I never ask. People love talking about themselves. If they want you to know, they’ll eventually get to it if you’re jiving. Or maybe after a few meetings they will. Or you can find out through other channels. In some circles I’ve travelled, it’s verboten to even ask someone how they make their living. It’s interpreted as you not being experienced enough to know that such a question is not cool to ask.

Considering the rise of remote work, I ask "What projects are you passionate about?" to spark interesting conversations.