It's certainly forward, but it's a much more interesting proposition than "what do you do for work?" It assumes you've already broken the ice with some banter,

It's certainly forward, but it's a much more interesting proposition than "what do you do for work?" It assumes you've already broken the ice with some banter, and you're at a fork in the road - you can talk about something deeper or you can move onto the next person at the party. People like to talk about themselves, and this gives them the option to pick whatever they want to emphasize about their life, i.e. lets them put their best foot forward.