Do you consider your job part of your identity?
 

I was thinking today about how often we use our job as an identifier in this country. When you introduce yourself to someone, or if you're a gameshow contestant, or in just about any social situation, your name is the first thing people offer, and almost immediately after comes your line of work.

Do you personally identify yourself with your job? Like, do you think "I'm an architect!", or is your job one of the last things you associate with yourself?

I think that probably depends a lot on the social status of the job in question, and your interest in that field. Personally, I've never been too attached to my work, and it's one of the last things I'd offer about myself, although it's never one of the last things asked. Anybody's who's been unemployed is probably familiar with the not-often-mentioned joy of going to a party, or social situation, and having to spend half the time announcing your unemployment, as part of introductions. We've all probably also met one of those folks who insists on being called 'Dr.' every time they're addressed, in even the most casual of settings.

Where do you fit?

nah

So...you didn't mention what you do for a living.

Also, I think you should legally be required to have sold art, in order to identify yourself as an 'artist'. Half of Portland calls themselves artists, because they doodle horrible self portraits on napkins, or whatever, and I think there needs to be some sort of regulation put into place. I drive a car everyday, I think I'm pretty good at it, I don't call myself a 'racecar driver'.

yes for me.

i live. i work in order to have money to live.

haHA! EXACTLY!

Software quality assurance engineer. Or unemployed, depending on what day you ask (don't ask next week). Explaining what software quality assurance is, to a half-interested party, is almost as uncomfortable as admitting you're unemployed.

I never ask anyone to call me "doctor" outside of work, and even then I only ask co-workers to call me that in front of patients. However, I'm certainly not above throwing in that I'm a doctor when I think it will be advantageous such as last minute reservations. I like my work and consider it a part of my identity, but certainly not the most important part.

well...I own my own company, and employ quite a few people, sadly (maybe) 90% of my friends/associates are either employees, customers or contractors we do work for.


so yah everyone I know identifies me as the owner of...

No.

I don't even know what I do let alone tell others.

The only thing I do more than work is sleep(and that's only because I'm part time/contracting right now, until 2 years ago it was always the other way around), so even though I don't enjoy the work I'm doing, I find it impossible not to consider it a major part of my identity.

Nah

Back when I was a cook I was embarrassed about what I did. Now that I work in sales I'm a lot more happy.

Probably has a lot to do with finally earning solid wages and having a house. Something I would never have when I made 7 bucks an hour

haha lame ;)

Definitely. But I always feel like I have to clarify that I'm not the kind of lawyer that makes lots of money, if only to explain my shabby appearance and crappy car.

But I've spent a ton of time trying to do it, moved for it, went into debt for it, live where I am because of it, and fortunately, am very passionate about the public service aspect of it. My life totally revolves around my job.

Like a mild-mannered reporter?

My various jobs & the associated quirks/traits/etc probably encompass at least 2/3rds of my external identity.

I have no problems telling folks that I'm a computer geek, if asked about my job, because I generally like the job I do. But everybody who knows me knows that I don't have time to have my head buried behind a computer 24/7 because (most stereotypes of guys in my field are that we eat/sleep/breathe computers...not my bag, baby!) of the all the hockey/baseball/golf I like to play as well as trying to balance my two young daughters and a very understanding wife.

For the record, I don't make anybody call me doctor. :p

Interestingly I find that those with higher prestige jobs tend to include that more than those that don't. With some it may be ego, but I think it is usually as Molson and EF27 mentioned. They worked hard to get where they are and are devoted to the service they provide and proud of it as they should be.

I never mention it what I do when introducing myself, but have no problem sharing if asked.

What I do at work would appear to be a very small part of my identity as I prefer to be informal, casual and laid back in everyday life, but it is actually a very big part internally as I am something of a perfectionist and also very competitive within myself, in that I like to do well and feel I have a strong work ethic. I think some of that comes from coaching/playing Football as I have done that since age 10 and my involvement in sports has gone a long way into shaping who I am today.

And my wife sometimes calls me Doctor on dress up night ;)

My current job I don't feel is part of my identity at all. I suppose the fact that I run our own business is something that is, in a sense, but the paticular work I do now is just kind of random, and I'd be glad to not be doing it if it didn't work so well for our family now.

But I've had other parts of my life where what I was doing was very much a part of who I was. I'd liek to be there again.

My profession, yes. My job, no. If that makes sense.

I'm the Dude. So that's what you call me. You know, that or, uh, His Dudeness, or uh, Duder, or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing.

I like telling people I'm a secret agent, zombie hunter, Jedi, or a midget wrestler. However, in reality, I'm a software QA engineer.

I'd say mostly no to this point, but when I finish grad school and start work as School Psychologist I would say it definitely will be. None of my jobs have been what I ideally wanted to be doing, something I was really passionate about or something I considered a career, but the field I am going into will fulfill all of those and will definitely be a part of who I am. With that, I doubt I will want to ever volunteer what I do to most people as they will either think A. I can fix them B. I can play mind tricks on them or C. I can fix/diagnose their kids.

Yes. I have been in school it seems like forever, so Nursing student is definitely an identifier for me.

That's awesome. I always hated it when I did tech support and a customer's account said "Doctor Smith". I knew right then and their that they had a chip on their shoulder. I would do everything possible to call them Mr.

I enjoy calling myself a Super Hero.

Boy can I ever identify with that.

I don't consider it part of my identity but other people do. I work in web stuff and with computers so I feel like I get labeled that way. I'm the guy that people call with computer problems and I'm the guy everyone looks to when they have a tech question. While I do know about that stuff, it's also just a job to me. I like to keep my personal life and business life as seperate as possible.

No. It's actually something I feel like I should be working on and have tried taking steps in that direction, but I just can't. I'm a lawyer, almost 10 years out of law school and I still think of my job as my "job" as opposed to my "career". So far, so good, but I can't help but feel at some point that disassociation will catch up with me.

Still, almost every time I meet with clients I'm always told "You don't seem like a lawyer." I tend to take it as a compliment.

I consider my job a big part of my identity, but it's not something I mention or bring up in conversation all that often. I'm always concerned it'll come off sounding egotistical, and there are enough big-egoed talk show hosts out there. :)

Sounds like you're a dick.

Pumpy's alter ego? ;)

SI

Your job is part of your identity, whether you like it or not. If you're embarassed about it, or don't like it, it is still part of your identity. "Sloppy, the guy who hates his job."

I do the same thing.

and I definitely do not identify with my job at all. it's just a job. I do have a running joke, though. when I'm with friends talking about drama involving their work, I like to break in with "I sell computers".

Internally its a huge part of my identity. I'm very ambitious and career focused so I spend a lot of my non-work time thinking about work and I'm very proud of what I've accomplished.

Interpersonal-ly though I'm the opposite. I really try to play down my "success" with my family and friends and hate talking to them about work stuff.

I just tell people that I'm a stand-up philosopher.

I'm a farmer, so yes. But I actually don't openly advertise the fact right away when I meet people. There are a lot of (well-deserved) preconceived notions about farmers that don't necessarily fit me so I don't want to be typecast right away by my profession because I am pretty unique for a farmer.

But farming usually does lend to some interesting discussion for people who don't know much about it and are inquisitive.

It's possible, but, I'm sworn to secrecy...

Not enough love for what was thrown in the middle of two normal, potentially daily occurrences.

No, most of the people that would expect me to call them Doctor are dicks. I mean it's not your legal name, and you aren't my doctor, so shut the fuck up Mr. Smith.

Unsure when calling someone by their name became being a dick. I don't care that you spent thousands of dollars to become a Doctor in Earth Science, it doesn't pertain to the emergency at hand that I'm trying to assist you with and will not get you special treatment.

It's true though! If you're on a gameshow, and the first time the camera hits you, you're contractually obligated to yell out "HI! MY NAME'S CASEY AND I'M A DOG GROOMER!" at the top of your lungs.

I tell people right away that I work at a pizza joint. If they don't dig me because I'm not a careerist, then I guess we weren't meant to be friends.

+1

I'd also add that I never announce my profession to anybody until asked. And even then, generally just give some generic title or functional role to make them stop asking questions. That is...unless they are in the same general industry or show some express interest in understanding it...then I'm all good with talking about it. But I never like to come off as boastful or arrogant or trying to be competitive in social situations. Just not my deal.

This is a difficult question for me. A few years ago, yes my job was a big part of my identity. It is hard to be a OTR truck driver and not have it be a large part of your identity I think because it is your life. I wouldn't tell people right after my name though. Hell, I was on the road most of the time so they probably already new. ;)

Now, eh. I think being independent is more important then what my actual job is, and that is a big reflection on my personality, so I guess it is a big part of my identity in that way. Saying I am a real estate agent isn't something I offer up right away though, because it really doesn't explain what I do because I do very little work with buyers/sellers. I think much more of my identity to others outside of family right now is being a youth soccer coach, part of the youth soccer association, the guy who home schools his kid, and the guy good with computers (in their eyes, I know I am simply above average with them).

That's an interesting assertion, that opens the other side of the question, "who identifies you by your job?"

I'm pretty certain that none of my close friends think of my work (or lack thereof) as part of my identity, and I never identify my friends by their work, but I wonder how much of that might be because the great majority of my close friends were met in middle/high-school/college, when nobody had jobs. Ditto for my immediate family. My extended family, on the other hand...I wouldn't be surprised if they all identify me by my work (or my distaste for it).

I also just realized that if I'm honest with myself, I DO have a friend that I regularly identify by his work. He's a partical physicist and a professor in England, and I will gladly and regularly offer that information (like I just did) without anybody asking...I'd guess because part of me thinks that presenting myself as having smart friends suggests that I too am a smart dude.

Are their friends you identify by their professions, and others you don't??

Until my current job, my job has always been a part of my identity. Whether it was working in a hat store, at a ship supply company, or for coal miners, I always sort of made it a big deal (more for comedy than anything). Now that I'm technically on a career track position (just got my very first promotion two weeks ago), it's simply not as funny anymore, so I don't get into it too much. Being a business analyst for a candy/gum manufacturer and a cigarette manufacturer just ain't that humorous. :(

I just have this vision of Martin on the Simpsons when they did vocational tests, crossing his fingers and chanting "Systems analyst. Systems analyst."

SI

Sorry, the fact that a person properly listing their title as "Dr" when filling out a form sends you out of your way to refer to them as something different screams inferiority complex. Do you call every Mrs. "Miss" because she's not your wife?

I think the people who identify their job with their identity either don't have a family or they want to move up in the world.

I'd agree with Logan that it seems as if some people have an inferiority complex because they have a problem with somebody referring themselves as a "Doctor" when they've earned that title. Would you call Obama Mr?

You still don't understand what I'm saying.

I've seen a number of accounts in our system that have the person's name as "DOCTOR BLANK" instead of their legal name of JOHN BLANK. We never had a "Dr." listing in the Mr. Mrs. Ms are, and honestly don't think there is a need for it, since it doesn't matter if you are a doctor, a lawyer, or a candlestick maker. When I used to deal directly with customers I treated all customers with the same amount of respect regardless of profession. Don't have any sort of inferiority complex, just don't see why the title is signification in everyday life. In your profession yes, but not out of it.