To find it awkward explaining my job?

[Bluebluesea321]

Does anyone else find it awkward/tiring trying to explain their job to people e.g. when being asked in a social setting? Unless you’re a vocation like doctor, teacher, accountant etc it just feels quite difficult without either sounding boring or show-offy! I work in a senior role in financial services and although it’s a very good job I have people asking what I do!

I am never bored when someone talks about their job. I'm genuinely interested, my questions are not out of politeness

I work in pharma. I see people’s eyes glaze over before I finish my job title. My DC thinks I physically make the drugs in a manufacturing site, a friend from the gym asked me if I worked “in the shop” (don’t think she grasped any of it) and my DH tells people I’m a rocket scientist. Most family and friends don’t have a clue; they know company name and job title and think that’s enough for them.

My husband works for universal credit at the job centre I just say he works at the job centre I think uc is awful. I'm a teaching assistant first thing people usually say is don't you want to be a teacher... I did until I started as a ta and saw how stressful and in family friendly teaching is.

I used to be an NHS manager. Much vilified and misunderstood. Someone once replied to me telling them that with, "oh, so you're part of the problem then".
Now I'm a stay at home mum and I love telling people that. So much easier as people at least have a vague idea of what you do all day.

I never want to describe my actual role to someone outside of my work environment/professional field, as it makes me sound simultaneously dull and pretentious (which I am not, and neither is my job!).

People have preconceptions of what people in my profession do (which makes up zero of not only my current role, but my career to date). People have preconceptions of what people in my sector do too (which also makes up zero of not only my current role, but my career to date).

I tend to give a vague “I work [here]” and hope for the best

It's just a way to make conversation without becoming too personal but showing interest in the person you ask. It's a fairly safe subject usually, so I don't read anything malicious in it.

I keep my job very generic, talking about the rough field and I never really tell my level - which people don't care about anyway. It just keeps the conversation going.

@Booboostwo j would love to meet a real life philosopher! Please come to my party!

@Booboostwo That sounds fascinating. The philosophy bit, anyway; I imagine working in academia is not much fun in the humanities at the moment. What's your area of philosophy?

I worked in Govt. I always used that old chestnut "I'd tell you what I do....but then I'd have to kill you". When they laughed I'd say "No, seriously".

My job was one that would result in people asking questions I didn't want to answer and usually a diatribe against the department I worked for.

Even now that I'm retired if someone asks what I 'did' I tell them I was a housewife.

No, I love my job! It's not unusual but it's quirky and we have a lot of fun and it's quite niche. I'm just celebrating getting a contract after nearly 2 years of it being a 'casual' job.

I’m a podiatrist, people usually look disgusted. Others tell me they always look after their feet.

Can’t tell you how much easier I sleep at night hearing that 😂

I bet it’s compliance 😁 I bore myself trying to explain it, so I just say I work in an office.

Why say senior? Just say “ I work in finance” if they are interested you can elaborate with what area of finance, what company only people in similar field would understand or be interested in specifics

I’m a road death investigator. That usually ends the conversation. (I’m telling the truth about my job by the way).

Working in the DWP I never told people where I worked, from past experience. People would either launch into a long winded tale of woe regarding the department, or go all quiet and not trust you. Now I work for probation it's very similar

I'm a writer. I love what I do, and I'm very proud of my work, but it is a weird one to tell people about because nobody is sure if they're talking to a fabulously successful bestseller or someone who's self-published a dreadful novel and sold thirty copies to their mates.
So people spend a lot of time trying to figure out where to place you socially and decide how impressed they ought to be. I get a lot of "So how do you earn your money then?" And "Have I heard of you?"

I work for a part of the NHS that isn't patient facing and that no-one outside of the NHS/local government has ever heard of. I then tell people my job title and no-one ever has a clue what I actually do. Cue a very long and boring explanation that nobody wants to hear! Even after I've explained I'm sure no-one understands!

I'm a GP Receptionist. If I'm asked by someone I used to work with I say I work in a GP surgery. One of my previous roles in banking was a secretary so I let them think that's what I do.

If I do elaborate I get "I couldn't do that job" instead of ranty experiences of not being able to get an appointment. Fwiw It's not my fault other people also want appointments and the GP's (my bosses) tell me how many slots are available to fill.

Yes. I work in a university library but I'm not a librarian. I worked on the helpdesk but was not a qualified librarian. People seem very confused when I tell them in not a librarian. There was some elements of library work but a lot of it was providing IT support, study skills advice, dyslexia support advice etc.... I now manage the helpdesk team.

Haha. This makes me laugh. I work in service continuity for a large IT company, no one knows what that is but other IT folk run from me when I say that. I’m even dull to them. Love it though.

I work in a mortuary and deal with adults and many, many children, fetus’ and babies. I often say I work in histopathology because people often assume it’s lab work. I learnt very quickly that it can go down like a cold bucket of sick as a conversation starter or it swings the other way and people want to debate with you about abortions/organ donations/donating to medical science and after hearing some really quite unsavoury views, I’ve decided it’s not worth it. I have plenty of other things to talk about, so it’s all good.

Yes. I often end up saying I teach (not a "teacher", though) or that I'm a biologist, or that I do research. I'm a University Lecturer, but called Something Professor here.
Sometimes I end up mentioning that my students are doing an MSc or a PhD.

Most people never heard of the bugs I work on, or barely recognise the word DNA.

People end up discussing all sorts of vaguely related topics with me. The latest was plastics in the ocean, of which I know little more than the general public.

I literally can't tell people what my job is so that's a conversation killer too! People assume you're being awkward or up yourself

Yep, I've simplified down pretty much every year since I started my own business and now I'm at "I work in marketing" and my DD (4) told her teacher "Mummy does adverts like on the telly" (not true, but as close as she is going to understand bless)

Particularly at weddings!