The Imperfect Pitch
Raise your hand if you get tripped up telling people what you do. It’s should flow off the tongue effortlessly, right? Yet somehow, we respond like it’s one of the most complex questions we’ve ever been asked. As if it’s some kinda trick question! Well, I gotta tell ya, you’re not alone.
What if I told you there are 7 ways you can easily and effectively answer the question “What do you do?” (And here’s the biggie! You don’t have to have a fancy job to be able to do it!)
If you’ve ever struggled with the question “what do you do?” and walked away from a conversation thinking, “Ugh why did I talk about my job like that?” then this blog is here for you! PLUS, these tips are perfect for inspiring YOU on how to ask people about what THEY do. So, from building a foundation to building a solid network, let’s dive in!
Highlight a problem you solve
Let’s be real. The reason you get paid is a much better explanation of what you do than your job title.
If you’re in a career, have a professional role, or own your own business, your boss or clients hired you because you solve a problem. So, tell your audience about it.
Here’s a quick and easy template for you to use:
I am a {insert job title} specializing in {insert what you actually do} to help {insert group of people} {insert desired outcome}
For this example, let’s assume you’re a copywriter.
“I am a copywriter specializing in creating high value content to help small business owners increase their emailing list and convert them into paying clients”
… See, nailed it!
By focussing on the value you bring to the table, not only do you impress instantly on the spot, but you provide an avenue for the conversation to go further, inviting the other person to ask exactly how you go about solving the problems.
Tell a story
Oh man, this is one of my favourites! People love stories that they can relate to, which in turns helps them better connect to the person telling the story.
When someone asks what you do, give them a story about something that is interesting or exciting about your work.
For instance, instead of saying you teach English to children online, you might weave in a story into your answer by saying:
“I currently teach English to children online. Just last month, I travelled to Korea, China, and Thailand from the comfort of my home. I am trying to reach up to 6 different countries each month because I love learning about different cultures and impacting children’s lives”.
Telling stories in this way not only makes your answer interesting by adding context to what you do, it also allows you to shape the mental picture the other person holds about you. Eliminating any weird assumptions the other person might have about your line of work.
Again, by answering in this way, you provide an opportunity for the conversation to flourish, rather than fizzle out!Not to mention, they’re more likely to remember meeting you than they would of if you if you hadn’t divulged in the detail.
Educate them!
We’ve all run into people that assume they know what we do for work...right?
When someone asks you what you do, instead of stating your job title and leaving it for interpretation, take the question as an opportunity to educate them on something about your line of work.
Go on, it’s easy! Pick a small element of your profession that you think they don’t know about and educate them about it. This could be anything like:
· the void that you are filling in the market
· the latest trends in your industry
· some work trivia
· some common misconceptions about your line of work
· some interesting information you learned recently, and so on
Say there’s a person that helps brick and mortar businesses add an online course offering to their services. Say whaaa? This could be very confusing for someone. So let’s switch this up….
“I help people launch an online course as part of their business. Did you know that by 2026 the Global E-learning industry is expected to hit 374.3 Billion USD, in 2019 it was 144 Billion. I help my clients get a tiny sliver of that billion dollar industry.”
…WOW gotcha!!
Sharing a unique piece of information about your line of work positions you as someone who is quite knowledgeable about your industry, but it also paints a picture about the value you bring to the table and what you exactly do – evoking the conversation to continue. (Hopefully you’ll see a common theme emerging here!!!)
So go on, jot down some interesting facts or fun trivia about your industry!
Promote yourself
Okay, if you’re squirming in your seat at the thought of promoting yourself, hear me out. You’re a problem solver, not a self-centred SOB. So, relax. This technique’s got your covered ;)
Being asked what you do is YOUR chance to shine, particularly in front of a potential client or employer. Promoting yourself, when done right is the ultimate win-win for all parties involved.
By telling the other person what you’re good at and how you can help them or their business, you are not only making it easier for them to find someone that can bring value, but you’re also creating an opportunity for you to get some dollar bills.
This method is especially effective when you’re at corporate or professional events
and know something about what the other person does. Having any nuggets of information on the person you’re taking to becomes much easier for you to tie what you do to what they might be looking for.
Picture this, you’re a brand consultant for the hospitality industry chatting up a restaurant owner who might be interested in a rebrand or opening a new restaurant. If they ask what you do for a living, you can use it as a chance for self-promotion by saying,
“I’m a brand consultant who specializes in the restaurant niche. The brands I have been honored to collaborate with have been recognized in the top 10 best of lists in LA and I get to taste fun recipes along the way.”
With this answer, you aren’t just telling the person what you do, you’re telling them you’re the best person for their job! Chaa-ching!
Keep it relatable!
This tip is especially helpful if you’ve accidentally dropped the jargon bomb when explaining what they do, leaving the person in front of you completely bewildered. So, to save digging an even bigger hole, and leaving the person wishing they’d never asked... bring it into their world by showing them how you could be of help to them or their business.
For instance, say you’re an SEO consultant and someone asks, “What do you do?” You could answer with:
Let’s say you just launched a website for your business, and you are looking for ways to get more people to visit your website.
I’m the person you would call to look at your website and optimize it so that it’s easier for people to find it on Google when they search for phrases related to your industry.
My job is to convince Google’s algorithms that your website is more important and relevant, so that they can rank it higher in their search results.
This gives a clear picture on what you do, the value you provide and the results you deliver instead of saying, “I do SEO”.
By bringing your answer into their world, they’ll be sure to remember you in the future! So, when that website launch does come around, you’ll be top of their speed dial!
Make it catchy!
Throughout your networking journey you will meet SOOOOO many people with the SAME job titles, so if the title of your job is becoming 50 shades of boring and you wanna make it fun, then keep reading…
Imagine you meet someone that is an HR consultant, an insurance provider and a Director of First Impressions.Who are you more interested in hearing from?
(Sorry HR!)
Whether it’s a fancy name for a private butler or virtual assistant, Director of First Impressions cuts through the sea of sameness, creating real intrigue. And the best of it, it’s not untrue!
A catchy title acts as an ice breaker. It sets the ground for fun and interesting conversations, and if nothing else it puts a smile on both yours and the other person’s face. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
Wondering how you can shift your job title to describe what you do? Here’s a couple of examples:
· From Plumber to “Mario and Luigi’s Insurance Guy”
· From Commercial insurance to “Business Superhero”, because you save the day when your clients are in need!
Talk about something you’re passionate about
People don’t always like their jobs. In such cases, having to tell someone what you do is the last thing you wanna do. You’re stuck in a predicament because you know you won’t sound enthusiastic about your job but nor do you want to tell someone you just met that your job completely sucks. You might even be unemployed at the moment, which makes the question kind’a awkward. If that’s the case, then this is the technique will help you boss it like a pro!
The technique is to focus on something you are passionate about, whether or not it is something you actually get paid for.
Let’s say you are a shoe salesman, but that is not your ideal job. Maybe you are taking some web design and development classes with the aim of starting your own web design business. If someone asks what you do, you don’t have to talk about your sales job. Instead, you can say:
“I’m currently learning web design and development. I’m looking forward to starting my own web design business.”
With this type of answer, you are taking charge of the situation and steering the conversation towards something you actually enjoy – but remember, it has to be legit!
If you’d like to flush out your pitch let’s hop on a 15 min networking strategy call. Booking Link is here.