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?

I used to know someone who was a debt collector for Provident, and I judge her so, so hard, because she actually admitted to gaining pleasure from making people who couldn't afford that week's repayment squirm. She's a horrible person.

I'm a nurse and most people often think of this as a "vocation." Not for me. I chose nursing because I didn't know what else to do, certainly had no particular calling. It was (maybe less so theses days) always thought of as a career for those less academic. In fact I got a better degree than most of my friends and many nurses are now very highly educated.

While studying for my PhD (having graduated from Oxford) I worked as a waitress (until I had enough tutees that I could afford to give up waitressing & earn more in a shorter period of time), so I don't make assumptions about anyone doing low paid work. I do judge people who think they're above that type of work though.

There are certain jobs I couldn't do myself because of my own personal beliefs (not that many) but I wouldn't judge someone who did.

I hate being asked what I do as I'm the only person in the world who does my specific type of work & I never know how to explain it. I have tried various broad, general responses such as 'I run my own business offering a particular type of acadenic research' (which is sort of true) but I always get asked to explain more & tie myself up in knots. In part that may be because I'm also a carer & work from home & so a lot of people (even ones I've known for a while) have no idea I work at all (I wish). Government agencies assume no carers work. I was given an appointment with less than 2 days notice recently by the DWP (to do with my son's DLA) & they refused to change it. That really makes me cross.

CPtart I find your post interesting. There has been a definite shift in the type of approach to care from HCP since the introduction of higher level qualifications. People seeing it as a job or career rather than a vocation - and the level of personalised care has reduced as a result IME and that of others I know. The overall focus of nursing in particular has shifted from caring for people to 'professional healthcare' which makes a big difference to the individual experience. (This is not a reflection on individual nurses but the effect of a strategic change of direction as guided by the NMC).
So whilst it may be true that nurses are now better qualified, I'm not convinced that makes them better nurses.

Haven't read the thread yet but I think people absolutely will judge you or at least make certain assumptions based on what you do for a living, and apart from the odd exception they would usually be correct.

sirchenjin I'm confused! The Sick Kids has not moved yet and isn't remotely finished (and I am not even sure it will have free parking if the rest of Little France is anything to go by.

Do you mean the Sick Kids in Edinburgh? (Or RHSC for the benefit of the PITA pedant who took issue with its name even though it's been in use for decades)

Gostraight: why do you think ppl who make assumptions about careers or anything else for that mater tend to be correct? Honest question.

Most of us judge. Often correctly, because you need to have a certain type of personality and a certain skill set to do most of these jobs.

... but sometimes you're spectacularly off the mark.

I'm currently in a team of 10 IT consultants. 6 fit the stereotype rather well. One is a borderline case. One co-worker and myself are not what you'd expect at all personality wise. Our behaviour/approach while on the job fits but our personal opinions and tastes certainly don't.

And then there's Nerdageddon. Fits every computer geek stereotype you'll ever think of and as a consequence seems like the unlikeliest consultant of all times. He's been there for a year and I doubt he's actually spoken a word to a client (except to make awkward small-talk that always ends up being about some technical detail that even I don't understand. And I have two relevant degrees. Imagine the poor client!)

Camel I can think of at least one city centre hospital near to me that is within easy walking distance of the city centre offices, shops and university. It's got a large multi-story car park attached, and I can easily see that hospital car park being horribly misused by people who want to go to the city centre or university if it was free to park there.

I agree it is unfair for patients and their families though. When DS1 was in SCBU, the neonatal unit could give parents discount vouchers for the hospital car park, so we didn't have to pay the full amount. Not sure how common that sort of thing is in hospitals that have paid car parks.

I think it is unavoidable to make assumptions but to believe that those assumptions must be true in most cases is just wrong, specially if you dont have first hand knowledge.

Grumpy- as someone whose degree is not actually in nursing and who did the "traditional" hands on method of training 25 years ago..I agree with you!

Grumpy my mum (an old school nurse) would agree with you!

Lol -

Agree with Nolim. I don't see how anyone can confidently say that assumptions based on job titles are usually correct, particularly when it comes to personality.

Assumptions based on skill sets may be correct if you're familiar enough with a job, but if your idea of what e.g. an engineer does is wrong, then your assumptions of what skills an engineer has is also likely to be wrong.

cruikshank - your comment is rooted in complete ignorance, and I suspect envy, of the job I do. Actually, no one's 'country' pays my salary. I do project financing, which is entirely privately funded and all legal fees are paid by the developers. The whole point of a project financing is that the government of the host country does NOT have to pay for the project to be developed. It's revolutionised infrastructure development in poorer countries, as the government does not need to make any capital expenditure or get into debt in order to develop projects.

See what I mean about being judged?

I try not to judge, however, i do judge (a little) if people dont work, maybe i positively discriminate for people that have a job?!
(just me being brutally honest)

I don't care what you do, so long as you do something? I have friends who are cleaners, and hate it - and i think, well why are you still doing it then? and i have friends who are cleaners and love it and i think great!

And by the way, we don't just 'draw up a contract', cruikshank. It is just a teeny weeny but more involved than that.

I'm in IT. People have been glazing over with boredom for years. You get over it!

these days everyone wants you to fix their tablet/pc/phone

Yup, Saucy, I get that too!

Dear all, just because someone's in IT doesn't mean they want it indeed can fix you iPad issues!

I wouldn't have a clue how to anyway. I specialise in databases. I have a reasonable understanding of operating systems but I'm as bemused by Windows 8 as the next person.

Middle class people are incredibly judgy about what others do to earn a living. Especially self-avowed 'socialists.'

I had a job as a writer/editor before having children and that was deemed acceptable by peers - dinner party worthy in fact.

Then I worked in an NHS call centre for a few years as the shifts fitted around childcare and I needed a steady income to help us move house -and DP was struggling due to recession.

There was a different attititude towards me then. Confusion (why would you do a job like that?) condescension (well done you, I couldn't do a job like that in a million years) and patronising (no just let me explain to you - we are in recession which means the government can't afford things, do you see?)

I was just I have a first class degree, I'm not thick. What's more the people I wirked alongside in the call centre were students and graduates. People with MA's, struggling g through phd's, law students, medics and people with no qualifications.

Them I went back to my professional role and attitudes have changed again.

People do judge - I hate it when they pretend they don't.

Middle class people are incredibly judgy about what others do to earn a living. Especially self-avowed 'socialists.'

I have found this too: The more 'creative' the person saw themself as being, the more judgey they were about others who work in more ordinary jobs.

I can see the points for traffic wardens but as some other have pointed out they can be absolute arseholes and I really don't believe they don't get commission.

I believe they get commission.

Babyfeets, you are entitled to your own beliefs, but neither you nor anyone else are entitled to their own facts. Traffic wardens are not paid commission on numbers of tickets issued. That is a fact. And the facts don't change regardless of anyone's stupid beliefs.