“What Do You Do?”
When you meet someone for the first time and don’t know anything about him or her, it is rude to start with–or even make your second or third questions–”What do you do?” (Especially with unemployment rates so high!)
The emphasis on work is an American preoccupation, and to be a really sociable person, it’s a good idea to delay occupation inquiries until it’s pretty clear that both parties feel comfortable with each other.
I’m told that in some European countries “How much do you make?” is a far more polite question than “What do you do?” It makes sense when you think about it.
