What kind of job do you have?

[StellaBlue]

I left my job as a bank teller a moment ago and went through a drive-through for a quick lunch, and I was just wondering if the girl who handed me my food, who graduated from the same high school as me, but a year earlier, would ever get out of fast food / retail hell. Probably not.

Then I started wondering how many DUers are 'professional' vs. laborers, etc.

Which BEST describes you?

[donheld]

1. What about IT people?

:shrug:

[StellaBlue]

6. middle management, IMHO

same as 'HR' people

Unless you design webpages for a living or something - then you fit in 'media'.

[donheld]

13. Not even close

Programmers, Operators, Database Administrators just don't fit.

[lukasahero]

19. Most are generally considered "professionals" - use engineer.

Not sure about "operators" or data entry level stuff...

[yellowdogintexas]

26. other: customer service representative.nt

[kick-ass-bob]

2. database programmer.

[LSK]

3. IT

I have an engineering degree so I guess I fit in choice one???

[jane_pippin]

4. I have two of those listed.

One is office, one is retail. I love my retail job, and I tolerate the office job.

[RandomKoolzip]

5. Food service. And it sizzznucks!

[cfield]

7. Teller Supervisor

at locally owned bank. Love it, but there are days I miss doing daycare. Throughout and shortly after highschool, I was infant/toddler teacher. I don't think I'll ever go back, but that was my dream job!

[Shine]

8. Other: I am a f/t mother of 2 school age kids, p/t community volunteer.

I don't get paid in money for what I do, but it's WORK, nonetheless. Believe me.

:hi:

[Beer Snob-50]

9. Couldn't you technically say all of the above?

[Shine]

11. hehe. Good one.

Yeah, I suppose I could. Sometimes I refer to myself at Domestic Goddess. Sometimes I feel like a Slave. It just depends on my state of mind. :eyes:

[evlbstrd]

10. Advertising.

Our client list makes me feel filthy at the end of the day.

[XemaSab]

12. Environmental Science/ Biologist/ Soil Science

But I'm between jobs. :P

[johnnie]

14. I chose #1

I'm an engineer, but have no degree. Is that a "professional" or "Laborer"?

[AKPacker]

16. Medical Technologist

Maybe you could add allied health professional to the poll!

[Oeditpus Rex]

15. I just hate it when journalism is lumped in with

PR/advertising. :grr:

[WritingIsMyReligion]

25. LOL Rex

:hi:

[gizmo1979]

17. I'm the only machinist at DU

that makes me an endangered species.So now you have to be nice to me.

[Nikia]

18. I do quality assurance at a food processing facility

In a way I am a scientist, manager, and laborer.
By the way, when I had a difficult time getting a job right out of college, I chose fast food over bank teller. They both paid around $7.00 hour. The teller job would have required me to buy more clothes so I chose fast food.

[bigwillq]

20. Sportswriter (nt)

[Alleycat]

21. Sales

You did't have that listed so I checked Advertising since I do advertising sales.

[skygazer]

22. Question for you

Do you consider a bank teller to be a "professional"? From the way you worded it, talking about the girl at the fast food window, it sounds like it. Since I know plenty of people who've gone to work as bank tellers with no formal education beyond high school, I would not.

To answer YOUR question, I work retail. I'm not ashamed of it. I don't feel somehow inferior to the doctors or lawyers or whatever who come to my store and look down their noses at me, treat me rudely and act like they think I'm stupid (I'm not - I had a 3.95 GPA in college before I was forced to give it up). I work hard for my money. I've been told I make too much money for what I do, by a woman who WAS a professional and thought it was unfair that I, without a college degree, made perhaps 2/3 as much as she did with one. Difference is, her job doesn't tear her body up - I have arthritis in my back and knee, carpal tunnel in both wrists and had surgery on my neck 2 years ago. I'm compensated for beating myself up so badly that I will no doubt be little more than a cripple by the time I retire - if I can afford to retire.

Maybe the girl who gave you your food is working her way through college - a lot of people in retail do. I don't mean to sound snarky or defensive but when people talk about my job, they so often make it sound like the bottom of the barrel, a job someone does because they can't do anything else. That's just not always true. There are some retail jobs that are damn good jobs to have and plenty of the younger people you see working retail will end up in management and make a decent living and a good retirement out of it. Besides, if we poor slobs weren't out there putting the food on the shelves, all you "professionals" wouldn't have anything to eat.

So I guess what best describes me is a damn proud laborer with a big chip on her shoulder. ;) :hi:

[trof]

23. Other: pilot.

Until I retired.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

24. High school student!

No job!

:D :P :evilgrin:

I WANT to be a writer/journalist, though.

[leftofthedial]

27. professional songwriter

(of the currently starving variety)

although I'm also Executive Director of a nonprofit and former technology and media executive

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

28. Self-employed computer repair geek

Been in business about three years now, and going strong. My clients range from far eastern Dallas west to Ft. Worth, and as far north as the state line. So I guess I've seen a few people over the past few years.

[Ptah]

29. Other.

Instrument maker.

Extraordinaire.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

30. I'm An Operations Analyst. Not Sure What That Falls Into lol

[TheProphetess]

31. College professor

I profess psychology.

[hickman1937]

32. Shop rat, 30yrs.

Met some of the best people I've ever known in this factory. Most retired about 10 years ago. The new breed are mostly republican in nature. Proud of their ability to do as little as possible for the maximum amount of money they can screw out of the system. Walter Reuther is vomiting in heaven, and Jesus is holding back his hair so it doesn't fall in the toilet.

edit for forgot spellcheck. Zip. I rule.