# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bad_Astronomer)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/141 "2003-01-30T05:23:51Z")
Duh. Astronomer. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/142 "2003-01-30T06:23:22Z")
Retired waitress/bartender. Now a full-time Mom and professional craftsperson (professional, in this case, means I occasionally get paid to teach and/or write about my crafts.) ---
**Author:** ![royjwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@royjwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/royjwood)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/143 "2003-01-30T06:52:13Z")
CODA, just try logging on to [http://jobs.un.org](http://jobs.un.org) This is the official web-site for the human resources department of the UN. It is all conducted on-line, so be prepared to fill out a very long ā€œapplication formā€. However, be advised, I was recruited within one month of my application, so be ready to leave. At the same time, some people have had to wait up to one year or more, so do not get your hopes up to high. Nonetheless, GOOD LUCK! ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/144 "2003-01-30T07:47:52Z")
Same as Hugh Grant in ā€œAbout a Boyā€ ---
**Author:** ![ReBusEniGma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@ReBusEniGma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReBusEniGma)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/145 "2003-01-30T08:03:02Z")
'Nuther newbie; Iā€™ve done a few things in my life so farā€¦ Iā€™m currently a senior business analyst for software consulting firm and loving it. Prior to that I owned an electrical company doing commercial electrical work. Before that I was a musician (still am of course). I always have my laptop nearby and whenever I have a few minutes Iā€™m usually lurking around somewhere šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/146 "2003-01-30T08:52:48Z")
Iā€™m an architect, working for a medium sized practice in NI. Vastly overworked (40+ projects on the ā€˜boardā€™ right now) and shouldnā€™t really be reading anything on-line. but think I may have an addiction problem. šŸ˜ƒ This board is my release from the stresses and problems of running jobs in the modern construction industry. And from that bloody phone thatā€™s never silent. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/147 "2003-01-30T16:24:03Z")
I whore myself out to engineers. šŸ˜‰ Sr. Administrative Assistant. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/148 "2003-01-30T17:00:43Z")
Computer programmer, but they hate it when I describe myself that way. Trouble is, no one will tell me what my real job title is. I am sort of project leader, I guess. I post while I am teleconferencing to stupid, pointless meetings. Like now. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/149 "2003-01-31T00:38:39Z")
At the moment I teach kids trampolining and gymnastics part time. Iā€™m also at uni full time doing a dual degree, bachelor of business management/ bachelor of arts, majoring in chinese, journalism and either tourism or event management. My dream is to work in some capacity at the Beijing Olympics. Or be involved in a travel tv program. ---
**Author:** ![Curate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Curate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curate)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/150 "2003-01-31T05:24:48Z")
Iā€™m an Episcopal priest. But 20 years or so ago I was a riverboat captain on the ā€œLaSalleā€™s Adventureā€ ride at Six Flags Over Texas. Now THAT was a good job! ---
**Author:** ![brachyrhynchos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brachyrhynchos/32/376_2.png) [@brachyrhynchos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brachyrhynchos)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/151 "2003-01-31T05:57:18Z")
Another ornithologist here. I do arboviral research (West Nile/EEE) on New Jersey birds. Corvids (crows, magpies, jays and ravens) are my speciality. I love this part of the job. Holding [a bird in my hands](http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~lreed/ywarm2.jpg) is an unbelievable thrill. And Iā€™m the LAN admin/webmistress for the Rutgers Entomology department (not so much fun because I barely know what Iā€™m doing). And I run the NJ Light Trap Surveillance program (mosquitoes) for the Stateā€™s Mosquito Commission (more fun). And teach a grad stat course (fun too). When I have some spare time, I make shell wreaths. Iā€™m trying bugs too. ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/152 "2003-01-31T07:01:12Z")
Iā€™m finishing up a masterā€™s degree in range science, concentrating on plant ecology and invasive weeds. However, I do a bit of everything, and am hoping to get into phase I environmental assessment and habitat restoration. Or just a job so I can pay my loans back. ---
**Author:** ![montana\_cricket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@montana\_cricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/montana_cricket)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/153 "2003-01-31T17:21:06Z")
I havenā€™t seen my job listed yet. I work for the local Conservation District, known in other states by various names ranging from Soil Conservation Districts to Soil & Water Conservation Districts. Exact title is ā€œdistrict administratorā€ā€¦pretty fancy but guess it means that if it needs doing, I do it! šŸ˜› Since Iā€™m the only employee (I work for an elected board of unpaid supervisors) I do it all. We do stream permitting, sediment and erosion control planning, education of youth and adults and teachers, noxious weed education and assistance and right now a large part of our work is with rehabilitation after the fires of 2000 which burned around Helena. I get to plan workshops and stream tours and other education series/efforts. I write and publish the quarterly newsletter, do all the bookkeeping and somehow still find time to check out the Dope!šŸ˜ƒ I feel like one of the luckiest people around. I love my job! Aside from that I also volunteer as the Family support group president in my husbandā€™s Army National Guard Unit and do volunteer work at my oldest daughterā€™s school part time. ---
**Author:** ![Docklands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/47e85d/32.png) [@Docklands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docklands)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/154 "2003-01-31T17:49:56Z")
London based investment banker checking in. I work horrendous hours (80 p/w avg.) for a US co. ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/155 "2003-02-01T01:21:20Z")
Iā€™m a full time student, working on a BA in art history and studio art (translation: ā€œwould you like fries with that?ā€). To make a _living_ I work as an animal tech for the department at my university that oversees the care and husbandry for every live vertebrate used for biomedical research on my campus. Translation: Iā€™m a rat janitor. Well, thatā€™s not entirely true. Iā€™ve cared for pretty much every species of animal that you can think of that is used for biomedical researchā€“from cattle to rhesus macaques. And psittacine parrots and ferrets and gerbils andā€¦ Itā€™s mostly boring with a few small spurts of interest, then boring again. Except when PETA shows up. That gets fun. Prior to that, I managed a small, locally owned pet store for three years until we were bought out by a couple of nazis. Peace, ~mixie ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/156 "2003-02-01T03:05:31Z")
I am PhD-less molecular biologist that works at a biotech firm in the Greater Boston area. I have never posted from work, although I sometimes ā€œlurkā€ from there. For a while the SDMB was blocked, but now it isnā€™t again. I only post from home. My line of work is pretty good, if you are interested in science. Relatively low stress, projects with potential for real positive impacts on peopleā€™s lives, casual attire in the lab, decent pay, good benefits, stock options. Research scientists like me donā€™t necessarily have to be at work by any particular time, although sometimes some weekend work is required. You are allowed a little latitude for, shall we say, personal eccentricities. I am considering a career change, but it would almost certainly mean a huge pay cut, at least initially. ---
**Author:** ![random1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@random1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/random1)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/157 "2003-02-01T03:32:13Z")
I am a loan officer for a finance company. we mostly work with personal loans, lines of credit, and mortgages for people with less than perfect credit. ---
**Author:** ![Badge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Badge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badge)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/158 "2003-02-01T03:38:53Z")
Wow! What a fascinating group of people we have here! Iā€™m the detective sergeant for a small (12 officer) police department in a small (3, 800 residents) tourist (3 million visitors a year) town on the coast of Washington State. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/159 "2003-02-01T05:02:10Z")
Light-blue collar snivel servant - Journeyman Water Reclamation Plant Operator ( ya gotta say it fast and in caps šŸ˜› ). Heavy on very basic water chemistry benchwork and the pushing of little buttons on computers. Occasional diversions into the turning of big, manly valves. Great deal of sitting around staring ( frequently in a zombie-like state ) at pretty multi-colored graphs on computer screens and/or waiting for shrill alarms to go off and rouse us from our lethargy ( itā€™s completely legitimate lethargy - I work graveyard shift šŸ˜‰ ). - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Peregrine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Peregrine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peregrine)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282/160 "2003-02-01T06:04:56Z")
Retail specialty foods and cookware. My mom started the business when I was a kid, and I kind of grew up in the store. Iā€™ve been the manager since ā€™83. Our major source of conflict is Straight-Dope-relevant: a sub-heading of specialty foods is health foods, and a sub-heading of health foods is alternative medicine. Mom is way into alternative medicine. So are _many_ of our customers. I, of course, am a card-carrying skeptic. What to do? After years of quietly grumbling about the homeopathics and related nonsense, I have embarked on a quest. I am bringing skepticism to my customers (and maybe my mother). Gently. A little carefully-worded signage, some in-depth discussion of placebo effect and reporting bias, that sort of thing. Iā€™ve managed to reduce sales significantly in certain areas. Iā€™m just going to have to sell more teapots or something. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-sdmb-careers-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/150282.md?page=9)