What do you do?

[rainbowtrout]

Right now, Fulbright scholar, live in Morocco, paid for by your tax money

In the fall, grad student in comparative literature in the New York area. I do French and Arabic lit. I am very excited but I am also nervous that I will fail, won't be able to do the work, won't get a job...should have gone to LAW SCHOOL, etc. Luckily I got a full scholarship to the program, it isn't much but it means I pay nothing out at least, which is good since I have some debt from undergrad. It's all federal no-interest, which is good, but still. This whole "follow your dream business" is darn scary sometimes!


Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had gone to the state school with the full scholarship and than law school...hello, right hand ring!

But, at the end of the day I wouldn't trade my experiences.

 

[Clio]

I have a Ph.D. in history, and two years as a university professor were enough to convince me that it was not the career for me. With some trepidation, I abandoned the tenure track (which = security) and took a job with the federal government. I work at a small independent agency that makes grants to support humanities research and education.

I LOVE my job. I still get to interact with academics and the life of the mind but I don't have to teach. I still publish some, and my agency does offer some modest support for employees' research, which is nice. And, I love being a generalist again. I get to evaluate grant proposals in every field of the humanities.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Mine is incredibly boring, but it pays the bills.

I''m a Director of Inside Sales for a software company. I''ve built a team of Lead Generation Reps who stay on the phone all day long to "sell" our product. It''s rewarding to watch the company grow.

 

[AmberWaves]

Mine is also pretty mundane. I''m a bookkeeper for an oil company. Funny thing is, I hate math and failed my math classes time and time again, but this job was offered to me by a family (family owned company) I used to babysit for. At the beginning the kids were young enough to come hang out and I''d take them for lunch and to the park, now, 8 years later, they''re a lot older and don''t want to go to the park, they do still like to hang out, though! Im lucky because the family already trusted me so much with their kids, when they were babies, and now they trust me with the company. They''re great to work with, I get as much time off as I want, and great benefits.

 

[UCLABelle]

Hmm...

I just started my first full-time job. I am only 21 though (22 in a month), so it isn''t a shocker.

I have undergrad degrees from UCLA (which I loved, so I knew then I wanted to work at a college/university). I then got a MA from Columbia (History and Ed) and then a MS from the Univ. of Pennsylvania in Higher Education Management (yep, odd, I know).

I work for a University of California campus as an Academic Counselor in Engineering.

 

[yellowsparkles]

What a cool thread. It is so interesting to read what you all do.
I am a stay at home mom at the moment. I have a B.S. in Business Administration and a MBA. My last job was for a great company - but a boring job. I worked in the business side of publishing - for a well known magazine that is based in Wash DC.

 

[Pandora II]

I''m head of Fundraising for a major political party in the UK - which sucks as I hate asking people for money! Most of my job is running events and keeping various people up-to-date on gossip (which I love).

I was also elected last year as a local Councillor for my part of London. I sit on lots of committees and try to make sure local people get a good deal in exchange for their local tax $$. Some bits are really interesting - I''m vice-chair on Planning which is really cool in London: we get big projects like the new bit of the Tate Modern rather than peoples extensions. I see some wonderful (and some awful architecture) and I get to decide if it gets built or not. Oh the power

Before I did this I was a designer for 8 years - first in the silk industry, then in fashion and finally in jewellery. I''d love to go back but there isn''t much manufacturing here in the UK and it isn''t very well paid. When I stop procrastinating (and spending so much time on PS) I will, will, will finish the kid''s books I''m illustrating.... I hope!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 6/17/2007 2:35:09 PM
Author: UCLABelle
Hmm...

I just started my first full-time job. I am only 21 though (22 in a month), so it isn''t a shocker.

I have undergrad degrees from UCLA (which I loved, so I knew then I wanted to work at a college/university). I then got a MA from Columbia (History and Ed) and then a MS from the Univ. of Pennsylvania in Higher Education Management (yep, odd, I know).

I work for a University of California campus as an Academic Counselor in Engineering.

You have two master''s and you are not yet 22? When did you finish high school, at 14?

 

[Haven]

ZoeB--You are absolutely right about the Reading Specialist position; I think it completely depends on the specific position you have, and what the school expects out of you. I currently work as a classroom teacher, and a portion of my classes are "reading" while another portion are "literature". I love my school, I really think I have the best situation possible--I get to teach lit and reading, and I also get to work with all of our departments to help design curricula and counsel on student assessment and placement. My school also paid for my entire MEd--our administration is just so amazing and supportive, I feel so lucky to work there.

I would not want a typical "Reading Specialist" position, however, because I think that would suck the life out of me as a teacher.

Gothgrrl--I think being a stylist is great, you are literally an artist, and your medium is the human head! Be proud of your life''s work, you make people look and feel good!

rainbowtrout--A Fulbright Scholar?! That is wonderful, congratulations to you! Your work sounds extremely interesting, and you should be proud of what you''re doing. And as far as "Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had gone to the state school with the full scholarship and than law school" that is actually EXACTLY what I did, and I STILL ended up doing something else! Only you know what you love, and don''t let other people''s ideas and expectations make you question that.

You all are so damn interesting, I love it.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

This is certainly an interesting list of careers! (And I just want stay-at-home-moms to know that I think your job is very important, too!!!)

Anyway, I have a master''s in Special Education and specialize in children with reading disorders/dyslexia. I do some private testing and reading therapy, too. I have been fortunate to be able to work part-time at various times when my kids were younger, and now I work 4 days. I really love what I do!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

More intersting careers here......

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/p-s-members-whats-your-occupation.22466/

 

[basil]

I''m a physician. I finished med school a little over 1 year ago, and I''m just a few days from finishing up my internship year in general medicine. In just a few weeks, I''ll start my residency in ophthalmology (eye surgery). After doing a year of preparatory work, I''m so psyched to be about to start learning the stuff I really want to do! (and forgetting all the stuff I never wanted to learn

)

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I am a graphic designer and an art director for a local magazine.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 6/17/2007 10:53:29 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I am a graphic designer and an art director for a local magazine.

Oh my gosh, Tacori! Is that your little baby in your avatar picture??!!!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 6/17/2007 10:54:42 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006

Date: 6/17/2007 10:53:29 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

I am a graphic designer and an art director for a local magazine.

Oh my gosh, Tacori! Is that your little baby in your avatar picture??!!!

Yes! I am so proud!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 6/17/2007 10:55:54 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring

Date: 6/17/2007 10:54:42 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006

Date: 6/17/2007 10:53:29 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

I am a graphic designer and an art director for a local magazine.

Oh my gosh, Tacori! Is that your little baby in your avatar picture??!!!

Yes! I am so proud!

A beautiful baby and a miracle for sure!!!

 

[poptart]

You are all so interesting! It''s neat seeing what everyone does. I do nothing but job hunt right now, haha. SO much fun... can''t even tell ya. I just graduated from college, which means I am having the post-graduate freak out session. Looking for a job is kind of like a full time job though, isn''t it? I majored in English, but am now worried that I have no skills... which means no job, lol. Am now wondering if I should have majored in art... or music... Wondering also how I could get paid for my poetry, stories, and art(although I know it''s not happening) hahaha. It''s fun reading what everyone does!

*M*

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Thanks J! I love that it is a profile view (look at that cute little nose!) with its little arm up. Diver called it the "baby power" pose.

 

[marcy]

At night, I teach astronomy at the local community college. Diamonds and gemstones by day; stars at night. What does that say about my attention span? I like things that sparkle.

During the day I''m the supervisor of an editing department. It pays the bills, teaching astronomy is fun.

Marcy

 

[mrs.ROC]

Must I say, PS women as a whole, our CV would be unbelievably impressive and definitely interesting!! As a newbie to PS, I will do the proper introduction.

I work in the Luxury Retail Packaging Industry...??? Meaning, I sell high end retail packaging to everyone and anyone who requires packaging for their business. Packaging= shopping bags, custom printed tissue paper, apparel boxes, custom printed ribbon....etc. Basically to businesses using packaging as a means to build and market their brand. Ex: clothing stores of course, jewelry stores, food and beverage industry.. anyone who needs at least a "bag". The company headquarters are out of state, and so at the tender age of 27, I have my dream job of being able to work from home as a satellite office, and building the company''s visibility in Houston. That also explains my late nite PS posts... my therapy.

Sorry for the detailed description, but whenever anyone asks me what field I work in, I always get a puzzled look from my response.

ROCk on women of PS!!

 

[stephinextremis]

Air traffic control. I was working on being a commercial pilot before 9-11. After seeing what happened to the airline industry, I decided to get on the other side of the mic, so to speak, and keep flying just for fun!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/16/2007 9:04:52 PM
Author: Gothgrrl
Wow....you all have interesting occupations. I almost don''t want to say what I do. But here goes. I am a stylist. I really love what I do. It''s never boring. I get to talk to lots of different people, and I get to cut and style their hair. I grew up always cutting and coloring my own, and a friend mentioned to look into cosmetology. Boy was she right. Just had a blast in beauty school.

Before that I was into child care. I can''t see myself doing that now. Love kids, but with all this technology and stuff, I can''t keep up. In fact, I just learned how to text on my phone. My friend showed me. How sad is that? I''m stuck in the 70''s-80''s.

My mom was a "hair dresser". Of course she graduated from "beauty school" back in the early 60''s and back then you really did a lot of "dressing" LOL When I was born, my parents owned a beauty salon in san francisco and our apartment was attached. Our living room was the waiting room LOL There were about 6 or 7 other "beauticians" that worked there and I learned, quite literally, to crawl and walk amongst the hair clippings. My father was in school getting two degrees in physics and physical education and a masters in art. I had a very interesting childhood... .but I''ve digressed LOL I have yet to find a stylist I love since my mom died. Funny thing is I cut my own hair a lot before she died and would argue with her... and now I never cut my own hair, I don''t argue with anyone, and I''m never totally thrilled which has resulted in me having THE most boring hairstyles ever…. I grew my bangs out several years ago and have various lengths of one length bob. Right now I’m kinda growing it ou… but Im’ probably too old and grey to really get away with long wavy blonde hair LOL
Anyway, since I bothered to post, what do I do? Nothing. Blah LOL I volunteer at my kids’ schools and surf pricescope LOL I was a preschool teacher a million years ago and decided I wanted to be a SAHM until the kids were all in school full time…. Well this fall is that time and I’m not sure what I’m going to do. If we stay here I will probably take some basic classes, starting over. If we move to china I’ll just have to wait. My plan has always been and still is to go through my PhD in physics (don’t ask me which branch, I am fickle at this early point, but it will be theoretical vs applied). My husband has his bachelors in physics and engineering and is getting a masters in business, my best friend has her PhD and we’re suffering mutual envy – she for my family, me for her career. I’ll get there eventually but for me it is the journey much more than the destination since I really have no intention of ever making money in a career, I just want to be involved in academia and theory.

 

[Fancy605]

I''m yet another educator. I currently teach 8th grade language arts. I love the kids and my co workers and my subject area, but a lot of the non-teaching parts of teaching are really a drag (it''s all too political for me (in more ways than one)). I can really see myself getting into another field someday because of it.

 

[monarch64]

Well Pbbbttt. I don''t care to say what I do, or did, rather...

I just got let go from my prev. company, which I knew for the past two years could happen. I started there as a temp, and they liked me so much (whats not to like?) that they bought me out from the temp comp. waaaay early! I had great benefits, a five block commute to work and was happy as a pig in you know what. However, the job was not at all challenging, and I took it because I was looking for something that would let me travel and be home on the weekends when DH was, and at first I needed something that let me visit my cancer stricken dad.

FF...Just found out this past Friday that I am no longer needed there. I will file for unemployment tomorrow morning, BUT, still it is a hard pill to swallow. i was there for a coiuple years and got to know people I worked with pretty well, well I should say they got to know me...I''m one of those unforgettables who just leave their mark no matter what, lol! I cried when I left and gave and got lots of hugs and I WILL go back and treat everyone to lunch and drinks some Friday!

Prior to my office career, I was assistant mgr. of merchandising and operations in a big box discount retail store. Sounds like a mouthful and probably not the most glamorous of jobs, but i rather liked it and took it very seriously at 25 or so...and had about 40 emps under me who felt the same... I really did love it, and I would do it again because there were never any hard feelings with people I hired/fired. it was just a really fun job except for my boss...he later got fired though for just being an idiot in generall/embezzeling, ha!

My dream is (at 30 yrs. old), to get my GIA/graduate gemologist cert. online, and move into a sales position at one of the many jewelers here in the Chicagoland area. Just from paying some sort of attention here on PS for the past two years, I''ve gained a little knowledge. I have been lately looking into the possibility of me gaining a GIA degree by way of correspondence. I went on a job interview a couple years ago to a very well known jeweler,only to be turned down because I didn''t have the diploma/accrediation/etc. She did say I had a nice figure, though...

I''m determined to go back there at least, and interview once more.

 

[diamondfan]

Tacori, total digression but love baby''s first picture!!!!

 

[Julianna]

Perhaps I get the distinguished opportunity to have the most dull job thus far: insurance claims. WOOOOO!!

And in the evenings I work at the far more exciting jamesallen.com, obviously.

Insurance. Egads. Steer clear, oh ye recent college grads.

I got the job when I was working two retail jobs in the San Jose area to pay the bills during the tech boom. Some girl I worked with said the company paid well. So ANYWAY (seven years later...).

I have a BS in Information Technology and love taking things apart.

Laptops, car stereos, whatev. I would eventually love a job in IT, since that is what i adore.

You guys are all pretty interesting in comparison, but hey.

 

[bee*]

Date: 6/18/2007 12:11:08 AM
Author: stephinextremis
Air traffic control. I was working on being a commercial pilot before 9-11. After seeing what happened to the airline industry, I decided to get on the other side of the mic, so to speak, and keep flying just for fun!

It must be so tough being an air traffic controller! What an interesting job!

 

[aprilcait]

I''m a "Senior Program Specialist" (fancy term for a person who deals with new food and beverage program/promotion documentation and sign-ups, as well as creating/updating pages for the department''s intranet) in the Lodging, Food & Beverage department at an international hotel company''s headquarters.

Overall, it can be pretty dull (not very challenging) but there are GREAT perks. I work for a respected company with a good track record and public appeal. Plus, I get an associate discount for hotel rooms (often $39.00 per night for a room), 20% off at hotel retail stores, and 15%-20% off of hotel restaurant bills. We also have five chefs in my department, so whenever the chefs do taste tests, host lunch/breakfast meetings, or make lunch for the owner of the company in the Test Kitchen, we get the leftovers (yum!!!). Also, we do taste tests for the beverage promotions we put out bi-anually in the hotel bars/restaurants... yay for rum and tequila cocktail tastings at 11:00am!

 

[nytemist]

Currently in data entry, but desperately searching for a massage therapist position. I went back to a school a couple of years ago for it but had to put job hunting on hold for the past two years. Looks like everyone wants to hire those with two+ years experience.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

I have a B.S. in Paralegal Studies and work as a Paralegal. I''m seriously considering going to law school despite the many life changes that would have to be made for me to go. I LOVE my job. I knew I wanted to go into law when I was in high school. I like to think that I have all the "fun" of being a lawyer but without the liability. I work in a medium sized firm in a major city and we handle mostly bankruptcy and family law (divorce, custody, legal separation) cases. The attorney I work directly for also handles some real estate, probate/estate, DWI/DUI and domestic violence.