Networking events are great ways to learn about new opportunities, make important connections and grow professionally.

But for many people, they’re intimidating – primarily because you don’t know what to say, or how to start a conversation, especially if you don’t know anyone else in the room.

Remember, the goal is for both of you to talk about yourselves and get to know each other. And if you ask the standard “what do you do” question, you’ll get a canned response. So here are some ideas from ProStaff, Top Resume and Business Insider that can help you creatively break the ice.

General

There are some general questions that will serve you well at a networking – or any – event, and they’re easy to remember: