The Squiggly Career Pitch Kit
How to Answer “What Do You Do?” Without Shrinking Yourself Into One Box
Three templates. Three contexts. One career that finally gets introduced properly.
You know the moment. Someone asks what you do and your brain runs a quick calculation: How much of myself do I include? Which job title will make sense to this person? Do I mention the consulting, the podcast, the design work, or just pick the one that sounds most “real”?
You edit yourself down. You pick one thing. And you walk away feeling like you just introduced a stranger instead of yourself.
This kit fixes that.
How to Use This Kit
Each template is built for a different situation. You don’t need one pitch — you need three, because “what do you do?” means something different at a dinner party than it does in a sales conversation.
- Read each template and the example that follows it
- Fill in your version using the bracketed prompts
- Say it out loud — if it feels like you, it’s right. If it feels like a LinkedIn bio, keep editing.
- Save all three somewhere you can review before networking events, interviews, or those random “so what do you do?” moments
The goal isn’t a perfect script. It’s a framework you can riff on so you never freeze up or shrink yourself again.
Template 1: The Dinner Party Pitch
Use when: Casual settings. New people. When “what do you do?” is small talk, not a business inquiry. The goal is to be interesting and memorable, not comprehensive.
The Formula
I’m one of those people who [QUIRKY HONEST DESCRIPTION OF YOUR PATTERN]. Right now I’m mostly focused on [CURRENT PRIMARY THING], but I got here through [1–2 UNEXPECTED PAST ROLES/EXPERIENCES]. The thread that connects all of it is [THE DEEPER THEME OR SKILL].
Why this works: It leads with personality, not a title. It gives the other person something to be curious about. And it names the thread — which is the thing generalists rarely do but that makes everything click.
Example
I’m one of those people who can’t stop starting things. Right now I’m mostly focused on running a content strategy practice for tech startups, but I got here through documentary filmmaking and a stint managing a restaurant in Berlin. The thread that connects all of it is storytelling — I just keep finding new mediums for it.
Your Version
I’m one of those people who . Right now I’m mostly focused on , but I got here through . The thread that connects all of it is .
Tips
- The opening should make someone smile or lean in — “one of those people who…” is disarming
- Your “thread” doesn’t have to be a skill. It can be a value, a question you keep exploring, or a way of thinking
- Keep it under 30 seconds when spoken. If you’re running long, cut the middle section
Template 2: The Professional Pitch
Use when: Networking events. LinkedIn conversations. Job interviews. Client calls. When the other person is evaluating whether to work with you. The goal is to sound credible AND differentiated.
The Formula
I help [WHO] with [WHAT OUTCOME] by bringing together [SKILL/PERSPECTIVE 1] and [SKILL/PERSPECTIVE 2]. Most people in this space come from [TYPICAL BACKGROUND] — I come from [YOUR UNUSUAL BACKGROUND], which means I [UNIQUE ADVANTAGE YOUR RANGE GIVES YOU].
Why this works: It positions your range as the reason you’re better, not despite being different. The contrast with “most people in this space” makes your background a feature, not something that needs explaining away.
Example
I help early-stage founders build go-to-market strategies by bringing together brand storytelling and data analysis. Most people in this space come from either the creative side or the analytics side — I come from both (journalism degree, then 4 years in fintech), which means I can build a narrative that actually holds up to the numbers.
Your Version
I help with by bringing together and . Most people in this space come from — I come from , which means I .
Tips
- “I help [WHO] with [WHAT]” is the anchor. Get this crisp. Everything else supports it.
- Your unusual background IS the selling point here. Don’t downplay it — contrast it
- If you serve multiple audiences, pick the one most relevant to the person you’re talking to. You can always expand later.
Template 3: The Online Bio
Use when: Your website. Your LinkedIn summary. Your newsletter about page. Speaker bios. Anywhere your pitch lives in writing and needs to work without your personality in the room.
The Formula
[IDENTITY STATEMENT — who you are in one line].
[YOUR RANGE — 2–3 sentences showing the breadth of what you’ve done, written as a narrative, not a list].
[THE THREAD — what connects it all and why it matters to the reader].
[THE CURRENT CHAPTER — what you’re focused on now and where people can find you].
Why this works: Written bios need more structure because the reader doesn’t have your energy and tone of voice to fill in the gaps. This template gives you a narrative arc (identity → range → thread → now) that makes a squiggly career feel intentional.
Example
I’m a strategist, writer, and proud generalist who finally stopped apologizing for having too many interests.
I’ve spent the last decade moving between management consulting, UX research, and freelance journalism — sometimes at the same time. I’ve helped a Fortune 500 company redesign their onboarding, written long-form features for national publications, and taught myself enough code to build two products that nobody used (and one that people did).
The thread: I’m obsessed with how people make decisions. Every role I’ve held has been a different angle on the same question.
Right now I run a consultancy helping B2B companies improve their buyer experience. I write a weekly newsletter about decision-making and career design. And I’m a member of Generalist World, where I finally found people who don’t need me to explain why my resume looks like this.
Your Version
.
The thread: .
Right now .
Tips
- The identity statement should be confident, not apologetic. “Reluctant generalist” works because it’s self-aware. “I can’t decide what I want to be” doesn’t.
- The range section: write it as a story, not a bullet list. Lists of job titles are what LinkedIn is for. This is where your personality comes through.
- “The thread” is the most important line. Spend time here. This is the sentence people will remember.
- The current chapter grounds you. Without it, you sound like a wanderer. With it, you sound like someone with range AND direction.
Quick Start
If you only do one thing right now: fill in Template 1 — the Dinner Party Pitch.
It’s the shortest, the most natural, and the most frequently needed. Once you have this one down, the other two get easier because you’ve already found your thread.
One More Thing
These templates are frameworks, not scripts. The best version of each one is the one that sounds like you when you’re relaxed and not trying to impress anyone.
If you fill one in and it feels stiff, read it to a friend. If they say “that doesn’t sound like you,” trust them and rewrite it in the words you’d actually use.
Your squiggly career is an asset. The pitch kit just helps other people see what you already know.
The Deeper Truth This Kit Can’t Solve
These templates help you explain yourself to people who think in job titles and linear paths.
They work. You’ll feel more confident. You’ll stop freezing up.
But here’s what they can’t do: put you in a room full of people who don’t need the explanation at all.
People who hear “I’ve done consulting, filmmaking, and restaurant management” and say “of course you have” instead of “but which one is your real job?”
That’s what Generalist World is. Thousands of professionals with squiggly careers. A community that opens three times a year. Not another networking platform — a place where range is the whole point.
If these templates helped you articulate your career, imagine what happens when you’re surrounded by people who already speak this language.
Doors open three times a year. We’ll let you know when the next cohort starts.