# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/141 "2004-09-03T05:31:50Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > Data Base Admonisher for a mid size company in Silicon Valley. Do you get to launch many volleys of silly cans in the course of your admonishments? ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/142 "2004-09-03T05:32:17Z")
I’m a research associate working in preclinical development at a biotech company. Basically I spend my days playing with cells and antibodies. I’ve also just been put in charge of ordering lab supplies for my department, so I get to spend lots of the company’s money. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/143 "2004-09-03T05:42:12Z")
Purchasing Assistant - Wine Company My main purchasing responsibilities are boring things like dunnage - pallets, slip sheets, stretch film, etc. and specialty items - large bottles (and corks and labels), wood boxes, tissue… There are 4 other buyers in my dept. that have the various other packaging components divided among them, mostly by commodity (glass, cork, capsules, labels, and so on), some by brand. I am involved in the processes of planning materials for each of them. My manager negotiates pricing and contracts and basically oversees the dept. budget. I assist in the budget process. And other various boring day to day things. Credit Apps, Capital PO data entry, training for the PO module of the ERP system we use, etc. ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/144 "2004-09-03T14:42:05Z")
I’m a semiconductor product engineer – which means I have to figure out how to test and manufacture these high-transistor count chips that we sell to communications companies. Which somehow translates into a lot of meetings and phone calls. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/145 "2004-09-03T18:19:54Z")
Ornithologist and tropical biologist, based in Panama (though I’ve also been working in Africa recently). My main job right now, though, is working as Chief Exhibition Curator of a new Museum of Biodiversity scheduled to open here in 2006. I also do science writing for the general public. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/146 "2004-09-03T19:19:01Z")
_De facto_ analytical chemist, working as the Whole Freakin’ Quality Control Department for a small pharmaceutical development company. I write the specifications, the test methods, the procedures, the protocols, and the reports, AND I do all of the lab work and maintain my equipment. I used to have a couple of chemists helping with all of this, but they got laid off when we ran out of money. We now have more money, but I have no time to train chemists. Fortunately, I am astonishingly effcient. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/147 "2004-09-03T20:17:18Z")
Worthless, unemployed layabout bum. What? Oh, you mean what do I NORMALLY do! 😃 Enviro project manager, and adjunct faculty for PE at a univ. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/148 "2004-09-03T20:26:47Z")
> [@Only Mostly Dead](#): > > I’m currently waiting for a Federal background check to clear so that I may begin my first post-bachelors job as a Federal background checker. Oh the agony. > > In the meanwhile, I sell TVs and other sundry electronics at Sears. Are you talking about an SF-86? Good lord those things are a nightmare huh? The filling out of the 19 pages of info is bad enough, but the 20 thousand calls to fill in miniscule holes in your background …no really I do NOT knowwhere my ex husband, whom I divorced 20 years ago lives now. No, I honestly do not know his phone number…No, really I don’t. Here’s his name, here’s his SS, which I just happened to come across in some old files, YOU hunt him down…Yes, you have my permission, Yes, I realize that you just taped that verbal permission, No I have NO idea what he’ll say about me…etc etc. Good luck with your new job!! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/149 "2004-09-03T21:02:20Z")
I’m an underemployed librarian. Currently I work as an art librarian at a museum, where I’m the only one there and therefore do technical and public services. By education and inclination I am a technical services librarian (cataloging, acquisitions, serials, etc) but by market force I’m looking for a job in reference. Also I’m working to be a part-time self-employed indexer. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/150 "2004-09-03T21:39:58Z")
I teach chess, roleplaying and computer games at a private School. Yes, really! 🆒 (The last time we voted, I got runner-up for best job in the World. The winner, as I recall, was a lady who translated porn films. :eek: ) ---
**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:** [September 3, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/151 "2004-09-03T22:11:04Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I teach chess, roleplaying and computer games at a private School. > > Yes, really! 🆒 > > (The last time we voted, I got runner-up for best job in the World. The winner, as I recall, was a lady who translated porn films. :eek: ) No wonder you are so gleeful. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/152 "2004-09-03T23:03:01Z")
Most of my money comes from being an **insurance claim rep.** Some other money comes from the **paper route**. Sporadic bursts of huge sums of money come from **home remodelling**. A rapidly growing source of cashish comes from doing **mechanical work on cars**. Still testing the waters for “a better kind of independent auto insurance broker” I hope to incorporate the last 3 sources in a couple years, get some licenses and dump the claims gig–nice enough job, but I don’t like HAVING to go to work. ---
**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 4, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/153 "2004-09-04T00:40:12Z")
**bouv** e-mail me if you’re serious. Vlad/Igor ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/154 "2004-09-04T00:56:27Z")
I am a clinical psychologist. Right now, I work at a hospital with patients who have spinal cord injuries, but I was at one time a psychology prof and plan to open a general private practice in the not-too-distant future. ---
**Author:** ![Aviator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Aviator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aviator)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/155 "2004-09-04T02:44:18Z")
> [@JayElle](#): > > Yuummm. Do you love ice cream or are you totally sick of it by now? I started working there as QA manager and I had to taste it every day. So yes, I did get sick of it. Now that I don’t have to eat ice cream every day, I like it again. ---
**Author:** ![Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_to_be_Queen)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/156 "2004-09-04T03:33:36Z")
Museum Curator and Archivist (The Archivist part is my favorite) ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/157 "2004-09-04T04:18:05Z")
I am doctor. Actually a professor of medicine. And I head a fair-sized university division (120+ members, but only about 60 - 70 full timers). Most of my quality time is spent teaching. Alas, most of my time seems to be spent administrating. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/158 "2004-09-04T04:19:02Z")
I’m an inordinatley (sp) overpaid welder, and I just love it to pieces. I work for a contractor who’s building a school for the state, so I make “Davis-Bacon” wages. :does the Ren/Stimpy happy dance: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Maxxxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Maxxxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxxxie)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/159 "2004-09-04T04:47:35Z")
I’m in the IT industry. My job title is “Infrastructure Support Analyst”, but in fact, I’m the team leader for the infrastructure support team, and am making my way to being the IT manager. Most of my day is spent either dealing with policy, dealing with vendors, project managing, working on servers or doing stuff the rest of the team doesn’t want to touch (either technically too difficult, or usually, more politically messy). My team has five people in it, and we support around 1100 users. As much as I enjoy the career progression, I feel that moving into the management track will ultimately cause me to stop working on technical stuff altogether. I’m not altogether happy with that idea. It’s the tech stuff that makes me happy, not the political stuff. Max. ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685/160 "2004-09-04T11:17:07Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > > [@beckwall](#): > > > > Hey, cool! I am an RN with 10 years dialysis experience, currently director and chief instructor of a small dialysis tech program in a private school. > > > > And I can’t seem to let go of my other fun job, which is home health nurse. As much as I hate the paper work, I do love my patients so much. > > Do we not have the best patients in the whole world? Most of mine are home PD patients, and I do way more desk work than I like to; I wish everyone could know just what it is these people go through on a day to day basis just to stay alive. It’s amazing how low awareness is for kidney disease. I’m not working these days, I’m a PD dialysis patient and I just wanted to say hi to **Maureen** and **beckwall**. Dialysis nurses do an amazing job, thanks guys. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-profession/262685.md?page=9)