What’s my occupation?

[SecretSarahBeeny]

Recently, for a number of reasons, people have begun asking me, “What do you do?”

Other school gate parents have jobs their children can easily describe. Electrician, teacher, doctor etc.

I haven’t helped myself by being vague about what I do. In the past I’ve told most people I was a SAHM, but now our children are older I can sense a certain disdain from other parents at the school gates. I’ve had a couple of occasions of being patronised by my very young GP recently, too. I think there’s an assumption that I must be poorly educated or just poor. I’m neither. I paid six figures in tax last year.

I would feel a massive knob calling myself Company Director, which is how my accountant describes me on my Companies House listing.

I have income from BTL. The capital came from a previous career, not an inheritance or marriage.
I have income from managing BTL for others.
I renovate a house (not the one we live in) every other year, rolling forward the capital but not drawing an income. The capital for this came from remortgaging my first BTL, and my mortgage broker described me as a professional residential landlord.

I’m ashamed of caring what other people think of me, but I really don’t want to say I’m a landlord. I’m not a big enough cheese to say I’m a property developer. I would quite like to have a nice easy response to this common question. Do you have any ideas?

You're a property developer.

Honestly, it's jut a common/polite question. Don't overthink it.

Property developer is fine.

No-one will care anywhere near as much as you do.

DH thinks this is exactly what I should say, @FrenchtoEnglish. I can’t say it with a straight face. I have imposter syndrome.

The tax comment above included CGT and stamp duty; it wasn’t just income tax.

If you dont want to say property developer just say you work in property. Then if asked, you can give further details.

You manage other people's BTLs so I guess you could say lettings manager. But I'm puzzled. When I was a company director I came up on searches. If someone searched my name it would come up. In fact 7 years later I still do.

I’d tell people you are a property manager (they might start tapping you for a loan if you say you are a property developer, )

I know what you mean. Some people judge and act differently depending on how you reply. Just say you are developing a btl or are 'in property'. I don't have a specific career and tend to mumble a different answer depending on my mood.

I don’t want to say property developer because I think other people would laugh. A property every other year is very amateur, isn’t it?

🙄

I don’t want to say property developer because I think other people would laugh. A property every other year is very amateur, isn’t it?

People will judge you whether you're a SAHM, a multimillionare CEO or something in between. What identity do you want to have?

@Missthedog That’s it exactly. I don’t want people to think I’m a knob, or a fantasist. But I’m also tired of being subtly “downgraded” by people who think I’m idle all day long.

Tell them you are a sort of estate agent.

Tell them your practicing for Homes under the Hammer 😂😂

what about a property manager then

I am a foster parent, I don't work outside of the home but boy, do I work inside it. Looking after children and babies with trauma is tough, if someone wants to look down their nose at me for staying at home looking after children then let them (and I challenge them to spend a day in my shoes). You are in property, there is no shame in that.

Just say 'I work in property'.

Its what I say and no one ever bats an eyelid.

You could say you’re in property development, somehow it sounds less proper than property developer

@bloodywhitecat I bet you do tell people you’re a foster parent though. I’m sure the usual response to that is admiration.

If you tell people - particularly people with professional jobs - that you’re a SAHM, their eyes glaze over at best, and at worst they’re downright contemptuous.

“I work in property management”.

Why are you agonising over this? Why would you make shit up when it’s perfectly simple to describe what you do? Or are you hoping someone will come up with the perfect term so you can humblebrag about your incredibly high income?

Just say 'I work in property'.

This. It covers a multitude of jobs. People probably aren't interested enough to probe further.

Actually, the thread title is 'what's my occupation?'
I think the answer is 'worrying too much about what casual acquaintances think'
As an inveterate over thinker myself, I mean this in the nicest possible way

@SecretSarahBeeny

I don’t want to say property developer because I think other people would laugh. A property every other year is very amateur, isn’t it?

Unless you're asking them for a loan, I really don't think they'll delve into the details

I actually want to avoid any sense of humble brag which is why I hate the term property developer, @Dyrne. I don’t have a particularly high income, or a Range Rover, and I think both of those are requirements of that job description!

@Bluesheep8 I’m definitely overthinking this and definitely over-sensitive about it. I had a nice easy neutral job occupation description before, and would like one again.