There are few things as annoying as people who don’t actually have a clue sharing all sorts of information and facts about your specialty that are completely untrue. Normally, this is a burden academics have to bear, but it can be just as true for really any job.
Someone asked “What's a misconception about your profession that you're tired of hearing?” and professionals from across the internet shared their best examples. From some folks vastly underestimating how much work something takes to just downright lies, get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and share your thoughts and examples in the comments section below.
I’m a support worker for adults with complex learning and physical disabilities have been for 7 years now - no u don’t just “wipe bums for a living”.
I keep them alive and happy, giving them a quality of life filled with as much independence and choice as they can have. I treat them with dignity and respect while yes at times supporting them with personal care because guess what? They can’t do it! So someone has to, it’s such a tiny part of my job and the least bit interesting.
Hardly anyone hears about the love and patience, acceptance and humility the people I support teach me and give me every day.
As an electrician, the misconception that it’s not a skilled profession is frustrating. It requires rigorous training and adherence to safety standards.
Unemployed disabled. We want to work, but nobody will let us. Then they turn around and call us lazy parasites.
Tech support. We didn't start out angry..
1. Turn it off, then turn it on again. No, we're not lazy that really does solve a majority of problems. And no, shutting off your monitor is not shutting down your computer.
2. When we ask you if it's plugged in, follow the cord all the way from your computer to the wall.
3. If the computer gives you a message with an error code, WRITE IT DOWN OR TAKE A SCREENSHOT.
4. Describe the problem, but only what is necessary. I don't care why you were emailing your aunt. I do care about the message that popped up when you clicked Send.
5. If I come to look at your computer, get out of the way. No, I cannot fix anything if you are sitting in your chair in front of your computer.
6. Printer problem? Take it out back and shoot it. I would rather work on anything else before printer problems.
Construction. No, I’m not looking to build your deck for a cheeseburger and a six pack of beer.
I’m a librarian, and people think we just read books all day. In reality, we manage databases, assist with research, and conduct community programs.
Hair stylist, if "anyone" could cut hair why did you all have terrible haircuts during Covid? You have to take into account the head shape, hair texture, cowlicks, deviation in hair color.
It's not easy and it's really hard on your body.
Call center customer service agent (telecom). For the last 12 years I've had to hold the hand of thousands of customers through the phone. It's not an easy job. I have to remember the specs of all the new cellular devices, all the codes for our ancient DOS base AS400 system and above all that, I have to deal with people who have issues breathing and speaking at the same time. It's exhausting, at the end of the day my body is awake and ready but my mind is mush, oh and I do it in 2 languages.
That graphic design is fun, cool, exciting and we'll do it for peanuts just because we enjoy it.
Sorry to break it to you but I got bills to pay and most of the time I'm trying to protect the client from making really bad decisions because they feel they could "do it themselves if they could just draw a little better".
I drove a taxi. We don’t meet a lot of famous people. Not all passengers are unhinged lunatics. .
Vegetable farmer. We get so many applicants wanting to "connect to the soil", yet have never touched a shovel before. So many people don't seem to understand that farming is manual labor with long hours and hardship every day. And It's all just to limp by. We aren't making much money.
I'm a handyman. None of those things that happen in those human mating ritual documentaries that you watch on the internet have ever happened to me.
Software engineer here. No, we can't just "hack into anything" and no, we can't fix your printer. We're not tech support. We live in a world of code, not hardware.
As a veterinarian, I’m most certainly *not* in this for the money…
I also don’t magically know what is wrong with your dog/cat just by waving my magic stethoscope.
"Why do you need a dictionary? I thought you were a translator.".
Fire Sprinkler Designer here: Fire Sprinkler water IS NOT clean and clear like the movies depict...That water more than likely has been in those pipes for decades and is filled with corrosion and cutting oil. As soon as a sprinkler goes off, you are getting doused with black tar water...
Writer,
Their eyes are green because that’s the color I thought of when I built the character. It’s not that deep most of the time.
Also, no, I don’t want to read the first draft of the book you started when you were 12 that’s “such a great idea!”
Believe me, none of us write well at 12 and no I won’t read it for free.
Lawyer here. Just because you fail to understand a nuance doesn’t mean it’s a “loophole”.
