# So. What do you do for a living? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 9, 2025, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774 "2025-01-09T21:53:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/1 "2025-01-09T21:53:47Z")
I’m sure this has been done before, but I certainly haven’t seen it recently. What’s your occupation? Feel free to say as much or as little. I manage the US operations of a small pharma company. I’m always coy about the details because it’s a really esoteric little corner of the industry, and if anyone in it read my posts, I’m sure they’d figure out who I am. And I like to keep my RL and online life separate. I’ve been much more active lately because my job is boring AF, and since I’m under contract I can’t just up and leave. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/2 "2025-01-09T22:40:39Z")
Before I retired, I worked in advertising systems in a Large Metropolitan Daily Newspaper. I managed to hang on by my fingernails until I could retire, technically 10 months early. Even with advertising revenues in the toilet, they still needed systems. I also did report-writing from the data in those systems. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2025, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/3 "2025-01-09T22:43:45Z")
Advertising strategist and market researcher. I find it astonishing that I’ve been working in this field for 36 years now – 38 if you count my two years in grad school, where I was doing this sort of work as part of my graduate assistantship. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/4 "2025-01-09T22:46:41Z")
Retired airline pilot. Also retired IT business owner / software dev. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2025, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/5 "2025-01-09T22:49:23Z")
High school math teacher. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/6 "2025-01-09T22:49:45Z")
I work from home in a virtual call center. The company I work for does a lot of contract work for the government and runs many call centers. The first project I was assigned to was Unemployment. It was depressing work that did not align with my values. That contract ended. I was transferred to the Defense Manpower Data Center. It wass very fas paced, and involved wasting the time of veterans, service members and their families by asking survey questions at the end of each call. I could not keep my scores high enough and was transfered. I now work on the Pennsyllvania welfare project. I generally enjoy helping callers apply for or renew benefits. My mode score is roughly 94 out of 100 ---
**Author:** ![TruePisces](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/truepisces/32/13628_2.png) [@TruePisces](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruePisces)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/7 "2025-01-09T22:51:40Z")
My job encompasses so many others: Maid Taxi Driver Herder Note writer Teacher Slave driver Yep, I’m a stay-at-home mom! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/8 "2025-01-09T22:51:54Z")
My kids told their teachers I was an artist. La di da! My grandkid just asked me a few days ago did I ever **Do** anything. My response? Nope, not much. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2025, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/9 "2025-01-09T22:54:50Z")
My last job before retirement was as the quality control manager for the construction of a $22M maintenance hangar for the F-22. Before that I was the COO of a construction company. Before that the Director of Construction for a public housing agency. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/10 "2025-01-09T22:56:27Z")
Academic administrator for an online university; nearly 13 years in this type of job now. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/11 "2025-01-09T22:56:59Z")
GIS Specialist for a large corporation by day, draftsman and project manager for a small survey company by night. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/12 "2025-01-09T22:57:58Z")
Give customers food. Ring them up. Make them happy. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/13 "2025-01-09T23:03:39Z")
I own a small (40-50 person) IT firm ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/14 "2025-01-09T23:10:01Z")
I’m a nontechnical project manager for a large U.S. defense contractor. I have two direct reports, and basically handle program operations/[PMO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management_office) stuff; I function as a deputy program manager. I’ve been with my current company for 6.5 years, and have been in this role for 5 years. I’m 53, and this is Major Career #5: I had previous lives in public affairs/communications, technical writing, proposal writing, and proposal management (which is what I was doing when I joined my current company). I’m hoping this is the last one, but contracting work — and life — can throw some curveballs. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/15 "2025-01-09T23:15:42Z")
2 jobs over a 42 yr period as shop foreman in a diesel truck repair shop for a large leasing corp. I also owned an interiors store, wallpaper, window and floor coverings for about 12 years, ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/16 "2025-01-09T23:17:27Z")
Professor of mathematics, retired. Plus researcher in math, not quite retired. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/17 "2025-01-09T23:19:48Z")
Design and build museum exhibits. The company I own is in the process of going out of business, but I think I’ll be going to the local science museum. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/18 "2025-01-09T23:30:38Z")
I run an organic lawn company. I used to be the owner, but we transitioned it to a nonprofit last year so now I’m the executive director. I fertilize lawns, research, write, do workshops and now I also fundraise. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/19 "2025-01-09T23:30:41Z")
Web developer, mostly. For most of my career, I worked with solar businesses (like PV installers and manufacturers) and environmental nonprofits (activist groups, museums). Went to school for environmental science and that’s still where my strongest interests lie, but was never able to find a job in that field ☹ So fell back on web work, which was (at first) just some odd skills I learned on my own between video games, but somehow became a career-ish. Jealous of what @Kron does (GIS)! Also @Paintcharge’s job sounds incredible… I worked for a big Chicago museum for a while, and the exhibit designers there always had the coolest jobs 🙂 ---
**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 9, 2025, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774/20 "2025-01-09T23:40:51Z")
Retired. I am a corvidologist (ornithologist specializing in American and Fish Crows) before West Nile emerged when I started catching all types of birds for virus testing. My avatar is one that I caught. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-do-for-a-living/1012774.md?page=2)