Just curious, what do you guys actually do for a living?

Scrolling through comments here, you can tell there’s a huge mix of people, some clearly technical, some more creative, some who sound like they’ve been in the working world for decades, others who feel like students or early in their career.

No particular reason for asking, just genuinely curious what kind of professions make up this community. Feel free to keep it as vague or specific as you’re comfortable with.

Drop your profession below, and if you want, one thing about it people usually don’t expect.

  • 7uWqKj@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    Former rock star, now retired, living on my private island, occasional public speaker, industry leader consultant when bored.

    Just kidding. IT of course.

    • sandhu@thelemmy.clubOP
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      7 days ago

      Damnnn , I was two seconds away from asking you how you broke into the rock star industry 🤓

  • philpo@feddit.org
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    3 days ago

    CEO. Disaster/healthcare management consultant. Critical care paramedic.

    Well. Technically I am a CEO. My company is smallish, but we are a proper joint stock company (who I am the sole owner)m I founded it in 2020 and we consult in disaster management and healthcare management so for the “hot end” of healthcare.

    I am still qualified as a critical care paramedic but only work in that field part time now.

  • n3on_Navigat0r@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    5 days ago

    Railway signal maintainer.

    I take care of crossing warning devices, switch machines, signals, track circuits, and wayside hazard detectors.

  • AeronMelon@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    “AROO!! AROO!! AROO!!”

    No, not really. I’m an English teacher & childcare provider.

    Used to work in IT, but preschoolers are generally easier to please.

      • HCSOThrowaway@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        Statistically speaking it’s likely that I was somewhere close to a 5/10. If you consider that “good” so be it, but I reject the notion that just because a(n ex-)cop goes on Lemmy they must be or have been good.

        I’ve tried to address the issue across many spaces, but there’s never anywhere near a consensus on what makes a cop a Good Cop, so I don’t think I or anyone else will be able to truthfully answer that question about me (or any other cop) in a way that suits most/all people.

        • mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          5 days ago

          My joke was that there are no good cops, because even the “good” ones still uphold the blue wall of silence and passively enforce systematic oppression. The entire system is designed so that cops who refuse to fall in line are quickly weeded out. Even if the “good” cops don’t directly oppress people and abuse their authority, they keep quiet about their coworkers who do. There is no “good cop changing the system from within” because the system is designed from the ground up to expel anyone who tries. So the only way to be a good cop is to stop being one.

          • HCSOThrowaway@lemmy.world
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            5 days ago

            I don’t strongly disagree with that notion, but I strongly believe that spreading the idea leads to making cops worse as a whole.

            Say your message reached the eyes/ears of every single (prospective) cop, whether they (think they) (will) contribute to that problem or not.

            The ones that want to contribute to that don’t care what you have to say about it; they might even get a kick out of it.

            The ones that don’t want to will either be motivated towards mental gymnastics into ignoring criticism of law enforcement (“they obviously have no idea what they’re talking about” and other similar cop-outs) or look for a way out of that line of work. In other words, making people think “it doesn’t matter what I do, I will still be considered evil,” will push a lot of otherwise good people to either ignore criticism, deviate to the worse, or get out entirely. The former two are basically the logic behind Labeling Theory. Do you know who invites them with open arms? Bad Cops.

            So by subtracting (potential) Good Cops and not affecting (or bolstering) Bad Cops, you make the ratio worse.

              • HCSOThrowaway@lemmy.world
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                5 days ago

                One of the biggest deflating sentiments that ruins the ACAB meme is the one-two question:

                “Do you think you are a good person?”+“Do you want to be a cop?”

                If they’re answering truthfully, most ACABers would answer: “Yes.”+“Of course I don’t.”

                The reasoning behind the latter varies, in my experience with them, from “Because there are too many bad cops (therefore I am afraid for my personal safety).” to “Because I qualify for better jobs.”

                The former is, frankly, an argument from a place of cowardice. Imagine a world where nobody put out fires because fires are dangerous. Sure, it’s totally rational for one person to avoid danger, but if everyone avoids danger we are all screwed. Further, though no group is a monolith, you also see “Cops always protect their own no matter what,” come from ACABers, at which point wouldn’t that person trying to be good be one of those cops that is above any adverse action?

                The latter is an argument for incentivizing good people to join law enforcement, most directly with better pay, and indirectly with not shitting on every cop just because one/some/most/etc. of them are shit.

    • mrgoosmoos@lemmy.ca
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      5 days ago

      I only skimmed that to get the gist, but I do really appreciate you sharing that, and I commend you for choosing option 3. sorry that happened to you

      • HCSOThrowaway@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        No worries. Where I posted it on Reddit, I had it where the more granular detailed sections were blacked out spoiler-style so people could read less of it if they wanted to, but I don’t think Lemmy supports that function (yet).

  • quediuspayu@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    7 days ago

    I have no idea what is called in English. I just work at a car park. Just above minimal wage, it pays my bills, finances my hobbies, is stable and once I’m out of the door at the end of my shift it is not my problem anymore.

  • MintyFresh@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    City bus driver. It’s not the most exciting job I’ve ever had, but it’s a union shop(which really kicks ass!!!), has steady hours, pension, vacation/sick days, and healthcare.

    It can be infuriating dealing with people who definitely do not have their shit in a pile. But it also feels really good being there for the community. I’ll probably stick with it for a bit.

    • Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      5 days ago

      Always thinking about those Psy-Ops/OSINT ppdcasts by darknet diaries talking about getting a foothold in a target.

      • xavier666@lemmy.umucat.day
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        5 days ago

        Ahh, a fellow Darknet Diaries enjoyer.

        I meant it as a joke but one should be vigilant when handing out/ their personal information.

    • Wrufieotnak@feddit.org
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      6 days ago

      Why would that be a bad job? You provide a service to the community, that is better than a lot of other, so called prestigious, jobs. You didn’t make the world a worse place at the end of your day. So a lot better than many others.

      • daggermoon@piefed.world
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        6 days ago

        For one thing, the pay is shit. For another, it’s at a gas station/convenenience store (corner shop) so I indirectly work for the fossil fuel industry. The fossil fuel industry sure makes the world a worse place.

        • Wrufieotnak@feddit.org
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          6 days ago

          OK, respect for taking responsibility, but I don’t consider cashier at a gas station to be a job responsible for climate change. At a certain point we all have to participate in the system to not starve. That is by design. So again: don’t beat yourself up too much about it. Vote, demonstrate, but cashier is not a job I see one should be ashamed for.

    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
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      6 days ago

      nothing wrong with that, one of the chain “bougie eco grocery stores” chronically have cashiers understaff, recently heard they cutting the budget and rotating through employee like paper. just to put you at ease, there are people that dont have jobs now and constantly complaining about finances for some reason(they refuse to take any jobs, aka cherry picking). alot of stories/posts about this on other platforms.

  • 87Six@lemmy.zip
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    5 days ago

    I’m a software engineer and it feels gross to say for some reason

    I’m just a poser though, because I have no thigh-highs

  • ℕ𝕖𝕞𝕠@slrpnk.net
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    7 days ago

    I used to teach, now I wait tables. I’ve also been a computer tech, event security, summer camp counselor, and lay minister.

    I’m thinking about switching it up again. Maybe electrician?

  • PizzaLamp25@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    My profession is whatever job I can get with a HS diploma. Right now it’s a crane operator, I climb 1-3 stories to troubleshoot problems for a warehouse in 34f or -15f. Actually not bad, coworkers on my shift are pretty cool, pay is good, benefits not bad. Just allot to learn with the program and system they use. Still in training, wish my luck keeping this job till I get a college degree or trade.

    • Aneb@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      Mood. Over the last 8 years I’ve been: a server, retail worker, a cashier, a barista, a cake decorator, a software designer, currently I’m a dishwasher.

      • Fredthefishlord@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        6 days ago

        That sounds like so much to me! I’ve only ever been a warehouse worker at ups for 5 years straight now. Only job I’ve ever had. Job hopping sounds exhausting

        • Aneb@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          I just want to add that dishwashing has been my best experience. I work at a gay bar and everyone is super nice and I’ve made a lot of friends since starting. Surprisingly it pays a living wage but there’s not a ton of hours because they want to keep people off of insurance, which makes sense (they are a small business). I’ve also barbacked on weekends and holidays. I’m also learning to prep cook so I can work more hours. I’m trying to keep one job that can pay me more, than two jobs splitting my time and I get paid half as much. I know FedEx has a union does UPS have one too?

      • PizzaLamp25@lemmy.world
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        6 days ago

        Almost there same haha. Retail, cashier, order filler for warehouse, restaurant cook, more retail, brewer, even more retail, plastic molder and now cranes.

    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
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      5 days ago

      i was looking at rad tech, which at least in my area makes at least equal to some grad program/degrees, without the unncessary blood, sweat, time and money of going through 4 years+ grad school. for stem which is “high” for bio /health related field(except for nursing and MDs)

      • PizzaLamp25@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        I knew a guy I worked with that was doing this, he said he went to school, but maybe they just paid for his schooling/training. Said he had to go to different places for it.

        Maybe I’m remembering wrong, but good to know in case something happens.

        • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
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          4 days ago

          interesting did he go to Community college, because those have multi-year waitlists. 1-6+years, some people mentioned they got a degree rather than wait that long, or go to the expensive route, only 4 year universities teach this, only certain ones do. but it can be many times more than CC, like 10-20x more.

    • Aussiemandeus@aussie.zone
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      6 days ago

      I’m a crane technician, I work for myself repairing all kinds of cranes apart from towers.

      Crane operation in Australia is a great profession that i have seen carry many people into retirement.

      Why wouldn’t you stick with it? A good crane operator can keep a job site running so smooth. The only downside is no one notices until the primary operator is out sick and someone who isn’t as good is operating that day.

      • PizzaLamp25@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        The only reason why is because of moving, don’t like the state (USA) I’m in and want my son to have a better education. I was nervous and being hard on myself that I wasnt doing a good job, but boss man told me I was doing a good job and heard nothing but good things. Have to learn other departments for the company eventually.

        • Aussiemandeus@aussie.zone
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          4 days ago

          Yeah i get that, im in the process of moving now because we don’t want our son growing up where we are living now.

          It’s not a great place