The best networkers don’t talk about what they do

Have you ever been at a networking event, had someone come up to you and ask “what do you do?” Immediately following your response they say, “let’s exchange business cards” and off they go to speak to the next person.

Did it leave a good impression on you?

Probably not.

Will you remember who they are the next day when you see a new LinkedIn connection request?

Probably not.

What about those times when you meet someone and you leap into a discussion about when driverless cars will become the majority of Uber’s workforce or a heated debate of “Is WeWork really a tech company?” Connections over entirely non-work related subjects can be even stronger — like if you discover you both own cats named after historical figures or both spent 6 months backpacking in Central America.

At House of Genius, we don’t allow you to talk about what you do. Job titles and conversations about work experience are forbidden. As soon as you walk in the door, it’s first names only.

Initially it is a little awkward as a group of strangers try to determine what to talk about. Your commute, the weather and most recent holiday all dry up quick. However, once people get warmed up, across the board there is an overall sense of refreshingness. You are no longer defined by a one sentence description of your current job title.

At the end of the event, there is “The Big Reveal.” This is the moment where participants are allowed to answer the infamous ‘what they do’ question, but by this point, most participants realize, it doesn’t really matter. Most attendees quickly gloss over their current job title and use ‘The Big Reveal’ moment to focus on communicating their passions. For some, this is closely tied to their professions, for others it’s competitive figure skating, writing a book, traveling the world or raising three teenagers.

If you want to experience networking where you are forced to not talk about what you do, apply to attend House of Genius.