidently about what you are doing. Nobody tries to answer this question.
But adapt your answer to your audience. My colleagues at Lifehacker choose the title “blogger” or “journalist” depending on how willing they are to be criticized by the lagging media. There is always a way to raise or disprove your work without boasting or self-flagellation.
My favorite answer to the question “What do you do?” comes from the father of a childhood friend: “I offer goods and services.” He won’t reveal anything else. It was much more memorable than any desk job the guy was probably doing.
How to answer the question “What are you doing?” Nobody gets bored | Fast Company