What do you do?

redwing said:
“What do you do?” There's no doubt work defines a person's identity in a number of ways
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It's used to pop people in boxes. Adults have all of these filing categories and pidgeon holes all ready to go.

What do you do is simply a question such that they can pop you into one of their boxes.

A couple of years ago at parties I was in my 30's and retired. I was a boring rent collector....at home, twiddling my thumbs.....doing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.

Saying I was "retired" as an answer simply infuriated the questioner. They were all ready to pop me into a box, but the answer gave them nothing. If they were older, say in their 40's or 50's or 60's, the answer simply didn't compute on their radar.

I'd have retorts like "Don't be silly, I've got sons older than you, no really, what do you do ?"

It got waaaay too messy in the end, cos they'd be constantly scratching around looking for a box, any box, to pop you in. No-one likes a smart-@$$ answer that is abnormal.

Saying you're an engineer is safe and comfortable and doesn't mess with anyone's head. I found giving that answer put everyone at ease, they popped you in their preconceived box reserved for engineer's and the night moved on seamlessly.

Almost everyone thinks engineer's are such boring dead ****s they never ask any other probing questions. They move away and I keep fumbling with my calculator and pens in my top pocket.....everyone goes away happy.
 
Dazz said:
It's used to pop people in boxes. Adults have all of these filing categories and pidgeon holes all ready to go.

What do you do is simply a question such that they can pop you into one of their boxes.
Click to expand...

Whenever anybody asks what my husband does, they always say, "REALLY?! Gee. You don't look at all like you'd do that for a crust".

Cracks me up everytime. I didn't know each profession had a certain 'look'.

He's not normally offended until they usually add, "I thought you'd be an accountant". :D
 
Dazz said:
It's used to pop people in boxes. Adults have all of these filing categories and pidgeon holes all ready to go.

What do you do is simply a question such that they can pop you into one of their boxes.

A couple of years ago at parties I was in my 30's and retired. I was a boring rent collector....at home, twiddling my thumbs.....doing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.

Saying I was "retired" as an answer simply infuriated the questioner. They were all ready to pop me into a box, but the answer gave them nothing. If they were older, say in their 40's or 50's or 60's, the answer simply didn't compute on their radar.

I'd have retorts like "Don't be silly, I've got sons older than you, no really, what do you do ?"

It got waaaay too messy in the end, cos they'd be constantly scratching around looking for a box, any box, to pop you in. No-one likes a smart-@$$ answer that is abnormal.

Saying you're an engineer is safe and comfortable and doesn't mess with anyone's head. I found giving that answer put everyone at ease, they popped you in their preconceived box reserved for engineer's and the night moved on seamlessly.

Almost everyone thinks engineer's are such boring dead ****s they never ask any other probing questions. They move away and I keep fumbling with my calculator and pens in my top pocket.....everyone goes away happy.
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Try answering 'gentleman', especially on official forms.

I also like 'nothing', 'magician' or 'clairvoyant'.
 
I generally try to break people out of their ‘zone’, especially sales staff. People have a tendency to run on auto-pilot all day. If they I ask how are you, and they answer NOT BAD, I ask, WHY ‘NOT BAD’, WHY NOT ‘GREAT’. Usually goes over their heads.

Those who do break out (somewhat dazed to start) usually have a great chat to follow; I guess they find it refreshing. Have a great rapport with sales staff and cashiers I deal with. Some have chased me across Woolworths for a chat or to show me a photo of their new dog etc.

If someone asks me what I do for a living, I give answer like ALTERNATIVE MIME INSTRUCTOR. I love it when they play along, some actually get offended. Being an engineer, I rarely get interesting conversation from saying as such :p (Thanks for pointing that out Dazz)
 
Hi,

Work in Human Resources as a Learning & Development Analyst. I manage the company's e-learning system. Before that was a cop in Singapore for 5 years.

Regards,

Daniel
 
Optimist said:
Personal Assistant/Professional Organiser/Concierge - have been working for barristers for the past 20 years.
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I didn't realise barristas earned so much they could afford personal assistants. No wonder they always seem so sutck up when they're making my coffee.
 
Very true about the "boxes" ... I find it difficult to answer when asked at a party "what do you do?"

If I say 'stay at home mum' I feel like I am unworthy by the returning attitudes - and I'm not really as junior is now 10 ... if I say 'investor' then people look confused as to what that means and don't ask anything further ... I feel pretentious saying 'company director' because I'm also the 'tea lady' ... I used to say 'author' after I got published but feel a bit of a fraud as that was 12 years ago now ... but what I'd really like to say is simply 'to flat out to get a paid job'.

Only reason I'm on here now is because the new puppy got into some toxic vegetation and had to be rushed to the vet's for a vomit needle ... I'm keeping an eye on him for the next hour ... what I should be doing is down in the vineyards doing the prep work for the pruners coming thru later this week (after having already done 4 loads of washing, tidied the bomb site of a house, unpacked the 4wd of camping and horse gear and tended the sample paddock of crops)
 
nhg said:
I generally try to break people out of their ‘zone’, especially sales staff. People have a tendency to run on auto-pilot all day. If they I ask how are you, and they answer NOT BAD, I ask, WHY ‘NOT BAD’, WHY NOT ‘GREAT’. Usually goes over their heads.

Those who do break out (somewhat dazed to start) usually have a great chat to follow; I guess they find it refreshing. Have a great rapport with sales staff and cashiers I deal with. Some have chased me across Woolworths for a chat or to show me a photo of their new dog etc.

If someone asks me what I do for a living, I give answer like ALTERNATIVE MIME INSTRUCTOR. I love it when they play along, some actually get offended. Being an engineer, I rarely get interesting conversation from saying as such :p (Thanks for pointing that out Dazz)
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I'm on board with you on this big time. Some of my deepest, most fulfilling conversations come by engaging people with a genuine interest, and ungeneric enquiry. Almost everyone answers with the same boring responses until you surprise them with some genuine interest/unique questions and then all of a sudden they're off on a roll.

The only issue with this is that I encounter the odd angry guy (usually only when out socially) when their girlfriend/fiancé etc has been deeply engaged in conversation with me for half an hour.

I'm sure everyone has noticed almost everyone answers "Good" when asked how they're going, despite how they actually are.
 
Believe it or not, the no.1 peeve my dates had was, why I kept getting free stuff and they didn’t. Some would then try to turn on the charm and fail epically. They would get really upset LOL (Even if I paid at the end :p).

Waiter/waitresses, retail assistants, I often get free dinner/desert, 30% discounts on clothes, free furniture. I genuinely never even noticed until someone pointed it out a year ago.

I could only put it down to, people just really appreciate being heard and engaging in genuine conversation.
 
Dazz said:
Almost everyone thinks engineer's are such boring dead ****s they never ask any other probing questions. They move away and I keep fumbling with my calculator and pens in my top pocket.....everyone goes away happy.
Click to expand...
When we lived in the USA, I got to play a lot of golf in the last 12 months we were there - son was in school by then, so I was free after drop-off until pick-up.

Having experienced countless times having to play over the years with strangers and them finding out I was a golf pro, they would then bash my ear about their golf game and want free tips (in a subliminal way most times, but some were downright direct - "please give me some tips" :rolleyes:).

Sorta like the poor doctors who go to parties and when someone finds out they are a doctor, they bash their ear with all their ailments etc.

So, I decided to not divulge my real career to these strangers I was playing with each day.

Instead, when they asked what I did back in Aus, I told folk I was a high school teacher....(sorta true, because I've taught thousands of high school kids how to play golf ;)).

These golfers then left that one alone pretty quick and I was in peace to play golf as a mere mortal again.
 
surprised many people whom I consider pretty adept in property aren't actually working in the industry...

...including myself
 
Spent my whole employee working live in IT ended up contracting which led to oppurtunity to establish my own IT business.

Since 2005 have been 'retired' from IT

My wife hates me saying this when I give this as my answer to the proverbial 'what do you do'.

Now I say 'I am retired but my wife doesn't like me saying this' etc This tends to lead to an extended conversation as to the why's and whatfors. lol

We now solely manage our RE portfolio.

Currently in the US managing some reno's over here.

Cheers
 
You will find that this is increasingly becoming an outdated question.

I have found that younger adults (18-25) won't even come up with this question in the first hour of meeting someone, if not at all, whereas older age groups use this as an ice breaker.

The current arguments circulating universities regarding this is related to how we conceptualise identity, where historically it was centralised around work (I'm a professional/blue collar/tradie/surgeon etc) and now appears to be transitioning to experiences, lifestyle and culture. (I follow sports/computer gamer/musician)
 
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