At social gatherings, I avoid mentioning my job as much as I avoid close talkers with bad breath. I’d rather talk about your job because your profession is much more understandable and universal. You are a teacher, police officer or accountant. When I say, “Hi. I’m Ali Webster, Senior Talent Acquisition Coordinator at a recruitment company,” your eyes will glance to the left as you try to catch the attention of that doctor again.

Perhaps Queen of the Recruitment Process is a bit more enchanting to you? I’ve decided to forgo my “official” title at future events. The titles below only capture a fraction of my responsibilities, but would at least lead to more conversation.

Technology Trainer: I teach new recruiters the capabilities of our applicant tracking system and help seasoned recruiters utilize the tool in the most efficient way possible. I hold regular training sessions with folks in Europe and Asia Pacific. Have you traveled before?

Professional Typist: I’m on my computer all day. My mode of communication is email. If I did not type 70 words per minute, I’d be here all night too. Interested in a friendly competition on TypingTest.com?

Reporting Geek: I heart Pivot Tables and Vlookup. I create and run reports on fills, candidate sources and time to hire. The recruiters work hard the entire month and I create a pretty picture of the results for our client. Okay, okay… You would probably walk away after I mention “hearting” Excel functions.

Cheerleader: I root for the team and the recruiters every day. I try to give them the information and tools they need to get their job done, effectively and quickly. I’m practically shouting “One more F-I-L-L!” in their ear. You should see my front handspring.

Social Media Specialist: I manage the content of my client’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. I interact with candidates and market our positions in the social media space. You would probably send me a friend request the next day…

“What do you do” is an opportunity to learn more about the other person, not a cue to regurgitate your resume or the small text on your business card. Need help answering the question “What do you do?” Post a comment below and let's figure out how to make you a little more compelling...

Originally posted on Recruitalicious.