# How many jobs did you do as a professional? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 18, 2023, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705 "2023-06-18T00:48:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/1 "2023-06-18T00:48:48Z")
There was this guy on a messageboard who used to annoy me by doing one thing (well, he did dozens of things that annoyed me, but this one in particular): whatever topic was under discussion, he used to say “I did that for a living.” Didn’t matter what we were talking about. If we were talking about political campaigns, he used to do polling for McCain’s 2008 campaign. If we were talking about cars, he used to sell cars for a Chevy dealership. If we were talking about pets, he had a degree from Veterinary School. I didn’t think he was lying, but I suspected how one person could claim expertise in so many different fields. But then I realized that I could have (didn’t but I could have) claimed to have been a reporter, a teacher, a fiction-writer, a graphic artist, a copy-editor, an installer of air-conditioning units, a chauffeur, and maybe a half dozen other jobs that I’d gotten paid to do and knew at least something, and often a lot, about. So while I resented this guy for using his jobs to support his authority, I had to acknowledge that it’s not that strange to have worked in a half-dozen different fields, maybe a dozen or more. How many jobs have you done that you got paid for and that you did perfectly competently? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/2 "2023-06-18T00:52:30Z")
I had three jobs in the thirty-six year period when I worked. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/3 "2023-06-18T00:53:05Z")
Perfectly competently? Probably none. 1.5 years as a paralegal after college, then 30 in construction. I was better at construction… ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/4 "2023-06-18T00:56:37Z")
Waiter. Barman. Software developer. ( does father count? It is full time but unpaid… ) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/5 "2023-06-18T01:32:15Z")
“Competently”, maybe, but that’s a far cry short of “expertly”. Let’s see… I’ve been - Electrician’s assistant - Amusement park ride operator - Food-service worker (variety of sub-jobs: Fry station, grill station, pizza baker, sandwich maker, counter person, cashier) - Graduate assistant (sub-jobs: Researcher, grader, lab instructor) - Substitute teacher, (for every subject you can imagine and some you probably can’t, grades 6-12) - Adjunct professor (lecture and lab) - Camp counselor (as part of this, I actually got official training and certification for how to play with Lego) - Full-time teacher ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/6 "2023-06-18T01:43:26Z")
Swimming Instructor/Lifeguard Logger/Trail Crew/Log cabin construction Software Engineer/Program Manager Photographer ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/7 "2023-06-18T01:45:55Z")
As an actual professional, not counting high school jobs? Comes down to two: - Market researcher - Advertising strategist There’s a fair amount of skill/knowledge overlap between the two, but enough difference that I consider them to be two different types of jobs. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/8 "2023-06-18T01:48:31Z")
Jobs as in separate employers or jobs as in different professions? Professional as in “don’t count the blue-collar untrained shit you did before you got qualifications”, or all-inclusive? Going with the most limited interpretation, professional certified-degree-carrying professions only: • social worker • FileMaker Pro database developer (and DBA to a limited extent) • general data entry and data technologies person (not FileMaker) ---
**Author:** ![sjankis630](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@sjankis630](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjankis630)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/9 "2023-06-18T04:28:25Z")
Well not that many. I might add food service worker back in college but after that it would be: Grocery cashier/stocker - 2nd job needed for a few years Budget analyst. for 30 years. Through those years within the two companies I work at I was doing a combination of budget analyst, pricer, subcontractor admin, procurement analysis and forecasting. I kind of wish I had more different jobs but there is no way I am starting over anywhere else. I have to keep making this kind of money until I retire. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/10 "2023-06-18T04:52:46Z")
I’ve had many jobs but only one profession, web developer, since 1999. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/11 "2023-06-18T04:59:00Z")
I’ve had over 100 jobs, so I can hardly say. Even just in the “educator” category, I’ve taught numerous ages and topics. Even in just one of those educational positions, I’ve usually taught classes with distinctly different content–I stopped counting when I hit my 35th new course development. I’ve also run academic programs, written state and national exam content and analyzed the outcome stats, supervised other instructors and grad students, run hiring committees, conducted program reviews, written curricula, peer reviewed for professional journals, conducted research, run and presented at conferences, run related professional organizations, written books, advised theses, led student trips to other countries, etc. Is that one job? 15? When I worked in 4 programs was that one area of expertise or 4? I simultaneously taught and ran groups at a community college, and was a counselor and creative writer. So I can’t really answer. Most Americans have at least 5 distinct jobs/types of employment over the course of their lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/12 "2023-06-18T10:51:25Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > Waiter. > Barman. > Software developer. Oh man , was I disappointed. I first thought you were Batman in between the other gigs. mmm ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/13 "2023-06-18T10:58:35Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Jobs as in separate employers or jobs as in different professions? > > Professional as in “don’t count the blue-collar untrained shit you did before you got qualifications”, or all-inclusive? How about jobs you could honestly assert “I used to do that for a living, so let me tell you about being a …” without being a boastful, self-aggrandizing dick? > [@susan](#): > > Is that one job? 15? One. I mean, every job, especially supervisory jobs, required knowledge and ability of several subordinate jobs. I had a job as a carpenter once, but I could scarcely describe that as a “screwer-inner” and a “screwer-outer” and a “woodcutter” and a “wood-sander” and so on, could I? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/14 "2023-06-18T10:59:54Z")
PBX operator Mail clerk Messenger Avionics Technician Naval Officer Veterans’ advisor Algebra teacher in junior college Mechanical Engineer Aerospace Structural Engineer Mechanical Drafter Electrical Drafter The first three were part of my first job as a teen back in the early 70s. The Advisor and teaching gigs were in the interim between active duty and going to work for the Navy as a civilian. I retired from the engineering jobs in 2011, then held various drafter positions till I retired for reals at the end of 2019. I pretty much spent 45 years working in or for the Navy in one way or another. Now I just wrangle my grandkids. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/15 "2023-06-18T11:20:39Z")
Chemistry lab technician Electronic hardware engineer Software engineer Musician (guitar and bass) Live sound and recording engineer I’ve also done house renovation work and quite a bit of electrician work, but those were mostly for myself or friends, rather than paid jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/16 "2023-06-18T11:28:48Z")
Job titles I’ve had: Cashier Pharmacy Tech Assistant Store Manager Programmer (SAS) Financial Analyst/Manager Application Developer (SAP) Systems Development Manager Systems Manager But 75% of the time has been Financial Manager. Cashier, Pharmacy Tech and Assistant Store Manager was during college. The IT jobs were when my employers asked me to take on interim roles for various reasons. I consider myself to be, at best, a talented amateur despite holding a graduate degree in CompSci. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/17 "2023-06-18T11:46:12Z")
In order (roughly, some overlapped) Paper route Landscaper ( for a company, not local lawns) Fast food Bread truck route Crash boat crew (local yacht club races) Airport linecrew/tug EMT School bus driver UPS box monkey UPS driver Roughneck (offshore rigs) Anchor operator (offshore) Crane operator (offshore still) Flight instructor Software (independent, contracted separate jobs w Boeing, Lockheed, Sperry, General Dynamics, Honeywell, etc. Total 7 different jobs) Minor sideline ferrying airplanes, paid, but mostly for fun. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/18 "2023-06-18T12:03:01Z")
Carpet cleaner (teen job, part time) Car wash (teen, part time) Survey crew for state of Alaska (summers) Electrician, project planner, project manager, crew leader, etc. (US Navy, 23 years) Electrician (private contractor, 2 years) Facilities Manager (State Department, 6 years) Construction contract manager, 5 years Chief Operating Officer for a construction company, 6 months RV sales, 3 months Facilities manager, 2 years Project quality control manager, 1 year Retirement expert: 2009 to present ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/19 "2023-06-18T12:19:13Z")
Got my MLS in 1981. Retired in 2022 after 41 years as a medical librarian. One profession, 5 jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705/20 "2023-06-18T13:01:31Z")
Messenger boy for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Advertising clerk Stockbroker Timekeeper in a cannery and a machine shop Stevedore Wartime ambulance driver Pinkerton detective Crime novelist Those are actually jobs that Dashiell Hammett held. Makes a cool CV. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-jobs-did-you-do-as-a-professional/985705.md?page=2)