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“What’s A Misconception About Your Profession That You’re Tired Of Hearing?” (30 Answers)
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.
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#1
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.
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#2
“Teachers are brainwashing and indoctrinating our kids!”
Bruh I can barely get these adorable little b@stards to bring a damn pencil to class 🤣 I’m flattered you think I have that much power but I can assure you I do not.
#3
I'm a long time caregiver to mother who lives with dementia. For some reason, people don't consider it "work". That includes doctors. I'm on call 24/7. I can't leave for long periods of time. My own health went to s**t. Geriatric care costs are astronomical. Yet, all people hear is "You're not working." .
lenka 7 months ago
My MIL has dementia. At first we were trying to provide in home care for her. It took the whole family (6 people) on a roster to maintain 24/7 care for her including 24/7 supervision, all meals, shopping, personal care, medical appointments, home cleaning etc etc. It's really hard. We managed to do this for three years until her needs escalated and we eventually had to put her in special dementia care home.
#4
Janitor/custodian. Any service job, really.
No, not everybody who works those jobs is dumb with no prospects/ambitions. Things happen in life, be it health issues, personal/family issues. I never understood how someone seeing another person working a job like that can look down on them and treat them like dirt.
A separate pet peeve is "i dont feel like putting this item back where it belongs" or "ill just make this mess and not clean it up" because it's "somebody else's job" or "im just letting them *earn* their paycheck!". No, you're an a*****e.
To end this on a positive note though, as someone who's had a lot of these types of jobs, being polite, saying "thank you" and being respectful to any service/retail/restaurant worker(or, anyone really) are simple things that don't take much effort and can brighten up someone's day.
Dorothy Reiser 7 months ago
I was taught when becoming a teacher that the custodian is your best friend. Respect and recognition of this very important person makes your work way easier.
#5
Unemployed disabled. We want to work, but nobody will let us. Then they turn around and call us lazy parasites.
Toujin C'Thlu 7 months ago
As someone on disability, this is very true. I spent years looking for a job, only to be rejected or get no response. These were entry-level retail jobs, too
#6
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.
Jay Scales 7 months ago
'I don't care why you were emailing your aunt' - LOL, I know people who would find it necessary to tell Tech this :D :D
#7
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.
#8
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.
Stardust she/her 7 months ago
“Human mating ritual documentaries“ is the best English phrase I’ve ever come across
#9
As an electrician, the misconception that it’s not a skilled profession is frustrating. It requires rigorous training and adherence to safety standards.
devotedtodreams 7 months ago
I have mad respect for electricians; even if I know the safety measures necessary to try something on my own, I'm always afraid I'll either electrocute myself or f**k up in some other way.
#10
Construction. No, I’m not looking to build your deck for a cheeseburger and a six pack of beer.
#11
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.
devotedtodreams 7 months ago
I am a librarian, and people think we literally just at our desk checking our/returning books for people. Hell, when I worked at a public library, I even got (separately) asked if we get paid, and if we get vacation. Bruh.
#12
I'm an attorney.
A lot of people - maybe most people - have this bizarre idea that a court case turns on who has the better attorney.
As if we're wizards, hurling eldritch beams of light at one another until one of our minds snap and the empty husk slumps to the floor. The judge whispers a fey enchantment, his fingers curling in an unknown, arcane sign, and the victor is bathed in emerald light.
A bad attorney can absolutely sink your case, but once you reach a level of basic competence, the facts of the case are almost exclusively what drive victory or defeat.
I can make clever arguments all day, but if you beat the s**t out of an orphan to steal his Pokemon cards, my twisted magicks will not avail you.
#13
Men working in kindergarten are p***philes. Good luck getting a male role model for your spawn before 5th grade. At least in Germany.
#14
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.
#15
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.
Dorothy Reiser 7 months ago
My brother, a pediatrician, often says it's a lot like veterinary medicine. The parents are anxious and scared and the patient often doesn't speak.
#16
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.
#17
Musician: "you're lucky to be born with talent". I worked my whole life practicing every single day, invested so much money in great teachers and great gear to be able to do what I do for a living.
Papa 7 months ago
I remember reading about an interview with a famous golfer. He said people would often tell him they would do anything to be able to play as well as he did. He would say "No, you wouldn't. You wouldn't practice until your hands bleed, hour after hour, day after day, in all kinds of weather."
#19
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.
#20
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...
#21
I work in retail, and the misconception that it’s easy or a ‘fallback’ job is frustrating. It requires serious multitasking and customer service skills.
Elvira394 7 months ago
I don't think there is any job outside of healthcare in the world that comes closer to being a mental health worker than working retail. You guys have to deal with all of the same crazy that we do, you have to deal with it with a smile and not even addressing the primary issue which is the crazy. And you have to do it every day if you're good at your job, and pretend it's just normal. Kudos to all of you in retail.
#22
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.
#23
Massage therapist - 'how much for a happy ending hurr hurr '. It gets old guys, seriously.
#24
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".
#25
Stay at home dad - that because I’m not the breadwinner I must be emasculated and/or not masculine.
WonderWoman 7 months ago
SAHP are the most underappreciated roles. People assume you sit around all day eating bon-bons, watching soap operas, and playing games. It is a rigorous job when done well.
#26
People think being a chef is glamorous thanks to cooking shows, but the reality is long hours in a high-stress environment.
karen snyder 7 months ago
As a 20 year veteran of the event catering world, I'd like to add; Every day is a fresh nightmare. Addiction to d***s and alcohol is more common than not. There is only an gram of creativity for every metric ton of labor. Holidays are the most miserable times. Everybody cries in the walk-in sometimes. We eat absolute garbage when we actually cook for ourselves. Most of us are working through some kind of self hatred from past trauma, (seriously, this is true.) I could go on. Culinary work has such a broken reward system, we are all a bit insane.
#27
I drove a taxi. We don’t meet a lot of famous people. Not all passengers are unhinged lunatics. .
#28
Lawyer here. Just because you fail to understand a nuance doesn’t mean it’s a “loophole”.
Michael Largey 7 months ago
A loophole is a fundamental legal right being exercised by someone who doesn't look like you.
#29
Yes, the plane can fly itself for the most part. The "flying" part is the easy part and we offload some of it to automation so we can focus on other tasks.
It's like showing cruise control in a car to someone who has never driven a car or seen a road before, and them saying "oh Id be a great driver, it does everything itself!".
#30
Working in a call center, people think it’s just talking on the phone. It requires strong communication skills and emotional resilience.
What do you think ?
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 7 months ago
Be kind to your fast food worker. Some may be "lazy" or not care or on drúgs, maybe. But most are just trying to get by. Some are in the process of going to school to get that better job. Some are retired and just need a supplemental income. Please remember they don't control the prices or what's offered on the menu (call corporate for that). Finally, don't complain about how they're short handed, unless you want to fill out an application yourself! Thanks😘
Noproblem 7 months ago
I learned that the best way to shut down customers who complain about short staffing is just to agree with them. Take a look at the line of customers queuing behind them, little sigh, “Yeah, I would LOVE a couple more cashiers.” Makes them feel like we’re in it together. Which we are, most of the time.
Load More Replies...
Kevin J. Henning 7 months ago
Ministers. Not all of them are money driven, mega church promoting egotistical windbags. There are a few left who genuinely understand their faith and want to help people.
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 7 months ago
Be kind to your fast food worker. Some may be "lazy" or not care or on drúgs, maybe. But most are just trying to get by. Some are in the process of going to school to get that better job. Some are retired and just need a supplemental income. Please remember they don't control the prices or what's offered on the menu (call corporate for that). Finally, don't complain about how they're short handed, unless you want to fill out an application yourself! Thanks😘
Noproblem 7 months ago
I learned that the best way to shut down customers who complain about short staffing is just to agree with them. Take a look at the line of customers queuing behind them, little sigh, “Yeah, I would LOVE a couple more cashiers.” Makes them feel like we’re in it together. Which we are, most of the time.
Load More Replies... Kevin J. Henning 7 months ago
Ministers. Not all of them are money driven, mega church promoting egotistical windbags. There are a few left who genuinely understand their faith and want to help people.
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