Why Most Professionals Fail the ‘What Do You Do?’ Question, According to Shulin Lee

In a recent LinkedIn post, Shulin Lee tackles a fundamental yet often overlooked aspect of professional communication: the ability to clearly articulate one’s role and value. Lee, who draws on 15 years of recruiting experience, posits that a staggering 95% of professionals fail to answer the simple question, “What do you do?” in a way that is easily understood by others.

The post highlights a common scenario where individuals resort to vague corporate jargon or overly complex explanations, leaving listeners, and potentially valuable connections, confused. Lee frames this lack of clarity as a significant barrier to professional advancement.

“Job titles nobody gets. Jargon that means nothing. ‘It’s hard to explain.’ Translation: You don’t actually know.”

According to Shulin Lee, this inability to communicate one’s function effectively has tangible negative consequences across several key areas of career development. These include losing out on job interviews due to a weak “tell me about yourself” response, missing out on crucial referrals because potential referrers don’t understand what help is needed, and diminishing professional credibility.

The High Cost of Ambiguity

Shulin Lee argues that the impact of unclear communication extends directly to career progression and opportunities. In the professional world, being brilliant at your job is only part of the equation; being able to convey that brilliance is equally, if not more, important.

Lee points out that a lack of clarity can directly hinder job prospects. When asked to describe themselves or their work in an interview setting, professionals who rely on “word soup” risk losing the interviewer’s attention within seconds. This initial misstep can be difficult to recover from.

Impact on Referrals and Network Building

Furthermore, Shulin Lee emphasizes the role of clear communication in leveraging one’s professional network. “People can’t refer what they don’t understand. Your network wants to help. They don’t know how,” Lee states. Without a concise and understandable explanation of their role or needs, individuals are essentially preventing their network from providing meaningful assistance, such as referrals or introductions.

Barriers to Promotion and Recognition

The post also addresses the internal career ladder. Shulin Lee contends that leaders are more likely to promote individuals whose value they clearly understand. If an employee cannot effectively explain their contributions and impact to senior management, they may find themselves overlooked for advancement opportunities. “Leaders promote people they get. Can’t explain your value up the chain? You’re stuck,” Lee writes.

The ‘Mother Test’ for Clarity

To combat this pervasive issue, Shulin Lee introduces the “mother test” as a simple yet effective benchmark for clarity. The test challenges professionals to consider if their own mother, a figure often assumed to have a layperson’s understanding, could explain their job to a friend at the market.

“Can your mum explain what you do to her friend at the market? No? Leaving money on the table.”

Lee asserts that complex roles are often overcomplicated by the professionals themselves, rather than being inherently intricate. The implication is that with focused effort, anyone can distill their responsibilities into an understandable narrative.

A Path to Clearer Communication

Shulin Lee offers a free guide designed to help individuals master this essential skill. The guide reportedly provides a proven formula, fill-in-the-blank templates, and real-world examples to assist professionals in crafting a clear and compelling answer to the question, “What do you do?” The goal is to transform potentially confusing self-descriptions into easily repeatable explanations that enhance interviews, referrals, credibility, and promotion prospects.