The Uncommon Question

Skip "What do you do?" Ask: "What is the most exciting thing you are working on?" Uncommon questions get memorable answers and make you stand out inside the first minute — before you get filed under the same job-title shorthand as the last six people.

The person asking interesting questions is more memorable than the one with an impressive elevator pitch. A precise follow-up question — "what made that launch difficult?" — proves you were listening in the moment, not waiting for your turn to talk.