"I always felt a little bit sick saying it. I knew that telling people “I am an accountant” was not embarrassing or shameful - it’s a perfectly good profession, I’m good at it and I have had a good run with it. But for years I have not felt it represented who I was … or am."
You know Steve, I often feel the same way about telling people that I am an engineer. There is nothing shameful about it like you said and I am licensed, but sometimes I feel that certain people start to look at me a little differently when I say it to people that I meet for the first time. Maybe it is because I am female. Maybe it is because I look young. I am not sure what it is. But when I tell people that I am a paper pusher, that ends the discussion. But when I tell them that I am an engineer, I start getting all kinds of questions or sometimes complaints (because I work for a local government agency) that I just do not want.
Lucky you, I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. But I am generally happy at my job, so I am not in any rush to figure it out. It is great to discover my passion, but I am practical enough to know that sometimes having a passion for something and being good enough to make a living can be two different things.
Hunter Nuttall
· 1 year ago
I'll add myself to the list of people who don't feel represented by their job title. I don't have a title right now, but when I was a software developer, that was something I did, not something I was.
Once we had this guy come to our office and talk about...oh, I don't know, I guess self-identity or something. He was from India, and he found it interesting how closely we identify with our jobs here. What's one of the first things you ask when you meet someone? "What do you do?" And we say "I am a _______," but we are not the job. Now I wonder if this guy was trying to prepare us for layoffs.
Ashley @ Wide Open Wallet
· 1 year ago
Lately I've been feeling like calling myself a writer too. But I feel like "real" writers will jump out of the bushes and laugh at me.
I'm a writer.
ha! There I said it.
bubelah
· 1 year ago
Sounds like AA meeting here: "Hi, my name is ______, and I am a writer!Here, I admitted it"
FFB
· 1 year ago
You sir are most definitely a writer!
I always have trouble with explaining my job. I just tell people "Remember what Chandler did on Friends? Yeah, something like that."
Steve
· 1 year ago
@FFB: That's a kind thing to say... I truly appreciate that :)
I love the Chandler thing. I'll use that soon.
PT Money
· 1 year ago
That's a kick ace post, my friend. Nice work.
I'm an auditor as well and can relate to what you're saying. I've recently used the "I'm a writer/web-entrepenuer" thing to introduce myself, and yes, I felt the sense of relief you are talking about.
Good points on using the notion when it comes to weight and debt as well.
All Comments
You know Steve, I often feel the same way about telling people that I am an engineer. There is nothing shameful about it like you said and I am licensed, but sometimes I feel that certain people start to look at me a little differently when I say it to people that I meet for the first time. Maybe it is because I am female. Maybe it is because I look young. I am not sure what it is. But when I tell people that I am a paper pusher, that ends the discussion. But when I tell them that I am an engineer, I start getting all kinds of questions or sometimes complaints (because I work for a local government agency) that I just do not want.
Lucky you, I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. But I am generally happy at my job, so I am not in any rush to figure it out. It is great to discover my passion, but I am practical enough to know that sometimes having a passion for something and being good enough to make a living can be two different things.
Once we had this guy come to our office and talk about...oh, I don't know, I guess self-identity or something. He was from India, and he found it interesting how closely we identify with our jobs here. What's one of the first things you ask when you meet someone? "What do you do?" And we say "I am a _______," but we are not the job. Now I wonder if this guy was trying to prepare us for layoffs.
I'm a writer.
ha! There I said it.
I always have trouble with explaining my job. I just tell people "Remember what Chandler did on Friends? Yeah, something like that."
I love the Chandler thing. I'll use that soon.
I'm an auditor as well and can relate to what you're saying. I've recently used the "I'm a writer/web-entrepenuer" thing to introduce myself, and yes, I felt the sense of relief you are talking about.
Good points on using the notion when it comes to weight and debt as well.