NBR: What do you do for a living???

firstcomeslove2013 · February 2014

Hey all,

Lately a lot of people have mentioned work or being at work and although I feel I know what some of you do, I was curious what everyone does for a living. Feel free to answer if you want. I find it fascinating!

ATXmommas · February 2014

I work for the Child Care Licensing division of our state child welfare agency. I've held several different positions over the years, but for the past two years I have been the lead policy analyst in our policy division. Besides writing policy, we are responsible for analyzing and implementing legislation and writing rules. I really love what I do (most of the time!).

doodah1013 · February 2014

I have the coolest job in the world. I work as an outdoor educator and program specialist. So basically, I do cool science experiments and kids think I am a magician! Tomorrow my schedule is to cook play-doh that conducts electricity, prepare the scorpion for it to be used in a flourescence demonstration and practice building cards that demonstrate potential and kinetic energy using balloons.
Here is an action shot of me doing a chemistry experiment involving peroxide, yeast and soup.

ATXmommas · February 2014

@doodah1013 - you've mentioned working at a camp. Are kids there all year round or do you go out in the community?

doodah1013 · February 2014

We have kids come to camp all year round. The camp is very close to Columbus, so we often have kids come out for day programs. We serve about 8,000 people in each calendar year... I am lucky enough to write the programming for the majority of the participants! Keeps me on my toes for sure!

yachee · February 2014

@doodah1013 that sounds like an AWESOME job!

I teach 7th and 8th grade math. Some days I love it, and some days it's horrible!

SweetPea0307 · February 2014

@doodah1013 that is a cool job! Kids must love you. My job is the opposite of cool (which makes it a good fit for me)... I'm an actuary.

healz413 · February 2014

I'm a PhD student. I am a teaching assitant for a first year course (I run a tutorial). I have in the past taught my own course, but not this year. I also babysit 6 hours a week.

Baileyhugs · February 2014

@doodah1013 that's sounds like an exciting job. I bet your never bored. I've spent the last 15 ,years as an assistant kindergarten teacher. Although some days can be very trying (head bitty to the chest yesterday) I love it and can't imagine doing anything else. I am in the process of trying it finish school to be a school psychologist.

kboydbowman · February 2014

Lol, this is not a short answer question for me.

I am finishing up my doctorate in counseling psychology. Done with classes, need to do my dissertation and my year long clinical internship. Which is part of what makes this so frustrating - I am to apply for my internship this November, to start sometime between June and August. Had baby timing worked out the way it was supposed to, I would have had basically a year of being at home with baby and working on dissertation. Now the timing gets trickier - should we get pregnant again soon I will likely be due some time during internship interview season and will only have a few months at home with the baby. Aargh. But being 35, it's not like I can put off TTC until after all of this and feel comfortable about my chances.

My wife is an automotive claims adjustor, so she is the primary wage earner right now. I do have several part-time gigs though.

At the site where I am doing my clinical practicum hours (unpaid experience - gotta love the way this crap works, but that's the norm for getting your clinical hours), I also get paid to manage the note data system (something called Titanium). I'm on site for clinical hours and my paid stuff a total of two days a week.

My biggest money earner is doing psychological assessments for a private practice. Mostly parents trying to find out if their kids have ADHD. It's also highly underpaid, but I get to count the clinical hours towards my degree, so we agree to the underpayment (Good gig for my boss though - he gets about 80% of the money and does 10% of the work). I do that 2 or 3 days a week (on-site; the bulk of the writing of the reports I do from home).

Occasionally, when people need it, I edit dissertations for money. Being a grammar nut who can shit out academic writing comes in handy. This is spotty work though and right now I'm not working on anyone's (which is actually good, because I really should be focusing on writing MY OWN DISSERTATION - now if only I could get someone to pay me to write my own, maybe I'd actually get something done).

The last main thing I do for money, which is also spotty, is that I am a foot model for something called FootNight. This is a cash gig and only happens about once every 2 months. It's not exactly what it sounds like (although I do have gorgeous little size 5.5 feet). Being a foot model is like being a stripper for men with foot fetishes - I get paid for them to worship my feet (usually massaging or sucking on my feet, although I also specialize in something called tramping - men who like to be jumped on or stepped on). So technically it's sex work, but there's no nudity or "actual" sex, and they aren't allowed to touch us above the knee (there are bouncers and security people to make sure they don't).

GoaliesWife123 · February 2014

@doodah1013 I used to work at a nature center as both an outdoor adventure instructor as well as education of fire building/shelter building and things of that nature. So much fun, it just didn't pay well!

I'm an attorney. I hate my profession. I'm thankful for the knowledge I will always have, but deeply regret attending law school instead of something along the lines of counseling.

I'm looking for ways to use my degree, other than practicing. We shall see. Hopefully it will be a moot point for about 18 years while I am a SAHM...if we get pregnant!

DW is a full-time firefighter and paramedic. She is also a licensed instructor for CPR, and several other topics.

StacyLH24 · February 2014

I am a caseworker at our County Department of Aging.

I have a fall prevention program where I complete home safety assessments and also lead balance and mobility classes. I am also the caregiver support person. I work with caregivers individually and in groups. Right now I have two groups a month. I also complete assessments for folks who are looking for services (meals on wheels, home care, etc) and reassessments for folks who are already receiving services. I have a regular caseload of people who receive in home care that we pay for. Crisis cases also come up. I typically get the domestic violence ones as that is the field where all my experience is.

I am a licensed Social Worker, which is not necessary for the current job I have. I was already in my Masters program when I switched jobs. I can't give up a County job though. The pay and benefits easily beat out the not for profit agencies, which is where my previous job was.

KH826 · February 2014

I work for a small pharmaceutical company that is a subsidiary of one of the "big 5" pharmas. I oversee operations and compliance -- everything from contracting, to communications, to facilities, to training, to IT and many other things fall under me. I have gained tons of diverse experience in this role, but sometimes being a jack of all trades of sorts can be frustrating.

firstcomeslove2013 · February 2014

I do a little bit of everything!!!

I have 4ish jobs that I do:

1. I run an in-home day care where I watch my niece and soon another little boy.
2. I work for a laundry company.
3. I run a marriage equality website.
4. I work for a company that does website evaluation.

I still don't feel like I really know what I want to be when I grow up. :-)

mwagner25 · February 2014

I work as a Nurse Practitioner in an urban ER in St Louis. We work in the main ER, urgent care, and run a 24 hour observation unit for patients who need to stay overnight but aren't sick enough to be admitted to the main hospital. It's really hard work but I love the challenge and am a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I see all kinds of people and cases and learn something everyday. I love the fast paced environment and feel like medicine is almost like being a life-long student. I am a total nerd when it comes to learning new things.

ball.and.chain · February 2014

I am a librarian in a large law firm. Basically I do research on whatever attorneys need -- lots of it is legal or financial, but it can really be all over the map. I work on tight deadlines, and I never know what I'm going to be researching, which keeps it interesting.

pauljl · February 2014

I teach elementary school. There are parts I love and parts I hate, for sure. I tell myself I wouldn't get so upset if I wasn't so passionate about what I do. I'll do whatever it takes for my kids, but the politicians that are ruining education in my state can kiss my ass

GoaliesWife123 · February 2014

themommymonster said:

I work from home in the telecommunications field.

Are you hiring?

Jazibel · February 2014

Right now I'm a Stay At Home Mom. I'm also finishing my MBA and studying for my Real Estate License. I graduate in the Spring, (but just found out I have a Finance class to take in the Summer - which is highly irksome). I'm hoping to wrap up taking my RE exam around that time too.

Before Kaden I worked as the Buyer for an precision optics manufacturer (we made optics for things like the Hubble Telescope).

I did some daycare when Kaden was younger. I was going to start daycare again but my midwife advised against it seeing as my pregnancy is further along and I may need to stop as I reach my due date and I would need at least six weeks after Owen was born to recover. Sigh... I tried to talk her down to three weeks - but she is stubborn. Anyway EV is the primary breadwinner (ok the only breadwinner right now). She works for a software company in a primarily IT role. She's getting her MS degree in IT/Data Analytic's right now as well.

I hope to become a Real Estate Agent this Summer/Fall. It's something I've always wanted to do, and I'm pretty excited and a little daunted by the prospect of moving in this direction.

only1leia · February 2014

I work at the local TV station as a Master Control Operator. I basically sit and watch TV for 8 hours ... make sure it is on the air, get satellite feeds of shows that we air and make sure they are the right length. With the Olympics coming this week my schedule is changing (just for the duration) so I'll work 7:30pm-3:30am instead of 3:30pm-11:30pm. It's an interesting job, and it sucks when I make mistakes since thousands of people see them.

trisholio · February 2014

It is fascinating to hear what everyone does for a living.

My "job" is in home child care. I put job in quotes, because most days it doesn't feel like a job. I love the little boys I watch and it doesn't always feel like work. At the end of the day they leave and I get a few minutes to myself I am always tired and relieved, but I miss them on the days I do not have them.

My wife works for 'the man' JPMorgan Chase. She has been there almost 5 years and handles disputes on pre-paid debit cards (unemployment, child support, military, ect) Her department is closing in 1-3 years and she is currently looking for a job in the healthcare field, she wants to go to nursing school eventually.

GoaliesWife123 · February 2014

Jazibel said:

Right now I'm a Stay At Home Mom. I'm also finishing my MBA and studying for my Real Estate License. I graduate in the Spring, (but just found out I have a Finance class to take in the Summer - which is highly irksome). I'm hoping to wrap up taking my RE exam around that time too.

Before Kaden I worked as the Buyer for an precision optics manufacturer (we made optics for things like the Hubble Telescope).

I did some daycare when Kaden was younger. I was going to start daycare again but my midwife advised against it seeing as my pregnancy is further along and I may need to stop as I reach my due date and I would need at least six weeks after Owen was born to recover. Sigh... I tried to talk her down to three weeks - but she is stubborn. Anyway EV is the primary breadwinner (ok the only breadwinner right now). She works for a software company in a primarily IT role. She's getting her MS degree in IT/Data Analytic's right now as well.

I hope to become a Real Estate Agent this Summer/Fall. It's something I've always wanted to do, and I'm pretty excited and a little daunted by the prospect of moving in this direction.

I have recently wanted to look into real estate. My wife happened to find an approved real estate course of groupon yesterday and so we purchased the class for less than half price. I will be calling today to make my reservation for the online class and going from there. I'm excited! I absolutely love houses and hopefully it will be something I can do part time for a long time!

HollynLeana · February 2014

I manage a boutique fitness Studio called exhale. I teach spin, which is super fun...and manage the operations and financials day to day. I have about 25 employees, all wonderful, and I can take yoga during my work day. Before I started here two years ago I was a hair dresser for 8 years which I LOVE and still do on the side! I am hoping one day to be the best SAHM ever!

ball.and.chain · February 2014

kboydbowman said:

The last main thing I do for money, which is also spotty, is that I am a foot model for something called FootNight. This is a cash gig and only happens about once every 2 months. It's not exactly what it sounds like (although I do have gorgeous little size 5.5 feet). Being a foot model is like being a stripper for men with foot fetishes - I get paid for them to worship my feet (usually massaging or sucking on my feet, although I also specialize in something called tramping - men who like to be jumped on or stepped on). So technically it's sex work, but there's no nudity or "actual" sex, and they aren't allowed to touch us above the knee (there are bouncers and security people to make sure they don't).

I didn't even know this sort of thing existed. Fascinating!

kboydbowman · February 2014

ball.and.chain said:

kboydbowman said:

The last main thing I do for money, which is also spotty, is that I am a foot model for something called FootNight. This is a cash gig and only happens about once every 2 months. It's not exactly what it sounds like (although I do have gorgeous little size 5.5 feet). Being a foot model is like being a stripper for men with foot fetishes - I get paid for them to worship my feet (usually massaging or sucking on my feet, although I also specialize in something called tramping - men who like to be jumped on or stepped on). So technically it's sex work, but there's no nudity or "actual" sex, and they aren't allowed to touch us above the knee (there are bouncers and security people to make sure they don't).

I didn't even know this sort of thing existed. Fascinating!

Yup, there's a market for everything.

newmompeanut · February 2014

I have a full time job as a web designer with a larger shoe company that owns a couple different cash and credit ventures. And then I also own my own business where I made wedding stationery and corporate websites on the side.

shelly2314 · February 2014

I work in a high school. I have taught English to high school students for 10 years. Last year I became the testing coordinator, which in Florida is an exhaustive job as we are ALWAYS testing our students. This year, on top of testing coordinator, I am also an administrative intern (Assistant Principal work=teacher pay), activities director, and anything else they ask me to do (discipline, parent contact, PR, teacher training, etc). It is busy and exhausting most of the time and I do love it.

2brides · February 2014

I am a clinical social worker/certified case manager and work in a children's hospital. I cover our general peds and complex care outpatient clinics and regularly cover the ER. I've been here 10y and love it!

redrockmama · February 2014

I'm a Program Manager for a nonprofit. We are a torture treatment center and provide mental, social, legal and medical services for refugees, aslyum seekers, aslyees and immigrants who are survivors of torture. I manage our big government grants, evaluation, manage our database, run the volunteer program, and a little bit of graphic design/marketing, etc. I'm hoping to expand our work to include more advocacy in the area of ending and preventing torture after Bubbles is born and will be in charge of that arm as well. I love my job most days and I love love love all the people I work with. Everyone here is great and it's a very LGBT inclusive environment. For such a small staff there are a lot of us.

Jazibel · February 2014

GoaliesWife123 said:

Jazibel said:

Right now I'm a Stay At Home Mom. I'm also finishing my MBA and studying for my Real Estate License. I graduate in the Spring, (but just found out I have a Finance class to take in the Summer - which is highly irksome). I'm hoping to wrap up taking my RE exam around that time too.

Before Kaden I worked as the Buyer for an precision optics manufacturer (we made optics for things like the Hubble Telescope).

I did some daycare when Kaden was younger. I was going to start daycare again but my midwife advised against it seeing as my pregnancy is further along and I may need to stop as I reach my due date and I would need at least six weeks after Owen was born to recover. Sigh... I tried to talk her down to three weeks - but she is stubborn. Anyway EV is the primary breadwinner (ok the only breadwinner right now). She works for a software company in a primarily IT role. She's getting her MS degree in IT/Data Analytic's right now as well.

I hope to become a Real Estate Agent this Summer/Fall. It's something I've always wanted to do, and I'm pretty excited and a little daunted by the prospect of moving in this direction.

I have recently wanted to look into real estate. My wife happened to find an approved real estate course of groupon yesterday and so we purchased the class for less than half price. I will be calling today to make my reservation for the online class and going from there. I'm excited! I absolutely love houses and hopefully it will be something I can do part time for a long time!

Awesome!! :-) I love houses too - I'm always window shopping on Redfin and other sites to see what's around. The course I'm taking is sponsored through a brokerage (but is online). So far its pretty good. I looked at making this career move in 2008 and even took one course. But the housing market crashed and all signs (and advice) pointed to making a different decision. I'm glad things seem to be pretty steady in the housing market and I can pursue this now.

I went to a career fair night at a local brokerage a couple of weeks ago and it was great to get a more in depth perspective about the field.

I'd love to hear about the class your taking - Congrats on making the leap !! :-)

songbird31 · February 2014

I work from home for a HR system company. i support companies across the country with strategies on how to use the tools they purchased to better meet their needs/demands. My background is many years of HR mostly corporate recruiting but also compensation, training etc for corporations.

@kleigh - good luck on your phr test! I decided a few years ago to take the plunge and get the SPHR and I'm so glad I did!

2MamazInSeattle · February 2014

What a fun thread!!

I work at Micro.soft and have for about 4 years; prior to that I was at Ado.be for 10 years! I had two years "off" in between where I ran my own professional/personal organizing business, and also taught Bikram (hot) yoga.

My whole career up until the job I do know was as an outsourcing manager - so we outsource telephone support to a call center, and I would manage the relationship between Micro.soft/Ado.be and the vendor. It was fun, I got to travel domestically and to Manila, a lot.

However, for the past 2.5 years, I moved into a Partner Services Account Manager role. We allow partners to resell Microsoft services, ("the cloud") and then those partners have to provide tech support to their customers who buy it. My job is to ensure partners are equipped to do that - my title is "relationship manager" - I'm not technical but I get the right people together. Additionally, I am the global lead for several areas of our business and do a lot of organizing/business mgmt. tasks for my boss. I love working globally and I think I'd really miss not having that aspect to my job! I am on online conference calls a lot - but some are big groups and some are just 2 or 3 of us really digging in. It's a nice mix! Some days feels like death by Powerpoint or Excel, but oddly I kinda love it.

While it's a HUGE company (90K employees, half of which are in the Seattle area), my workgroup is about 30 people worldwide (8 of us in the US) - so there is a total family feeling and close working relationships. I forget how big the company is a lot of the time, but there are some awesome benefits to working for such a big company - for example, at any time there are about 10K open jobs, and so it's really easy to move around and try something new! We have amazing flexibility (i'm in my jammies working from my couch) and a ton of opportunity. Pay and benefits are both fantastic.

J listens to me work and says she'd poke her eye out with a burning stick if she had to do my job, but always adds "you seem to really love it and are happy there!" which is true. She owns 3 independent Seattle coffeeshops - each has lots of food made in-house so breakfast and lunch are busy - and she loves building community! It's great that we do really different things, and we're both happy doing them. I'm more the breadwinner but I think she does a lot more for the world by having a place for real humans to gather, so we feel our contributions are both meaningful but different.

2MamazInSeattle · February 2014

@jrtmom I'm sad we weren't there at the same time! But I still have pals there and of course, live 1 mile away...Thai food soon??!!

AandStilltrying · February 2014

I teach music at an elementary school. While rewarding, it is both challenging, low paying and exhausting. I am also chair for a school improvement committee called Positive Behavior Intervention Support. I also have to have a chorus that meets after school, a show choir that's before school and a theatre production group that all meet after school 1 day a week. On the other 2 days of the week I teach private music lessons in the evenings in people's homes for voice and piano. The plan for me is to HOPEFULLY be a stay at home mom for the first 6 years and go from there. It is exhausting! Mondays I don't get home right now until 9pm. I tell myself the extra $ from lessons is all for baby making! Just wish baby would hurry up and be a sticky bean cause momma is pooped! Been at this for 8 years.

DW is a computer programmer/engineer for a social media monitoring company.

kboydbowman · February 2014

winstan1 said:

15 years in state service, 10 at a maximum security prison, and have worked mens minimum and a juvenile facility. Now in a secure forensics unit. ( basically if you are found NGRI) you will see me at work. Security Supervisor,

My old job! I was a masters level psych (therapy and risk assessments, primarily) for 8 years at state men's prisons (first max, then minimum) before I came back to school for my doctorate degree.

clairmeij · February 2014

I'm a Product Manager for a global virtual communication company.

LifebyLauren · February 2014

I retired from being a paramedic after 9 years and went back for my degree. Now I am a writer, just graduated, and get to write for Vital Voice out Stl and KC LGBT magazine.

firstcomeslove2013 · February 2014

It has been so awesome to see what everyone does for a living...keep them coming!

JGY · February 2014

I am essentially a Project Manager, though I've never had that actual title. For the last 7 years before baby, I worked for a major fitness facility company. Loved the work, but it was a b-s-crazy environment with ZERO work-life balance. After baby I switched jobs and now work for a major health care organization. I'm still figuring this job out (it is a new position for this department) but I'm basically doing PM work again.

Wife is the Assoc. Dir. of Strength & Conditioning at the local Big 10 University. I love her job and I know she loves her job, but I think we're both getting a bit tired of the hours and the stress.

Neuron79 · February 2014

I am a neuropsychologist. I work in a dementia clinic, outpatient clinic with a variety of neurological conditions and also with an NHL and AHL team. It's cool meeting all the hockey players and watching them play on tv. My wife is also a neuropsychologist at the VA working with veterans with poly trauma. We met on post-doc. I picked her up at grand rounds-so romantic!!

kboydbowman · February 2014

My wife quit her job when we moved to TX and she’s finishing her BA in Human Resources, she’ll graduate in May! She was working full time and going to school time when we were in AK, so it’s been a great year for her to just focus on school and get done much sooner!

Where in Texas are ya'll?

NBR: What do you do for a living???

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