A better answer to “So, what do you do?”
What do you say when someone asks what you do?
If your answer is "I'm a software engineer at XYZ," you're giving up a chance to connect.
Titles fade. Clear outcomes stick. Most of us work in niche spaces, so people need a simple context they can grasp and repeat. When you translate your work into plain English, you make it easier for them to remember you and follow up later.
This gives you a two-line answer you can use anywhere. It says who you help and the result you create, supported by one proof. Then you'll tune it for the person in front of you and avoid common traps.
A Template To Help Them "Lean In"
A good answer sets context, is easy to repeat, and reduces the need for later explanation.
Say this:
"I help [who] with [outcome]. [one proof in time or money]."
Guidelines
- 20–30 seconds when spoken.
- One outcome, one proof.
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Use plain words. Swap acronyms for simple terms.
- “SOC 2” → “security audit”
- “Feature flags” → “light switches to turn features on and off”
Using these guidelines, we can go from “I’m a software engineer at XYZ.” to “I help software teams roll out features using toggles so they can identify and fix issues before they blow up. Last month a client reversed a bad change in seconds and avoided about $25,000 in downtime.”
The first one doesn't engage the person asking the question. The second one provides a jumping off point for a discussion.
Make Your Intro Connect
People remember what feels relevant to them. Keep your core and swap the language so it matches the listener.
Before you answer, think about who they are. What do they care about? Which proof fits their world?
Example 1: Talking to a tech recruiter
“I help engineering teams reduce release incidents. Last month a client caught a bug within 10 minutes and rolled it back immediately, keeping incident time under an hour.”
Why it works: clear problem space and one measurable win.
Example 2: Talking to an accountant
“I help companies release software updates without causing outages. A client found a major bug in 10 minutes and reversed it right away, avoiding about $25,000 in downtime.”
Why it works: same outcome, expressed in dollars and risk. Easy to retell.
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Where can AI save you time?
My friends at Big Creek Growth put together a quick survey to spot the repetitive work you can hand off to automation.
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How to Build Your Story
Before you write the whole thing, break it into chunks. Working each piece on its own makes the words cleaner and the final two-line answer easier to say.
1. Who do you help?
Name the audience in plain English.
Sentence starter: “I help [who] …”
Examples: product teams, veterinarians, sales reps, small e-commerce shops.
2. How do you help?
State the core value you create in simple terms.
Sentence starter: “… [how you help].”
Ideas: ship faster, reduce risk, protect revenue, improve accuracy, cut rework.
Example: “I help product teams release updates without breaking things.”
3. What is your proof?
Pick a recent, true moment. Express it in minutes, dollars, or errors.
Sentence starter: “Last [timeframe], [team or client] [proof].”
Example: “Last month a client reversed a bad change in minutes and avoided about $25,000 in downtime.”
4. Check your audience
Run your two lines past a few lenses to spot jargon and weak framing.
- Family member: Can they repeat it back in one sentence
- Colleague: Does the mechanism make sense without tool names
- Recruiter: Does it show a problem space and a result in 90 days
- Executive: Is the impact clear in time, money, or risk
Paste your draft into ChatGPT and ask, “Rewrite for a recruiter,” or “Explain to a non-technical exec.” Use that feedback to swap out phrases. Just make sure it doesn't inflate your text.
5. Put it all together
Say both lines out loud. Trim until it fits in 20–30 seconds. I recommend that you save two versions: one for non-technical listeners and one for peers.
What Not To Do
- Don’t lead with a title Start with the outcome you create.
- Don’t use insider jargon Use plain words that they can repeat.
- Don’t overload metrics One proof that fits their world is enough.
- Don’t pitch tools Instead, describe the mechanism. “We roll out to a small slice first and watch error rates.”
- Don’t assume shared context Translate into value. “Observability” → “we see errors before users do.”
- Don’t ramble Keep it under 30 seconds. The conversation should flow from there.
Your answer to “So, what do you do for a living?” should say who you help, how you help, and offer proof in plain English.
That clarity helps people remember you, builds trust faster, and turns quick chats into engaging conversations.
Start by thinking about how you currently respond to this question. And then go through the "how-to" guide.
If you want a quick gut check, reply with your answer, and I’ll give you a review.