When we meet new people for the first time, we often talk to them and try to size hem up, trying to find out who they are and what makes them tick.
One of the things we want to know, which says a lot about a person's character, is what they do for a living. Asking a person this question is ok, though top people are never so blunt and don't just ask, they have more subtle ways of getting exactly this information, and they can do it without you being aware of the real meaning of their question.
The problem with directly asking someone who you have recently met, what they do for a living, is that they may be unemployed or have an unpopular job. With the economy in ruins and ,many people losing their jobs, you may find the person you have just met is unemployed and the answer you get might be short and embarrassing for both of you. You might also find that your new acquaintance is an undertaker or a sewer worker, and again asking them outright might not be the best option.
How then do you ask someone what they do for a living without bluntly coming out with the question?
Ask them what they spend most of their time doing?
This is a very open ended question which can be answered in many different ways. If they like their job they will be very willing to tell you all about it, otherwise you will find out about their character just by them telling you their pleasures, and sure enough their job will crop up.
This question also tells the listener that you are far more interested in them as a whole and you don't just want to know what they do for a living, even if that is the real purpose behind the question.
Try it you might be surprised what you find out.