# Poll: SDMB Careers. What do you do for a living? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 22, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282 "2003-01-22T20:18:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/101 "2003-01-23T23:36:45Z")
House painter for a fire restoration company. I like the paycheck but I sure miss my former position as Sp.Ed. Teacher’s Assistant. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/102 "2003-01-23T23:47:35Z")
Medical Technologist, in the process of burning out, in a hospital Pathology department. I do it all- chemistry, hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, microbiology and blood banking. ---
**Author:** ![pluralgravity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@pluralgravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluralgravity)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/103 "2003-01-24T00:09:23Z")
thief ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/104 "2003-01-24T01:03:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kniz \* > \*\*Haven’t seen you in quite awhile cuz. > Oh, I’m retired. 😛 \*\* Hi cuz! 😃 Psst…I’ve been here, but mostly in [sub]lurker mode…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/105 "2003-01-24T01:07:55Z")
I admonish databases. I used to be a Neuro-Physicist at University. Cheers, Keithy ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/106 "2003-01-24T18:24:27Z")
Registered Nurse, Labor and Delivery, 36-40 hours a week. I get to bring angels to earth. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/107 "2003-01-24T18:26:14Z")
I audit trucking companies against safety standards. I also manage the department that does this, so I’m doing two jobs. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/108 "2003-01-24T19:44:59Z")
Officially I am an Information and Communication Specialist (I always seem to fall into jobs where the job title is long and meaningless). The people I work with call me the Distance Learning Coordinator. What I actually do is administrate our department’s online learning system and provide technical assistance for the one that is university-wide. I also do several departmental websites. In my spare time I write a column for a specialty dog breed magazine that comes out 4 times a year. ---
**Author:** ![royjwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@royjwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/royjwood)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/109 "2003-01-24T19:55:02Z")
My “Official” title is as follows: Security Policy and Plans, Training, Information and Liaison Officer. My contract with the United Nations, referes to me as a “Field Security Officer” The details of my job include: Security Advisor to the the Designated Official; Security Manager for the indigenous security guard force; Security Investigator of all incidents involving UN personnel and property in my Assigned Area of Operations; Emergency Services Coordinator; Fire Safety Specialist; My primary responsibility: the overall protection of all UN personnel and property in my assigned Area of Operations. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/110 "2003-01-24T19:58:55Z")
I’m the Manager for the QC Lab for a Plastics Company. The Lab maintains a constant 70°F, 50%RH “Standard Lab Environment” year round, while the pukes on the Production floor suffer through 110° in the summer and 50° in the winter. My moniker is the endearing term used by said Production pukes to describe the Lab folks. …And everything that goes wrong is my fault, too… …and we’re hiring next month !! ---
**Author:** ![Coda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Coda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coda)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/111 "2003-01-24T20:14:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by royjwood \* > \*\* > the overall protection of all UN personnel and property in my assigned Area of Operations. \*\* How does one get a job at the UN? ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/112 "2003-01-24T20:23:10Z")
Right now, I’m temping - in this capacity I am currently an administrative assitant at a large defense contracting company. In the past I have been a program assistant in the political department of a large union, an accounting assistant at the ABA, and a registrar’s assistant at an art college. But soon, I will be returning to the labor union as the assistant to the national immigration affairs campaign coordinator, and a few months after that I will begin training as a Foreign Service Officer. In the past, I have been a ride operator for a large theme park, a technical services assistant at a law library and a Congressional intern. ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/113 "2003-01-24T20:30:18Z")
I teach high school English and Journalism (newspaper and yearbook), which fluctuates from ‘wow, this is the best job ever’ to ‘please kill me, I can’t possibly ever go to work again’ with very little territory in between. ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/114 "2003-01-25T01:40:34Z")
I work as a technician for a major termite and pest control company. But I like to think of myself as a “hired killer.” ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/115 "2003-01-25T02:32:09Z")
Project Administrator for a small not-for-profit organization. I do just about everything. ---
**Author:** ![Theobroma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@Theobroma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theobroma)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/116 "2003-01-25T04:26:33Z")
Pharmacist (and not the only one on the board, I see). I work a big-city public hospital inpatient pharmacy at night. Don’t call it “graveyard shift”–it’s busier than hell most nights, and the 10-hour shift zips right by. I get to hear all the good stories, but don’t get any blood on my pants. I hardly have to fill any prescriptions–I fill orders for the patients who have been admitted to the hospital, so I don’t have to deal with money, insurance, or nasty customers. And I don’t have to wear that silly short white lab coat! ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/117 "2003-01-25T05:44:03Z")
First-year resident in Internal Medicine. ---
**Author:** ![tisiphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tisiphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tisiphone)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/118 "2003-01-25T06:15:49Z")
I think I’m a Data Center Support Services Technician this week. I used to be an Information Systems Customer Support Technician (Helpdesk, in other words), and before that I was an Information Systems Support Technician (Helpdesk)… Sysadmin/network technician, anyways. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/119 "2003-01-25T06:30:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Angua \* > **Achernar** , where’s that then? (I’m not from the US!). What are you specialising in? That would be Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. I’m only a first-year, but I’m leaning heavily toward theoretical cosmology. I’m going to be starting my first research project soon, maybe something with the Lyman-alpha forest. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/120 "2003-01-25T06:38:37Z")
Commerical Real Estate sales Vice President of Regional Commercial Division Industrial Specialist CCIM member I sell and lease everything from warehouses to shopping centers to businesses to office buildings to manufacturing facilities to dirt. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282.md?page=7)