To ask whether you judge someone based on their occupation?

[lushilaoshi]

I am sometimes judged (I think) a bit harshly based on my occupation. It can be a bit of a conversation killer, sometimes.

So without revealing yet what I actually do, if I were to say (for instance) that I am a City lawyer, what assumptions would you make about me? Would you take an instant dislike? Versus if I were to tell you that I am, for example, a languages teacher?

I think I can predict some answers, but I am curious about what characteristics are attributed to certain occupations, and whether justified. And in particular, whether gender makes any difference to your judgement?

jessiemcjessie my DH works with horses. He holds an internationally recognised coaching qualification, he's an official with the sport's governing body, he rides at advanced level and has represented GB - but it's not a real job .

I judge and assume things. It's natural. I'm also interested to know stuff about other jobs for when I win the lottery and fancy a change

I also get judged / wrongly assumed a lot.

I live in Abu Dhabi. The vast majority of British women are either:

1. Teacher
2. SAHM /trailing spouse to husbands job
3. Hairdresser
4. Air stewardess

I'm in construction. I've lost count of the number of times people even my British female GP have opened up with 'which school do you teach at' when I'm wearing office-type clothes.

My dh is a director of an investment bank. My very socialist parents think he's an accountant. I will never tell them the truth.

I am an engineer. What would you think about me? :D

Muppet - what kind of engineer? I need more data to answer!

Used to be a Lorry Driver and when turning up to load up I would get "oh you don't look like a lesbian"

I am a buildings engineer.
I convert architect's intent into buildable designs.

Used to be a Lorry Driver and when turning up to load up I would get "oh you don't look like a lesbian"
Hmm, coz no heterosexual woman would ever want to do a "man's job" would she

Muppet, I'd assume you were a practical and sensible sort of person...at least when you're in "work mode"

"I sometimes feel apologetic for some reason when I tell people what I do...I'm a police detective."
That's a shame Dizzy because I think it's a brilliant job. I'd assume you were an analytical thinker, which is a trait I admire.

Am I the only bus driver here then? That's tragic

I'm a pension wise specialist

I have only really been judged on here as the majority of MN think hvs
are a)nosy b) useless c) just want to make mums feel bad. We also act too hastily and don't act at all, I feel like I am in one of the most disliked professions there is on mn.
When I was a nurse however well I was selfless and heroic. Now I'm just a cunt!

I wouldn't generally but I think I might judge an arms trader or a dictator

I loved my dhs last job title in his former company : Cloud Architect. I know it building cloud based network infrastructures, but it sounds so lofty and artistic and natural sci-ency. I picture somebody making cloud shapes all day!

DH's last job title was system integrator, I alway thought it sounded a bit like a Bond villian 'The Integrator'.

There are different way to judge aren't there. I tend to judge people who do airy fairy jobs like 'actors' who have never been in a play or 'writers' who have nothing published or 'musicians' who don't perform or 'artists' who have never had an exhibition and who don't do another job to pay the bills. Basically cock lodgers (or the female equivalent).

Would never judge anyone who is doing a decent useful job although may well make assumptions.

I'm a scientist, the usual response is 'wow, you must be clever' which is a bit of a conversation stopper. Better than the alternative which is when I say I work in Pharma and I'm told I'm basically a savant who doesn't understand the social implication of my job (I kid you not). That person basically got told to FTFOTTFSOF and to stop taking any prescriptions drugs if what I did was so evil.

I'm told I'm basically a savant

Crucial workd missing there, they called me an idiot savant.

I have a friend who, on a night out, tells people she works in finance. She's actually a physio but if she tells people the truth she has to listen to their ailments all night!

When I started going out with my ex (a doctor) I got judged all the time. One of her colleagues assumed I was her bit of rough and it was pointless talking to me as he was going to be a high flying surgeon and I would be dumped anyway. When we got engaged it was like someone flicked a switch and I became a human being. He later failed spectacularly as a surgeon and now does rashes. I saw him after fifteen years and on finding out he was a skin specialist did watch him squirm as he answered my “What happened to being a surgeon?” question.

We went to but wedding rings a very posh jeweller and they have a doorman who very reluctantly let us in (jeans and t-shirts). Asked about rings and were treated with the very minimum of courtesy until we decided on two very expensive rings and the switch flicked again “Would sir/madam like a glass of champagne?”

Her colleagues treated me very well on the whole. The exception being the very occasional surgeon, but they were usually wankers to everyone.

Do I judge? All the time. Any new age yoghurt knitting is treated with the contempt it deserves, car salesman have one chance and are then consigned to my bad books. The “I’ll need to consult my boss about that discount” trick gets the reply “Well send him out and I’ll talk to him.” I have had lunch with my national rugby team and they were gods amongst men and have met one of the UK’s most famous footballers who’s generally rated as an all round nice guy who is actually a huge arsehole and I’m not the only one who thinks that. Compare and contrast him with one of his colleagues who was genuinely lovely (both had children at the same school).

I want to be a Cloud Architect!

I'm just a boring old doctor.

I used to be a nanny. People would assume I was thick, and one or two got a serious shock when they were told (by my employer: I didn't give a shit) that I was en route to a top university.

I work in Oil and Gas. So I'm single handedly wrecking the planet.

Everyone talking about their friends' professions has reminded me of the Great British Class Calculator:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22000973

i try not to judge but i think it is natural to make some assumptions about others. This will totally out me but when we first moved to our semi-rural village, some guy screached to a halt outside our house, on his motor bike, clad head to toe in black leathers. He took off his helmet and his unkempt beard made him look like one of the hairy bikers. He then introduced himself as our local vicar! ... I would NEVER have guessed, but how silly is that? I mean why shouldn't a vicar ride a motor bike!? Lesson learned!

Me and DH are both lawyers. Well I was, then a SAHM, now a WAHM. recent friends have said they can't believe I used to be a lawyer as I'm 'too nice'

DH is the kindest, most hard working individual I know. He might try for the judiciary next year, or we might jack it in and live on a smallholding somewhere interesting.

Since we've been judged for years for being lawyers, I'm know it's a load of annoying bollocks to do so, so I try not to do it to other people.

I struggle more with vague job titles to be honest. Four-word titles that are meaningless in the real world, and so leave me none the wiser as to what it is someone actually does for a living.

There was a letter in the Guardian's work problem page on Saturday from a lawyer who said a secretary in his firm was treating him badly. One respondent said 'you don't need to be liked by her, you are better educated and more intelligent than her.' I thought that was pretty rank - I work in international student welfare, which is 75% admin, but I also have a PhD.

I'm more highly educated than most lawyers. I love my job and am good at what I do, but some people do make nasty assumptions when you're 'just an admin person.'

Not currently working ( looking though) so i tend to try to stear clear of these conversations! My eldest is a maintenance man / cleaner / driver for a property company. He feels judged especially as his friends went to Uni and work in offices etc!
if someone is a scientist, lawyer, doctor, engineer i tend to think ' they must be clever' teachers i think 'poor them ' ( but also must be clever!) hairdressers i envy having the skills to actually cut my mop. Cleaners in pubs i feel sorry for ( those loos !) but i do not judge. Im sure not all bankers are not on six figure salaries either. We need people to bring different skills. We need them all to keep things going!