# What is your profession? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 2, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685 "2004-09-02T01:05:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Sinshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sinshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinshine)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/181 "2004-09-05T20:33:21Z")
I currently work as admin for a real-estate appraisal firm. My role there is to oversee the day-to-day administration of our service contract with our major residential-mortgage client. Translation: I process and assign work-orders to my residential appraisers, calm down frantic or angry lenders, buffer the appraisers from pestering phone calls from said lenders, light a fire under the asses of those who do not appreciate deadlines, and oddly, serve as technical and policy support for the internal systems of a bank whose computer system I have never seen. When I am not actively engaged in all of the above, I am either training the new receptionist to do her job (without doing it for her), cussing out the person I was just talking to on the phone, or doing the mounds of administrative paperwork that seems to accompany every new phone call I receive. This job takes up approximately 50 hours a week, and has gotten me dubbed The Benevolent Dragon. (It’s a good thing I have come to love my job.) As if this wasn’t absorbing enough, I am pursuing the post-graduate commercial appraisal certificate program, and my employer has informed me that when I have the new girl trained up enough to do her job and mine (meaning that she can train her own replacement while she does what I currently do) I may start articling as an appraiser. My goal is to put my B.Comm. in hospitality & tourism to use as an specialist in the appraisal of hospitality properties. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/182 "2004-09-05T23:00:47Z")
i am a fire alarm service, repair and installation technician for a small fire and safety equipment company. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/183 "2004-09-06T19:09:19Z")
> [@tpayne](#): > > Chief information officer for an insurance company. Life, health, P&C? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/184 "2004-09-06T19:57:57Z")
Claims Administrator. It’s as deadly boring as it sounds. ---
**Author:** ![caligynephobia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7feea3/32.png) [@caligynephobia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligynephobia)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/185 "2004-09-07T02:54:38Z")
USAF officer. For now I instruct student pilots in the aerobatic T-37 jet trainer. It _is_ as fun as it sounds. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/186 "2004-09-07T03:23:04Z")
Another Air Force officer checking in. My AFSC is 32E3E: Civil Engineer. I basically repair runways and build stuff for our Uncle Sam. And I love every minute of it . . . especially the RED HORSE work. Tripler The official “Bob Vila” of the U.S. Air Force. ---
**Author:** ![TDGZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@TDGZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TDGZ)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/187 "2004-09-07T05:34:30Z")
dwyr and Vlad/Igor – I am looking into majoring in either medical technology or cytology – I would love to hear more about what the job actually is about (I have read all sorts of articles of course, but its not the same as hearing what actually goes on day to day). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/188 "2004-09-07T06:08:34Z")
Zookeeper at a small private zoo. I look after the mammals and double as a tour guide. Yep, it’s a hoot! The only problem is, my work follows me home. Last night a Two Spotted cockroach followed me home, the week before it was a guinea pig… I’m also currently almost finished the second book of what will be a series. I’ll start shopping it around after I’ve finished #3. They’re just common little mystery/romances. I’m also a mom of teenage boys, wife and Kidzone (Sunday School) Assistant. ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Igor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Vlad\_Igor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Igor)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/189 "2004-09-07T11:27:08Z")
**TDGZ** : e-mail me, you have yours blocked. I’ll be happy to tell you about life in the lab. Vlad/Igor ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/190 "2004-09-07T11:36:47Z")
I’m a full time student. Eventually, I hope to be a journalist. ---
**Author:** ![chaparralv8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@chaparralv8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaparralv8)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/191 "2004-09-07T11:40:52Z")
I’m an engineering student (3rd year Mech. E) and I have a part-time job as a machinist. ---
**Author:** ![kiffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@kiffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiffa)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/192 "2004-09-07T18:30:00Z")
Public Health Advisor who is to lazy to read this entire thread. Has anyone run a total on all the different professions? ---
**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:** [September 7, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/193 "2004-09-07T19:05:14Z")
Career assistant professor (non-tenure track) in psychology and human services, with a family therapy class now and again. I teach undergrads and graduate students from 7-8 majors in a variety of courses at a state university. I also have a small private psychotherapy practice and do a fair amount of consulting and presenting. In the past I’ve been a university grammar instructor, an English teacher, and English as a Foreign Language teacher, a proofreader, a dishwasher, an accounting clerk’s assistant, a poet, a Hickory Farms lackey (“I’m putting on the gloves–you know what \*that \* means!”), a psychiatric crisis intervention specialist, etc. I know how to eat fire and have performed in the circus. If you once spent 4th of July on Block Island and saw a leopard playing tambourine in the parade, that was me. ---
**Author:** ![Elle\_Woods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bb73d2/32.png) [@Elle\_Woods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elle_Woods)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/194 "2004-09-07T19:12:28Z")
Like **vunderbob** , I also work at NASA – but as an intern. In my spare time, I am a student, and PR for a music production company. ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/195 "2004-09-07T19:16:30Z")
Most of the month I take customers out for dinner, drinking, and/or golf. About 1 week out of the month I’m in the office, shooting the sh\*t with same customers by phone. Been doing this for 12 years, they’ll have to pry this job out of my cold, lifeless fingers Yes we’re hiring. Tend to hire people pretty much straight out of college, it helps if you played sports. Oh, it somehow involves scrap and steel. But that’s almost incidental. I also volunteer teaching English to immigrants, through Goodwill, it’s a lot of fun as well. And they are looking for people too… ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/196 "2004-09-07T19:28:36Z")
I work at a university as an Administrator. When I’m not administrating, I work part time as a cosmetician. When I’m not administrating or cosmeticianing, I work part time in a ladies consignment store. And I go to university as a student as well. ---
**Author:** ![TDGZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@TDGZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TDGZ)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/197 "2004-09-08T01:03:12Z")
> [@Vlad/Igor](#): > > **TDGZ** : e-mail me, you have yours blocked. I’ll be happy to tell you about life in the lab. > > Vlad/Igor It won’t let me view your profile (I assume because I am a guest), but please email me at [wefserf@hotmail.com](mailto:wefserf@hotmail.com) 🙂 Thanks so much! ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/198 "2004-09-08T01:26:46Z")
> [@AngelicGemma](#): > > I’m a full time student. Eventually, I hope to be a journalist. What kind of journalist? I’m a subeditor for a Sunday newspaper. I find it kind of cool that well over a million copies of my headlines (not to mention the typos I’ve missed) get printed every week. 🆒 The hours suck though - 12 hour days are not uncommon, plus my journey to work takes the best part of two hours _each way_. Sleep patterns have become an alien concept. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/199 "2004-09-08T20:44:04Z")
I’m a management consultant. Basically, every week I get on a plane, train or automobile and travel to some company somewhere in the US (sometimes Europe). Once I’m there, I help them with some kind of project or another. The hours are long and the travel is extensive but at least I get to eat out a lot in fancy restaurants and not waste my time developing hobbies or personal realationships that last more than six to eight weeks. ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/200 "2004-09-09T18:22:52Z")
Financial journalist. I’m an editor on a team that covers European consumer-related businesses (such as food and beverages, retailing, hotels and travel, tobacco, gaming and luxury goods) for an international news service. My work has taken me overseas - I’m American but have been living in Europe for about 10 1/2 years now, the first 2 1/2 years in Brussels and since then in London. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685.md?page=11)