Subjective jobs

[Ninjafox]

Just wondering what winds you up about people's reaction to your job?

My role is design related which I've done for years. It really winds me up when people assume a job 'shouldn't take me more than 2 minutes' I've had that quite a lot, and also when they start to tell me how to redesign things like I have no clue how to do my job. Just fancy a big vent!

[runningtogetskinny]

I'm part of the senior team in a home for looked after teenagers, people think it's like Tracy Beaker - it REALLY isn't!

[DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops]

Oh the joys of not appearing to be "busy" with people. When I was in retail that was usually the time the real work got done!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

NHS Podiatrist:

"Did you want to do this"? Nope , I was plied with cheap voddy and press-ganged , woke up on a boat, let off when I was qualified

"I couldn't do your job , messing about with people's feet" I don't mess about thanks, and we wear PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) . There are jobs where they put their gloved hands in far worse places

"D'you need to study to do this" Uh huh

"Do you use a fresh set of instruments for each person" Of course. And gloves,apron,paper on the couch

"Do you have to deal with people with dirty feet." Occasionally. But more the blighters with BO. I can refuse to treat dirty feet for safety reasons. Can't send someone home to blast the RightGuard

"I better watch you might cut my toe off. HaHaHaHaHa" Believe me if I thought I could get away with it , I'd aim for the jugular Tinkly little laugh.

Obviously all these are only replies in my head. I am Pro....Fessional


And on the rare occasions I have an empty waiting room and I can have a drink and a pee "Oh you're not very busy....."

[Lyricallie]

I work in the nuclear sector as a recent graduate. But my background is in law so I get the inevitable “oh how did you get into that” which is fine and also “oh you’re like Homer Simpson/you’ll turn green”. I’m also in safety doing calculations and such and my mum always asks me what my job is when I do something stupid when down visiting her.

[Rednaxela]

"Can't you just turn it on?" Of course, if you want total chaos Otherwise, yes you do need a project manager..

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Craft1905

More like he only has a business cos he was sleeping with me

[Craft1905]

DH and I also run a business. He's a bit more visible with the clients than I am (due to the whole other job thing!) but I do a hell of a lot of bloody important work to keep it running and build it up, and I am so fed up of people patronisingly mentioning me "helping out with the admin" in a way that makes it very obvious they think it's his business and I maybe answer a few emails.

Pah....you only got the job because you were sleeping with the boss!

[DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops]

@PolarBearFlavour hooray I'm not the only one! Yeah, it's a quirky organisation! I'm an MoD employee but I work on a TA base, employed via a military association, just to add to the confusion! I really don't do anything exciting but it doesn't half surprise people!

[StatisticallyChallenged]

I get the opposite - nobody understand wtf my job involves, most people have never even heard of it so I get blank faces and "what's that"

CBA explaining it anymore.

DH and I also run a business. He's a bit more visible with the clients than I am (due to the whole other job thing!) but I do a hell of a lot of bloody important work to keep it running and build it up, and I am so fed up of people patronisingly mentioning me "helping out with the admin" in a way that makes it very obvious they think it's his business and I maybe answer a few emails.

[Craft1905]

I'm a Coronation Programme Seller. People think it's a bit of a cop out. I admit things have been a bit slow for a good few decades but they're bound to pick up soon.

[QueenArseClangers]

...for clarity the coffin gets burnt in the cremator and if we remove jewellery we don’t ‘break’ or harm the deceased’s fingers. A bit of liquid soap/cream works a treat to get them off.

[QueenArseClangers]

I get questions like ‘how do you break fingers to get their wedding rings off?’ and ‘you must be raking it in cos you obviously reuse coffins’
I work in funeral care.

[Polarbearflavour]

@DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops I’m an MoD bod too! It’s a funny old place to work!

[TheOrigFV45]

I am an editor for a scientific journal (data rather than words). People understand that bit, but it gets a bit tricky when people ask "so what do you actually do?"

It's pretty specific and while not complicated to explain if you're in the field, if you're not (and then especially if people are closed minded because they think they won't understand) it can be hard to explain in layman's terms.

I tend to ask "have you heard of the Human Genome Project?" and then respond accordingly, either with a "well, it's a bit like that", or in greater detail if they have a greater understanding.

[SandyY2K]

So I work in HR...people think HR staff are unsympathetic and out to get them.

Previously worked for the police and views were the same if not worse.

[Chelsea26]

I have a job that sounds cool (and actually is quite cool if I’m honest!) People outside always ask what celebrities I’ve met/know but I don’t really deal with talent so they’re often disappointed.

Some people inside my work only see the outward ‘swanning around, drinking champagne and chatting to people’ and believe that’s all I do.

No, actually I run the fucking business and all that entails!! Also looking delighted to see people you don’t particularly like and staying late to chat to them when I’d rather be at home with my kids is not that fun!!!

I do love my job though

[Balaboosteh]

I worked as a gardener in a Royal Park. People asked the most bizarre questions and frequently enthused about how much they Loved Gardening. I resisted the temptation to ask them if they’d like to start at 7am, work for low wages and be bossed around by Neanderthal Sun-reading males.

[MajesticWol]

@LaurieFairyCake

Same. It annoys me that even on Mumsnet I’ve seen people state “counsellors are only trained to listen” more times than I can count.

[DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops]

When I worked in retail management I usually just got people assuming I'd get a whopping discount on everything and buy it for them- haha no. I'd lose my job! Or asking me refund procedure for places I didn't work for - unsurprisingly I couldn't help much, or asking for my weirdest customer stories - yep cleaning up actual shit from a changing room was the nadir of my career, I'm so glad you enjoyed hearing that!

I work in administration for the MoD now so people generally assume I'm more important than I am and don't know what to say or that I can't tell them anyway . The rudest is probably people who knew I "worked in a shop" before and ask how I managed to get an office job- especially an MoD one. Because I did an admin role within retail. Plus I tell them honestly that I've signed the official secrets act and let them draw their own (far more exciting) conclusions ... It's a natural conversation killer and exceptionally good at shutting up judgemental bitches

[Polarbearflavour]

People assume I’m a spy!

[NotTheFunKind666]

Work in PR - that people think I'm snotty and unapproachable.

[ribblerobble]

I work all year round in an educational institution. It's often assumed I have no work to do during academic holidays when in fact they are the only times I can do certain tasks which are difficult when I'm otherwise busy helping students.

[shumway]

I work in a library. People say oh it must be so nice to sit and read books all day. If only.

[Hoppinggreen]

DH is in IT
He works on high profile government contracts, has years of experience and is highly qualified and well paid
Quite a few people ask him to “fix their WIFi”, usually the same people who say how boring his job must be or what a nerd he is
Being a thoroughly nice chap he usually still does it for them

[Pachyderm1]

I’m a lawyer. People tell me long winded stories about disputes with their neighbours / former workplaces / families / business partners etc before looking at me expectantly as if either a) they think it’s the most complex and fascinating legal dispute I will ever have encountered, or b) they’re expecting me to give legal advice. I just smile and make sympathetic noises!