Let's assume I have just said 'I do X for company Y'. Your next response might be along the lines of a) What languages/tools do you use?, b) What's a peptide?, c) Did you watch Daniel Hillis' Ted talk?, or d) I just published a phylogenetic pruning algorithm on arxiv, you should check it out.

Seems to me that there is a lot to be learned through conversation, even when neither party is doing any teaching.