To wonder about when people say they're in a "professional" job, what that actually means?

[WeldedParentMaterials]

I see it pop up a lot on threads, someone talks about their job, or their OH's job, and qualifies it as a "professional" job.

What does this actually mean? Is it solely a doctor, lawyer, or accountant? Or is it any old job you get paid for? Or do a few exams at some stage for?

Everyone seems to be a professional these days.

[Pumpkinette]

I would count a professional as someone who can countersign a passport or driving licence, according to the government website this is the list:

• accountant
  
• airline pilot
  
• articled clerk of a limited company
  
• assurance agent of recognised company
  
• bank/building society official
  
• barrister
  
• chairman/director of limited company
  
• chiropodist
  
• commissioner of oaths
  
• councillor, eg local or county
  
• civil servant (permanent), but not someone who works for Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO)
  
• dentist
  
• director/manager/personnel officer of a VAT-registered company
  

engineer - with professional qualifications

• financial services intermediary, eg a stockbroker or insurance broker
  
• fire service official
  
• funeral director
  
• insurance agent (full time) of a recognised company
  
• journalist
  
• Justice of the Peace
  
• legal secretary - fellow or associate member of the Institute of - Legal Secretaries and PAs
  
• licensee of public house
  
• local government officer
  
• manager/personnel officer of a limited company
  
• member, associate or fellow of a professional body
  
• Member of Parliament
  
• Merchant Navy officer
  
• minister of a recognised religion - including Christian Science
  
• nurse - RGN or RMN
  
• officer of the armed services
  
• optician
  
• paralegal - certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals
  
• person with honours, eg an OBE or MBE
  
• pharmacist
  
• photographer - professional
  
• police officer
  
• Post Office official
  
• president/secretary of a recognised organisation
  
• Salvation Army officer
  
• social worker
  
• solicitor
  
• surveyor
  
• teacher, lecturer
  
• trade union officer
  
• travel agent - qualified
  
• valuer or auctioneer - fellows and associate members of the incorporated society
  
• Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers
  

Ok maybe some of the voluntary roles (Salvation Army ) or a minister of a recognised religion isn't strictly a professional. It's still a pretty good list to go by.

What does it matter anyway? Pretty much every job serves a valuable purpose in society. apart from telesales which is just annoying

[Meechimoo]

Pumpkinette, my job isn't on those professions but mice countersigned a few passports for friends because I've got a degree. If you've got a degree you can countersign a passport.

[Meechimoo]

I've not mice

[Pumpkinette]

It's says 'a person with an honours' degree is allowed but not a standard degree. Not my rules all info is taken from the GOV.UK website

[Meechimoo]

Yep, mine is a BA (Hons) aren't most degrees with honours? I thought an honours degree was the most common ?

[Pumpkinette]

I think most are but not all. I know in Scotland anything less than 4 years wouldn't get a degree with honours. For a 3 year degree it would just be an ordinary or a master or arts degree.
Most open university degrees are also ordinary degrees and not with honours.

[merrymouse]

That list of people who can counter sign your passport is just a list of examples - you just have to be a member of a 'recognised' profession or of 'good standing in the community'. I think that covers a pretty wide range of people.

[limitedperiodonly]

I have no idea but as others have said, I always think of it as something you could be struck off from.

When I started my career a long time ago a senior colleague told me it was a trade and I should be very proud of that.

[jcscot]

Officers in the Armed Forces are usually considered "professional" in the sense that a year-long general training course is required before gaining a commission and from there attendance at various professional courses is required to move up the promotion ladder.

Along with the traditional learned professions of divinity, medecine and law, they were the accepted career options for younger sons of the upper middle and upper classes.