yah Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 (edited) This question stems from a convo I was having with my co-workers today. I'm curious.. If someone asked you to describe in detail what s/he does for a living, would you be able to do it? When s/he tells you about a specific work-related problem, would you understand what they are talking about? When they are with their co-workers or friends in the same field and are talking about their jobs, to what extent can you follow their conversation? Of course this is all assuming you guys are in very different fields and had very specialized education for it. Edited September 28, 2010 by yah
Lakeside_runner Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 Oh boy... When I was in a relationship I have given my best to know what they are doing. It was kinda easy since my ex-GFs were an economist and a lawyer. Hence, it was kinda easy to describe what they're doing. Haha - good luck with my job though It's like "yeah, he is teaching and mainly doing... research... ummm...ahmmm...". But that's OK. I don't need my SO to understand what I'm doing. I don't care.
USMCHokie Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 I know enough to hold my own in a conversation...
Star Gazer Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 It was kinda easy since my ex-GFs were an economist and a lawyer. Hence, it was kinda easy to describe what they're doing. I always find it amusing when people think they know what lawyers really do, day in and day out. Not one guy I've ever dated - other than other attorneys, of course - really understood enough to hold an intelligent conversation about it.
skydiveaddict Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 Here's what I Sometimes I have a hard time explaining it
atlnay Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 The guy I am seeing has a VASTLY different career and degree (finance) than I do. I am in the creative field. He's explained to me the concept of his job a few times before I really got what he was doing, he's in a specialized form a sales. By knowing that scant background info, I can follow along a bit when he describes certain calls he takes or problems his team may have. So yea, I can describe a bit what he does and if I was at a work function, would be able to follow along a bit in their "shop" talk. This question stems from a convo I was having with my co-workers today. I'm curious.. If someone asked you to describe in detail what s/he does for a living, would you be able to do it? When s/he tells you about a specific work-related problem, would you understand what they are talking about? When they are with their co-workers or friends in the same field and are talking about their jobs, to what extent can you follow their conversation? Of course this is all assuming you guys are in very different fields and had very specialized education for it.
Lakeside_runner Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 I always find it amusing when people think they know what lawyers really do, day in and day out. Not one guy I've ever dated - other than other attorneys, of course - really understood enough to hold an intelligent conversation about it. Oh no, she explained it to me I never just assumed that I know what she does. We had long long conversations about it until I got it and was able to talk about it in a semi-intelligent and educated way .
aerogurl87 Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 I know enough about my boyfriend's job. Do I understand it completely? Not exactly but from hearing him talk to me about it plus after watching an episode of Dirty Jobs I have a pretty good idea of what a day at work is like for him.
skydiveaddict Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 I know enough about my boyfriend's job. Do I understand it completely? Not exactly but from hearing him talk to me about it plus after watching an episode of Dirty Jobs I have a pretty good idea of what a day at work is like for him. What does he do?
tigressA Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 My SO is a software architect--don't ask me for any details because I know none --and I'm a live-in caretaker, so we are on opposite ends of the spectrum like some others have said. I'm sure I could understand the nature of his job if he explained it but I never ask. I get the clear sense that he doesn't like to talk about work outside of work.
Art_Critic Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 Of course this is all assuming you guys are in very different fields and had very specialized education for it. This is the caveat... My wife and I are out of the same industry so I can describe in exact detail about her job as a Graphic Designer, since my company employs Graphic Designers and I also can do most of the physical side (running software apps) of the job......Prebaby... PostBaby.. she is a stay at home Mom.. I'm out of my element and have to say I haven't a clue how she does her day to day activities.. at least not without losing her sanity anyhow I don't think she can explain in detail what I do though.. She could make up some mumbo jumbo that would get close though.. but honestly I wear so many hats on each day that she wouldn't have a true clue to what I do day to day...
aerogurl87 Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 What does he do? He's a swamper. He goes around cleaning up oil spills and cleaning out trucks and stuff.
Author yah Posted September 28, 2010 Author Posted September 28, 2010 After my conversation today and reading some of the replies I am now more interested in learning more about my SO's work. He knows more about mine (cancer research, grad student) because, well, I talk about it more. He's a software engineer; he's tried to explain what he does, has shown me his office and I still refer to him as 'a computer guy.' Good thing for me he doesn't mind. skydiveaddict- That's pretty neat.
skydiveaddict Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 He's a swamper. He goes around cleaning up oil spills and cleaning out trucks and stuff. Nice. Did he get on "dirty jobs?"
skydiveaddict Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 After my conversation today and reading some of the replies I am now more interested in learning more about my SO's work. He knows more about mine (cancer research, grad student) because, well, I talk about it more. He's a software engineer; he's tried to explain what he does, has shown me his office and I still refer to him as 'a computer guy.' Good thing for me he doesn't mind. skydiveaddict- That's pretty neat. Somehow I think your job must be more rewarding and certainly more valuable than mine
Art_Critic Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 Somehow I think your job must be more rewarding and certainly more valuable than mine Your job is killer.. I love your office.. Want my job ?.. I'm just a glorified baby sitter with responsibilities...
skydiveaddict Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 (edited) Your job is killer.. I love your office.. Want my job ?.. I'm just a glorified baby sitter with responsibilities... I bet you're much more than that. Besides, I'm willing to bet you get paid alot more than I do. I will admit though that climbing turbines is a fun job BTW, that's not me in the vid. Just something I grabbed off youtube Edited September 28, 2010 by skydiveaddict
Stung Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 Well, I am primarily a science geek and 'a creative' and my husband is both 'a tech' and management. I know a lot about the business side of what he does, and I know a lot about his company--he is one of the high officers, and I contracted as his company's editor for a while and know all the other higher-ups and have been going to their office functions for years as his partner/wife even after they were no longer my clients. I know a lot about their business structure and aspirations and partnerships with other companies, and I also know a fair bit about his employees and colleagues. I don't know that much about the languages he designs in, other than a few key points. I worked as a very low-level programmer ten years ago, but honestly I couldn't remotely touch his level back then, and the industry has changed enormously since then and I haven't bothered to keep up. He knows about the aspect of my work which involves grammar and editors, and somewhat about the biological sciences, and he knows a lot about publishers because he has published his own tech books. But he knows nothing about the more creative writing projects I'm involved in, and he admits he doesn't have much of an eye for it, just as I haven't much of an eye for his tech expertise. And currently like Art's wife I'm mostly a stay-at-home mom anyway, and while he knows some of what that involves as he is a hands-on dad, he doesn't always get the scope of it. I think we do better at understanding each other's days than a lot of couples, though.
aerogurl87 Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 Nice. Did he get on "dirty jobs?" Haha, no but they had something really similar to what he does on there awhile back.
make me believe Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 Want my job ?.. I'm just a glorified baby sitter with responsibilities... Hah! That sounds exactly how my boyfriend would describe himself, except he'd say "a glorified adult baby sitter." OP, this is an interesting question! I've found myself attempting to describe my BF's job a few times lately, and I'm always kind of at a loss for words.. He works in the mental health field. And... sometimes, I have to admit, he will tell me a story about something he did at work today and I say "huh? You do that sort of thing?" Because while I get the general gist of his job, I know he has a lot of day-to-day stuff going on that I have no idea about.
Author yah Posted September 28, 2010 Author Posted September 28, 2010 OP, this is an interesting question! I've found myself attempting to describe my BF's job a few times lately, and I'm always kind of at a loss for words.. He works in the mental health field. And... sometimes, I have to admit, he will tell me a story about something he did at work today and I say "huh? You do that sort of thing?" Because while I get the general gist of his job, I know he has a lot of day-to-day stuff going on that I have no idea about. Same here. I definitely do not want to know every detail but enough to be able to describe it more than, "well, you see, his company has these products. and, well, he writes some stuff and it, like, improves the products..." That's an exaggeration but you get the idea.
EasyHeart Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 I couldn't care less about what my SO does at work. I usually know way more than I want to, because women have this endless need to "talk about their day". Ugh. I have no interest in talking about my work after I leave the office. Much of what I deal with is confidential and proprietary information, so I literally CAN'T talk about it. Some women have gotten very demanding about knowing what I'm working on, because they apparently think I am keeping horrible secrets from them. Then I give them a broad overview of whatever technology I'm involved in at that point, and their eyes glaze over and they ask me to please stop talking. I have no idea what they thought it was that I did all day. Maybe they were waiting for me to slip up and say, "And then at 1:30 I banged my secretary on my desk, and I was almost late for my 2:00 meeting. . . "
climbergirl Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 When my bf comes home and tells me about his day in detail, I have no clue what he's talking about. It's all mathematics, blueprints, angles etc. I know what his job title is and what his co-workers are like, but when it comes to his projects...I'm lost. I've watched him work and still lost. His job title doesn't encompass all that he does. I'm in the health care field and I'm guessing he has an easier time following mine.
flying Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 SO and I are in the same basic industry (journalism), but we have very different specializations. I'm much more inclined in general I think to be curious about the details of his job than vice versa, so I'd say I generally know a lot more about any given story he's working on, simply because I'm more inclined to ask. He's used me as a sounding board on multiple occasions, which is fun for me because I'm kind of just interested in everything. He knows the basics of my job - what I do, who I work with, if I'm working on a major story. But I deal with a lot of topics (science-related) that can be kind of mystifying, I suppose. He's trying.
SecretSquirrel Posted September 28, 2010 Posted September 28, 2010 This question stems from a convo I was having with my co-workers today. I'm curious.. If someone asked you to describe in detail what s/he does for a living, would you be able to do it? When s/he tells you about a specific work-related problem, would you understand what they are talking about? When they are with their co-workers or friends in the same field and are talking about their jobs, to what extent can you follow their conversation? Of course this is all assuming you guys are in very different fields and had very specialized education for it. In my current relationship: I can describe what my bf does for a living, I understand what he's talking about when he tells me about work-related problems (which are very technical and outside my skill set), and I can follow the conversation when he discusses with friends/co-workers; however to the last, I usually am not very interested when he is talking about work with co-workers, and could probably enter the conversation but choose not to, for fear I'll let slip a piece of information that he assumed I knew was for my ears only. For comparison: hardly understood what my last bf did for a living, and couldn't explain it to anyone very well. He almost never spoke about work, so I never developed an understanding of what he did, what his problems were, etc.
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