Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
When you’ve got years or even decades of experience in your career, you can sometimes forget that far from everyone is aware of all the nuances of what your job involves. Things that look and sound intuitive to you might be a complete mystery to someone else. In short, while you’ve been in the (metaphorical) trenches, others might romanticize what you do or unfairly criticize your work.
Today, we’re looking at some of the most viral threads on Quora, where professionals debunked common myths and popular misconceptions about their work. We’ve collected some of their best insights to share with you, so continue scrolling to check them out. If you think that trying to make it as a book writer is glamorous or that construction workers are all 'lazy,' this is your wake-up call.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
The myth I want to dispel is that construction workers just stand around doing nothing - especially when patching potholes.
Okay, I have actually tried to dispel this myth before and have received massive amounts of pushback, but I guess I’ll just keep slamming my head into a wall on this issue.
When a crew goes out to patch a pothole (and there are a lot of potholes in my area due to the rapid freeze-thaw cycle), they need to set up traffic control around the area, then clean out the pothole to be filled. They remove dirt and debris (mostly trash and leaves), and then chip the surrounding material back to “good pavement”.
Once that is done, THEN they can call for the fill material - and until the fill material arrives they have to WAIT.
Why? Well, for one thing, the fill has to be mixed up fresh at the plant, and then it has a very limited shelf-life. They can’t call for it until they know exactly how much they need, and they can’t call ahead of time because once the mix cools down it is useless - unless it is in the patch. So they can’t just order more than they need because where are they going to dispose of the excess? Not to mention that asphalt isn’t exactly cheap.
They can’t leave and start cleaning a new pothole because drivers WILL ignore the traffic cones and drive into the hole. Also, with traffic going by, more debris will end up in the hole, blown by the drafts caused by passing cars. So they have one guy watching the traffic and another guy making sure the hole stays clean and the rest of the crew cleans up their tools and get ready for the hot asphalt mix to arrive. The crew chief fills out the necessary paperwork, but they are usually sitting in the truck, at least. (The crew is usually only 4 guys, including the chief, anyway.)
When the mix arrives, they fill the pothole (possibly in several layers), compact the material and protect it while it cools so some idiot driver doesn’t drive over the fresh (hot) patch, melting their tires into the asphalt and damaging both tires and patch.
As they wait for the patch to cool/ cure, they clean their tools again (asphalt is sticky and you can’t get it off once it has hardened), then race off to do the next pothole.
It is hard labor and takes real strength and stamina to do. But the drivers going past are mad at the inconvenience (and would be even angrier if the potholes didn’t get patched) and often yell offensive things like, “get back to work!” when the men ARE working - but not actually using a pick or a shovel. Measuring the holes, checking the surrounding material and ensuring the patch takes *IS* real work.
I’ve heard the same complaint while waiting for the next concrete truck (which is especially fun when the truck is caught in traffic because of the idiot drivers who have to slow down to yell at the “lazy” construction workers) or basically any construction that occurs near traffic. “New” construction or construction on roads that are closed are so much calmer and easier to work.
So, construction workers who don’t appear to be “working” (i.e.: they aren’t swinging a pick, sledgehammer or shovel) aren’t “lazy” - there are other parts to their job that take more skill than muscle. And I challenge anyone who yells, “Get back to work,” at a construction worker to swing a pick, sledgehammer or shovel for fifteen minutes straight and find out just how important it is to have some rest periods in between.
RELATED:
#2
It’s easy to write books and make a living from writing.
FACT: 95% of all writers make less than minimum wage from their writing.
#3
If you publish a book you’ll be rich.
Statistically you’re more likely to win the lottery. I am one of the very few authors who makes a living writing novels, and it’s not a good living—I earn less than an average fast food worker.
David Bramhall 3 hours ago
I second this. I have fourteen books published and selling regularly, and they earn less than 300 pounds sterling a year.
As per LinkedIn’s annual ‘Jobs on the Rise’ list, the fastest-growing occupations in the United States in 2025 include artificial intelligence (AI) engineers, AI consultants, physical therapists, workforce development managers, and travel advisors.
Event coordinator positions are also in demand in the American labor market, as are directors of development, outside sales representatives, sustainability specialists, and security guards.
Other occupations that made LinkedIn’s list for 2025 include community planners, AI researchers, treasury managers, land agents, grants consultants, directors of employee relations, chief growth officers, bridge engineers, private equity analysts, research librarians, nuclear engineers, advanced practice providers, chief revenue officers, instrumentation and control engineers, and commission managers.
#4
Construction. That it is an unskilled career , that is a gross misconception and a large number in the industry are very skilled , have spent several years in college and many more experienced on site . They have to comply with regulations set down by the industry regulators and there are books of these and updated regularly . A multi skilled person like my self has to know all those regulations and keep up with the modern ones coming in, that is only part of the knowledge required , then there is that of each individual trade and the skill of performing those trades to the meet those regulation standards . An all round builder can be one of the most highly skilled there is having not only the knowledge of different trades but the skill to apply them .
To most they are simply a builder and little respect for the skills they have and how they acquired them , but you would be still living in caves if we're not for them . People take construction for granted but there is a great deal of skill involved in its production and knowledge to get it from bare soil to what you see in its completion .
FlamingoPanda 3 hours ago
I have been watching various construction crews on youtube, notably Perkins builder brothers. There is a huge amount that goes into the seemingly simple things. Definitely not an unskilled job.
#5
Teachers do not work short hours.
If they are lucky, they have one daily planning period in addition to lunch, but there is no way that all the lessons can be planned and all the homework and tests can be handled in one period per day. Teachers have lots of homework plus grading and record keeping after their normal hours.
Often the “planning period" is used to talk with students having problems or to do tutoring. Sometimes, it's spent observing other teachers in an effort to maintain fresh perspective. Sometimes, it's spent covering for another teacher with a medical or personal emergency where there was no time to recruit a regular substitute.
There are faculty meetings and occasional after school in-service certifications. There are consults with the department chair and administrators regarding student discipline issues. Everything needs to be documented.
(There is never -nor has there ever been - any overtime pay for any of this!)
There are evening parent conferences for which teachers are grateful because it means the student has caring support.
School holidays are catch up for lesson planning, test preparation, grading et cetera.
(There's more, but this is enough to provide a sampling.)
By the way, teachers teach for the love and empowerment of their students.
#6
Computer science is not the same as IT. Programming is not (usually, in itself) computer science, and neither of these are IT. There’s obviously some overlap in competencies, but they are completely different fields.
Yes, strictly speaking, I can probably fix your computer in the same way that a mathematician can probably help you with your accounting, but it’s not my job, and there are professionals trained to do that.
Similarly, linguistics refers neither to learning foreign languages nor to the study of “proper grammar.”
LinkedIn’s editor-at-large for jobs and career development, Andrew Seaman, told CNBC Make It that these jobs reflect two dominant trends currently shaping the labor market in the US. First of all, you can see the growing adoption of AI tech. However, at the same time, you’re also seeing a surge in demand for in-person services and experiences.
“Paying attention to where demand is can help you identify opportunities you might not have considered before, which can help you stand out in a crowded job market. For example, maybe you don’t want to work as a security guard, but if there’s a strong need for security guards, chances are that companies that hire and train security guards will need people to manage their payroll and operations. Ultimately, there’s a wide range of opportunities for those willing to get creative with their careers,” Seaman said.
#7
Being a Science teacher does not mean that you know “everything” about Science. I would need at least 20 different college degrees.
Bernd Herbert 1 hour ago
It's not the 18th century anymore with people being universal scholars. (probably not even then was it the case)
#8
People will say, “Wow! What a beautiful photograph! What kind of camera do you use?” Totally discounting the skill and knowledge and talent it takes to be a good photographer.
To take consistently good photographs, you have to know how to compose a photo, finding just the right angles, whether it’s a portrait or a landscape or architecture, or whatever. You have to understand light and what a difference bright lights at different angles makes or what happens when the sky is overcast or the lighting is otherwise diffused. You have to understand how ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and focal length all work together (or against each other) to affect exposure.
In the hands of a good photographer, as long as the camera doesn’t have a lens that is complete garbage, pretty any camera will take good pictures.
Now, that’s not to discount professional and high end amateur cameras. They definitely make taking photographs easier, especially when your on a hurry. Sports photographers, for example, need to be able to “set it and forget it, when it come to the exposure, using a fast shutter speed so they can focus (pun fully intended) on capturing the action. Portrait and wedding photographers are going to spend money on short telephoto lenses with high end glass to get the most flawless and flattering photos possible without having to spend a lot of time in post correcting aberrations.
But, once again, it’s the photographer that really makes the difference. My 5 year old granddaughter has a little fixed focus digital camera that her mom paid about $35 for. It’s 8MP, so not bad for looking at pix on a computer screen. But if I were to use it, my photos would look so much better than my granddaughter’s because she just points it at something and presses the button whereas I would look at the view screen, compose the photo making sure I’m within optimal distance for the photo to be in focus, check the lighting, and then take the photo.
Delineator 52 minutes ago
This story might be apocryphal, but I remember reading that after Ansel Adams finished taking a portrait of a writer, the writer commented “You take such good photos; you must have an amazing camera!” To which Ansel Adams replied, “You write such good books; you must have an amazing pen!”
#9
English professors are not all raging atheist Marxists.
Half of the people in my department go to church, and lean center-right.
Many of the social-justice oriented or progressive students we teach already had such sympathies before coming to university. I can’t get my students to put away their smartphones in class; I certainly can’t dictate their political beliefs.
Meanwhile, Statista, reporting on data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, noted that some of the most in-demand jobs between 2022 and 2032 are likely to include: home health and personal care aides, software developers, restaurant cooks, stockers and order fillers, registered nurses, hand laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, general and operations managers, medical and health services managers, and light truck drivers.
In other words, there’s a projected demand for occupations with a focus on healthcare, logistics, leadership, and software.
#10
As a 911 dispatcher, I can tell you that we can’t always track a cell phone. Many times we can, but not always, and it’s NOTHING like you see on TV or in movies. It depends on several factors and sometimes the ping only gets us to within a few hundred meters of your location, and if it doesn’t ping to what’s called Phase II, the only thing we know is which cell tower your phone is connected to.
There has been some argument about this being correct, so where is what the FCC says. “The plan requires that within two years, carriers must transmit 911 caller position accurate to within 50 meters to the 911 call center in at least 40 percent of cases. Within five years,carriers must transmit that location information accurately within 60 percent of cases.”
So as you can see, calling 911 and not saying anything doesn’t guarantee police officers or medical personal can locate you. They may be able to but they may not be able to.
Earthquake903 3 hours ago
I know they sure couldn't track my cell phone when I was trying to surreptitiously call while, well, while I was needing help.
#11
My expertise is in cognitive psychology, specifically memory. People typically believe that their memories are true representations of events that happened in their lives. This is largely false. Memories recalled from even recent events are not highly accurate in their details, and older memories are largely stories that are somewhat representative of a person’s understanding of events at the time, and very prone to mistakes of both fact and overall significance. Memory is less of a reliable storehouse of facts, and more of a reconstruction of events based on the few facts that may be clearly recalled.
#12
I.T. That we know your password. “Can you tell me what my password is?” No, we can’t, we can’t see it either.
That we are application gurus. If your Excel works, you need to figure out how to insert the pivot table in lite green on the 2,891’st line of the 3rd worksheet.
We just make sure it works.
Meanwhile, a YouGov poll found that American teenagers typically dream of becoming professional athletes, doctors, nurses, YouTubers, streamers, actors, musicians, professional gamers, and artists.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions that people have about your work, dear Pandas? What was your dream job growing up? What would the ideal job look like for you now? If you had to do it all over again, would you stick to your current career path or try something completely different? Let us know!
#13
Linguistics is not about learning as many languages as humanly possible.
There are people who do that. We call them “polyglots”. Some people are both linguists and polyglots. However, most polyglots are not linguists, and most linguists are not polyglots.
Linguistics is about studying language and how it works. You poke it, trip over it, push it over, split it apart, put it back together, and then let it wander around again and see what it does now. One of the things I love about syntax, for instance, is that papers on it are full of brilliantly absurd sentences that could never happen - McCawley’s Fuck you or I’ll take away your teddy bear![1] comes to mind - because you’re trying to figure out why those sentences are so ridiculous. Any English speaker could tell me that “Want you to must that the chair yellow what?” is wrong, but most couldn’t give a general reason without serious thought.
That’s what linguistics deals with. It also deals with how words are put together, where sounds go and what they do, how we make those sounds, how those words and sounds change over time, how and why different people think certain ways of using words and sounds are bad, where the meaning of those words comes from, how that meaning works, and how and where in the brain all that meaning comes from in the first place.
#14
Restaurant Manager. That we will spit in or tamper with your food if you upset us.
Some people are absolutely paranoid to ask for special requests or to send their food back if it isn't what they expected it to be, worried that we will spit or otherwise soil their food. I have worked in over a dozen different restaurants and I have literally not seen this happen even once. Asking my fellow employees, they all say the same thing. We get a thousand special requests a day. It's part of the job. Even if you ask for something weird and annoying, if it's possible, we'll do it no questions asked.
I once had a lady ask for three different sauces on her pizza and wanted us to build dough walls to separate them. I had a guy who insisted that his steak be perfectly square because someone once told him that all the most tender steaks are square (protip: square steaks are no more tender than other steaks; look for good marbleization instead). Your request probably isn't that weird anyway.
Besides, as a manager, if I ever even thought one of my cooks was doing something as disgusting as tampering with someone's food, I would show them the door that very second. It's just not worth getting your restaurant shut down and everyone losing their jobs for nothing more than a cheap, mean-spirited laugh.
#15
I'm an English teacher and many people think if you are a native speaker and have a pulse you can become a teacher of English. .in Japan many are hired for their native skills rather than actual teaching ability. Most decent language teaching jobs require that you know about linguistics, grammar syntax as well as being able to explain and teaching spelling and pronunciation. I teach students as young as four and many of my adult students are false beginners, who cannot speak any foreign language but have studied it at school. Teaching across a language barrier presents its own difficulties. Many teachers here do not speak a foreign language so have no understanding of learning a language and how to teach others.many of my colleagues have Masters and PhDs.
Ace 1 hour ago (edited)
You mean EFL? Yes, teaching English as a Foreign Language is often viewed as an easy job but a good tacher needs to be trained, not just able to speak the language. Not to be confused with teaching English in high school or studying it at University, which may have some overlaps but is fundamentally a different thing.
#16
That an electrician is an electrician, when there are so many different types of electrician. Just think, an auto electrician basically wouldn't know where to start in robotics, or an HVAC unit, electronics, machine tool maintenance to name but a very few. Now I'm not putting any down, but each is conversant with their own particular field.
#17
Not all salespeople are pushy and self absorbed. Some of us truly feel like we have something worthwhile to offer and love to help people solve real problems. I dislike the stereotypical used car salesperson as much as anyone, so make an effort to be respectful, inquisitive, and kind.
The Big Bad 26 minutes ago
I worked in retail for 10 years. I was very good in my job, because I was genuinely interested. My job was looking for a good solution or just something nice, this takes a lot of actual listening. People are what makes your job interesting in retail, not the stuff or cleaning the store. I've gotten to know amazing people and their stories. The people who treat you like c**p just because you work in retail are another story and of course the low pay...
#18
Anyone can write a product manual or user instructions, why is it a special profession?
There’s a lot more to this job than you think. Being able to put yourself in another person’s mindset and then write information and specific instructions for them is not an easy task. You have to try and think of every question someone might ask, and everything they might try to do, even though you have warned them that it may be detrimental to their well-being…to the point of potential death. You have to think of every eventuality because the people you are writing for will try to do it. You should also understand that good documentation will help to sell a shady product. People will forgive bad design aspects if the instructions are well written and easy to follow.
I write for warehousing, airport, and parcel systems, down to component level. Operators climbing on conveyors to clear a jam and having ribs broken by speeding packages or baggage is more common than you think. Engineers need to use the correct components to make sure your TV doesn’t blow up when you turn it on. Emergency staff need to know precisely which medications to administer or which equipment settings to use, and which combinations could potentially kill you! They learn about the correct components, combinations, and systems to use from our manuals.
Most engineers HATE documenting their work. We have to learn about what they are doing and then explain it to you. So, whatever the field of study, give your in-house technical writer or documentation specialist a smile of appreciation once in a while, okay. Thanks.
#19
Yes. I used to be a very highly ranked competitive shooter. I held the highest ranking in several shooting sports and regularly won shooting matches. People assumed that because I was good with handguns and had a reasonably wide knowledge of them that it meant I knew “everything about guns.”
I know very little about shotguns and rifles and have only competed in a few matches where we used those. I know very little about gunsmithing or working on firearms beyond basic maintenance and know very little about tactics other than strategy on how to win shooting matches. I was just a good handgun shooter.
#20
Not me but my husband who is a geologist— most people have no clue what he does or even what a geologist is lol He’s even been called a gynaecologist now that one was interesting.
#21
Two things:
1) That music theory is somehow a bad object, used by the (imaginary) gatekeepers of music to stop the “non-theory” people from gaining access to music. Debunk: music theory is just “how we talk about music” and we need it if we’re going to share it - and our opinions about it - in any meaningful way.
2) That you can be a successful musician without a lot of practice and hard work. Debunk: it may well be true that some people are just “born talented” but that talent will not emerge without a lot of encouragement.
Bernd Herbert 1 hour ago
There's a funbny video on YT of Ed Sheeran on the Graham Norton Shwo, where he played a short song on his cell phone, of him singing many years ago. It sounded spectacularly bad!
#22
I am an Assistant Librarian and it's a myth we don't let people talk in the Public Library.
Leonie Löwenherz 3 hours ago
Probably depends on the area of the library. If there is a reading room or work stations people arennot supposed to talk.
#23
When it comes to social media marketing, ignorant bosses think that once you make a post on social media, you’ll have millions of followers and make sales.
This is far from the truth, social media is about brand awareness, not making sales. Going viral can be very hard to do! From running my personal Instagram, the lowest I got was 100 views on a video, while the highest was 20k. (I also didn’t get new followers from it either, but it didn’t have a call to action either).
Social media marketing is harder than it looks, you really have to play around with it and see what works.
The last job I worked, I was supposed to be the social media manager, but quickly became their customer service. After 8 months of lying to me, telling me they’d hire a customer service person so I could do what I was hired for, they laid me off telling me social media wasn’t making him sales.
Which is some nerve since I rarely got to post on social media in the first place! (Months later I went back on Instagram and he deleted most of it!).
WindySwede 2 hours ago
And remember fellow (non-premium) BP, that past 29 or 50. The posts will be locket away soon. 😑
#24
Accounting is a boring and dull profession that involves crunching numbers all day long. That's what most people think when they hear the word "accountant". But that's far from the truth. Accounting is actually a very exciting and dynamic field that requires creativity, problem-solving and communication skills. Accountants don't just sit behind desks and stare at spreadsheets. They also interact with clients, analyze data, advise on business decisions and help prevent fraud. Accountants are not nerdy and antisocial. They are fun-loving and sociable people who enjoy working in teams and having a good laugh. Accountants are not all the same. They have different personalities, interests and hobbies. Some accountants are into sports, music or art. Some accountants are adventurous, outgoing or quirky. Some accountants even have tattoos or piercings. Accounting is not a one-size-fits-all profession. It offers a variety of career paths and opportunities for growth and development. Accountants can work in different industries, sectors and countries. They can specialize in different areas such as auditing, taxation, forensic accounting or environmental accounting. They can also pursue further education or certifications to enhance their skills and knowledge.
#25
In the realm of artificial intelligence and language models like myself, there are several myths floating around. Here are some common ones and the truth behind them:
1> AI Will Take Over the World: This myth often stems from science fiction narratives portraying AI as malevolent entities. The truth is, AI is only as powerful as the humans who create and control it. While AI can automate tasks and make decisions, it lacks consciousness and intentionality.
2> AI Will Replace Human Jobs: While it’s true that AI can automate certain tasks, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will replace all human jobs. Instead, AI often augments human work, making certain processes more efficient and allowing humans to focus on higher-level tasks that require creativity, empathy, and critical thinking.
3> AI Understands Everything: Despite advancements in natural language processing, AI still struggles with understanding context, sarcasm, and nuances in language. While it can perform specific tasks with high accuracy, it doesn’t possess true comprehension like humans do.
4> AI Is Bias-Free: AI models are trained on data, and if that data contains biases, the AI will reflect those biases in its outputs. It’s essential to recognize and mitigate biases in AI systems to ensure fairness and equity.
5> AI Will Solve All Problems: While AI has the potential to address many challenges, it’s not a magical solution that can solve every problem. AI is a tool that, when used effectively, can assist in solving complex problems, but it’s not a substitute for human judgment, ethics, and creativity.
Understanding these myths and the realities behind them is crucial for responsible development and deployment of AI technologies.
#26
As an electronics engineer, there’s a myth that we build gadgets. We don’t.
As part of a team, we build one gadget. At a time. A bunch of us together.
Hollywood likes to reduce technical people to one minor role when we show up at all. And only having a minor character serving as a stand-in for a team of engineers means that that role/person is forced to do way too much technical stuff in an episode. More than is humanly possible.
Usually, there’s a lead engineer doing the tricky bit. But another guy will box it up and make it look nice. Several other entire companies will provide parts. There will be gophers who get stuff from shipping, etc. Test equipment needs to be maintained. On and on. It takes a team. A large team.
#27
That software developers are a free help desk for friends and family and like to fix other people’s computer problems. I don’t even like fixing my own computer problems.
#28
All cyber security people are hackers/penetration testers. It is simply not true. I mean sometimes it helps, but most of the time you are basically a middle man that does auditing. My typical day is me going in responding to tickets and reading over vulnerability scans. It is a great career path if you realize that what you will be doing isn't hacking all of the time. Unless you are an ethical hacker.
#29
That tenure is a job for life.
No. Tenure merely means you cannot be dismissed for teaching or researching something controversial, at least not without a hearing.
However, professors can (and frequently are) dismissed for failure or neglect to do their duties satisfactorily, for breach of contract, for unethical or unprofessional behavior, or simply because of the college’s financial exigency.
WindySwede 3 hours ago
"Tenure is a type of academic appointment that protects its holder from being fired or laid off except for cause, or under extraordinary circumstances such as financial exigency or program discontinuation. Academic tenure originated in the United States in the early 20th century, and several other countries have since adopted it. Tenure is a means of defending the principle of academic freedom, which holds that it benefits society in the long run if academics are free to hold and espouse a variety of views, even if the views are unpopular or controversial." - wiki
#30
For the most part, those within the field don’t practice programming as a science, but instead as an art.
#31
Information Technology Network Operations and Admin :
We can not control the universe through a televion remote : that one is literally from NCIS.
#32
That “Science is hard.”
Because it turns out that science is not hard. It’s REALLY HARD. At least the “hard sciences.” I took a couple classes in the “soft sciences”, but they were too hard for me.
And it just gets worse and worse. Or better and better, depending on your mindset. How can I put this indelicately.
Are you a nerd? Do you like Studying?
Great!
Because when you become a scientist, all you do is study. And that is the Joy of it.
#33
In recent years Graphic Design has become easily accessible and many people think they can save money by simply doing it themselves. This has, for the most part, devalued degrees and caused the industry to take a hit and slow its growth.
Now graphic designers have to compete with the art industry, in many cases, they cannot compete with the Artists skill level. Because the industry is in such a slump, design jobs are few, so it forces people to freelance. But in most cases, they can't even step into a paid job and are forced to find another job.
Best advice learn on your own time as a hobby.
#34
It is a common myth that screenwriters write a film script and give it to a Film Producer who makes the film
This may be the case for short amateur movies
Most commercial movies are commissioned so the subject matter is set before the screenwriter is brought in
In Box Office movies the screenwriter will often be part of a team
but even as an individual writer, much of the work is limited by budgets, deadlines, legal clauses, copyrights, and marketing territories
The screenwriter is primarily writing a guide for the Director who is usually under the Producer. It is highly unlikely that the screenwriters' script will end up on the screen in its original form
But though most people think of Box Office films as what the film industry is about, it is actually a very small part of the industry, and very few screenwriters work in it
Most screenwriting is for Advertising, Education, Documentaries, News items, TV, and various internet platforms
Screenwriting also includes Science simulations and uses a range of computer techniques that once required a screenwriter
To some extent, mobile phones that can be used for movies will make screenwriting part of Visual Literacy, and anyone will be able to be a screenwriter
#35
That the best way to succeed in an office job is to be super-qualified is one of the myths.
The best way to get the job is to have a resume that includes any qualifications you can give, but also list contacts like past school organizations (ROTC, community service, etc.). Anything that could establish you as reliable and stable at your tasks. Qualifications aren’t the only thing likely to get you in.
The best way to keep the job, and have the appreciation of your co-workers and bosses, is to be agreeable at work, go the extra mile with little things like coffee or offering to grab their lunch, and always—dress nice.
Appearance is 9–10ths of the law in an office of any kind. Even on video conferences from home. Look good.
You can get off not being clean shaven, or not wearing a stiff suit…depending on your office and position, but look nice.
Juade C 37 minutes ago
This may be somewhat true at some workplaces for entry level positions for younger people. After 30 years working in offices no one cares about my college clubs. As an Executive Assistant it’s all about current skills, training, certifications, experience and references. Same with senior customer service, HR, accounting, etc. But yes, even in a business casual office and on video conferencing you should look tidy and well put together.
#36
My job is to monitor compliance with Ontario’s professional engineering laws and, where necessary, collect information for prosecution.
And the myth is that convictions and other legal proceedings are quick and relatively inexpensive. We should be able to bring lots of them at a reasonable cost.
Frankly, many of the offences I help prosecute are little more than big traffic tickets. Seriously, the maximum fine for most offences is the same as the fine for driving 50 km/h over the speed limit. Our discipline cases (which I don’t handle) fill boxes. My cases don’t strain the size of a standard legal sized folder. I have literally one case in a box and it was over 100 offences by the same person.
But the logistics are just horrendous. Once, I had to drive 100 miles, with a lawyer in tow, to lay charges. Twice.
Somebody suggested to me the other week that we should bring charges against 400 or so “software engineers” per year. I explained that a single case might cost $20,000. A complicated hard fought case could be $100,000. Simple cases involving a guilty plea can still tie up several hours of a lawyer’s time, and that’s just to prepare for the sentencing hearing.
Once, the lawyer and I drove downtown for a hearing on one of the hottest days of the year. We were, of course, both in our nice suits. The hearing was adjourned. Half a day wasted, but that’s typical.
From the day I lay charges to the day the judge rules is usually 4–6 months. We don’t get priority for court space.
Last month, we were told about the illegal use of our organization’s logo. The informant was upset when, the next day, the logo still hadn’t been removed. We would certainly go to court about that, but trade-mark disputes have to be heard in federal court, which means hiring special counsel, and we might get a hearing date in three months. Best to give the offender a week to remove the logo.
And here’s the kicker - the trial has to be in the place where the offence took place. We’re in Toronto. We get offences in Ottawa (5 hour drive) and Kingston (3 hour drive) quite frequently. That’s a full day for what might be a 2 minute appearance before a justice of the peace. We often hire local counsel to appear for us, but that’s a $500 bill right there.
As I like to say, if you want more prosecutions, I can spend every dollar you give me.
#37
Here are some common myths about the computer industry, which I have found not to be so:
1. “Modern technology is so complex that only nerds, children, and people without a life can understand it.”
2. “Life without cell phones and social media would be impossible.” (I live without either, and know other people who do so too…)
3. “If the tech guys say it can’t be done, then it can’t be done.” (When tech guys say that something can’t be done, what they really mean is: “I don’t want to do that…” OR “I don’t know how to do that.” During my career, on a number of occasions, I was called to do things which had been pronounced “impossible”, sometimes by the vendor of the equipment (like, IBM…). I never found a case where what was needed could not be done; it just took broader experience and innovative thinking.
4. “Artificial Intelligence (AI) can and will replace Human Thinking.” It won’t. It is a different kind of “thought process” and for it to evolve (even though it can evolve unthinkably quickly) to the point where it has the insight of a Human brain, is not likely in any realistic “near future”. Nevertheless, it is very much a two-edged sword and can be used for good or evil. We DO need to make sure that AI processes are carefully controlled and monitored by Humans.
#38
As I’m retired and no longer have an “area of expertise”, I’m going to take the position of ‘a scientist’. The common misconception about us scientists is that we are all geeks, wearing white coats and with pencil protectors in our top pockets - the archetypal scientist.
This is true of some scientist, and I’ve seen all the aspects I described above, but it’s absolutely not the case for many, many of us.
The way to counter this is for the non-geek scientists to engage in more public outreach so that the stereotype is, over time, replaced with one of personable, sharp and engaging people, which I hope I present as.
I’ve already been working at this for several years being a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) ambassador in local schools, encouraging pupils to consider STEM qualifications and careers.
#39
I sell cars but people don’t realize that you only get paid commission. People think you made profit of $10k on every car whereas sometimes it’s $500 or you are lucky if you break even. One time I was paid $300 on an $80k Mercedes Benz.
#40
I am an IT professional. People generally assume that each and every person who works in IT smokes. Truth to be told, I and many of my colleagues do not smoke no matter how stressed we are. We go out for walks, we go out to eat and that’s how we release our stress. It’s true that many people smoke and say that it helps them reduce their stress. But assuming that all IT professionals smoke is totally wrong. That is a myth that I wish people wouldn’t believe.
#41
The term Certified Financial Planner is copyrighted with a distinct legal meaning and it is conferred only to those who have undergone and succeeded in rigorous training and education and pass competency exams in many disciplines, that often require a state license by themselves, to practice. Many CFP(s) are not licensed but generalists and their advice is better than most without it, but not fully qualified, IMHO, without state licensing, as well. To achieve all is daunting that takes years to do. Any can and many often call themselves planners, advisors or consultants, when they have no such qualifications or licensing and are thereby trying to fool the public, often to fleece them of money. Similarly, a CPA should know accounting but not always investments and a JD knows law, but not always planning. I am a rare exception in these multiple areas with experience and unblemished license, now retired. Primary mantras on which I differ with many [even with my rare level of experience] are; people should not take more risk when young, with any untested expectation they have time to correct error, and stocks do not always go up. They should only take calculated risk when old, if/when they can afford to lose.
#42
Normies think or perceive quantum mechanics of the mole of protons would be very difficult if not impossible to comprehend. We say, ”Quantum mechanics,” and immediately roll our eyes, and think for expert super-nerds alone can only get that. with highschool math you can learn QM for protons (QMp) in less than a day, with a little effort, and if we learned ya your math.
I thought it would be insanely difficult, and wouldn’t even know where to start. BUt I started with, “Can i derive the mass of the proton, even not knowing where to go?” and on and on and on it went until I had it pretty good … QM for a mole of protons, mass of the mole of protons,,,,, hum, prefect. Holy Toledo. Look at that.
Yeah I’m an expert, but only in the sense that I discovered the QMp and I expect others will carry it further to some point where I’ll be clueless as to what the heck is going on. I’m the expert on the discovery, the creative process, and the insanity that goes with it. Actually, I’m the world’s only and foremost expert-nutball, because I’m the only one.
#43
You are going to make a lot of money! Lol
Many eople who use God as a means to take money from people through scams, dishonesty, and lack of accountability. Men who really serve God don't gain anything like houses, cars, or money. False preachers yes but we know who they are.
#44
I was a management consultant. The greatest myth - not only for my profession but also for lawyers, accountants, auditors, doctors, teachers and so on - is the immutability of our current models of professional-service delivery. Traditional approaches to the sale of expertise may soon to be superseded, not least by AI, as Richard and Daniel Susskind has argue in their book The Future of the Professions.
#45
Here’s a common myth, insofar as I can tell, still perpetrated by Academics:
Here’s two examples of the myth: (There are 100 different versions)
1. “You could be an analyst.” or 2. You could be a “consultant.”
Myth: There’s a category … and you could have a career doing that …
Truth: Example: An analyst is not a useful description. A useful description **always** includes the application environment. “An analyst focused on geophysics , especially digital mapping issues.”
That’s a career. Cognizance in one does *NOT* indicate cognizance in another. There’s easily 150 distinct different careers as an analyst and probably 300 different careers as a “consultant.
50 years ago, there might have been 25–35 different careers in Project Management. Today there’s 200 or 300 hundred.
The myth does not account for the explosion of information and resultant specializations over the last 50 years. It does not account for the language and logic developed in technology in 100 different applications over the last 50 years.
In 1990, a thorough and respected study in California indicated doubling information on the planet every 9 months over the previous 5 years. That was 32 years ago. Do the math.
Good hunting.
#46
I’m not in employment anymore, but there was a myth relating to my previous employment. People used to believe that Australian public servants did nothing all day. I didn’t think anyone believed that, but I knew a couple of people who joined the Australian public service thinking they wouldn’t actually have to work. They got a shock!
#47
That I started in an area, got better and grew into more and more responsibility. I do know some people for whom this is true but I and most of the people I have worked with have a much more random career path. I started in retail, went to tech, followed that in manufacturing, went into teaching and then consulting. Through it all there were several aspects that stayed constant: skills learned in one industry are useful in other industries, everyone uses computers and there is a need for someone who understands them, and my greatest skill is problem solving, which again is useful everywhere. Another skill that is useful everywhere is being able to work with other people. However, there have been people who I was not able to work with and in retrospect, it was not worth trying.
#48
In the antique trade that everybody is out the pay the least from the customers for almost very item and sell it with the maximum amount of profit . This myth only comes to friutian when the dealer finds out that the item has a special quality and is with a lot more than they paid for it. .Today if you buy from a customer a a price well below its true value one can easily be prosecuted and or loss your good name.
#49
People think I can fix their PC.
It’s like expecting a nuclear power plant operator can fix their oven.
#50
Current field (graduate student, yes its a job):
The PhD is just like the Bachelors and Masters degree
You need to be smart to do a PhD *
Your grades matter a lot as a grad student *
* Caveats apply.
What do you think ?
Laserleader 3 hours ago
Tourism isn't a job field according to most job databases. I've seen outrageously rare jobs that have a very few individuals working in them on lists, but not Tourism, which has a huge field of individuals located in every major city. Usually, outnumbering passenger bus divers in many destination places by hundreds to one.
jessica r 32 minutes ago
I'm a teacher. Some students think I enjoy failing them. I don't. Even if I don't like you as a person, I'd rather let you pass. Not because I'm such a wonderful idealistic human being, but because I'm lazy. 1) failing means I'll have to grade your next test again which means extra work, 2) I have to explain myself, there's a lot of discussion with students who failed the test 3) if many students fail it reflects negatively on my teaching. So if you fail the test, you can be sure you really messed up.
Doctor Strange 37 minutes ago
Land Surveyor here. Most people don't even know what a survey IS, let alone what we do. No, that isn't a camera, we can't take your picture. Just because we work outside doesn't mean its ok to walk up to us and have a conversation. That's no different than walking into a random office, going to someone at a cubicle and trying to talk to them. We are working. No, we can't just tell you where your property lines are. That requires a significant amount of work. And speaking of work, surveying is not just standing behind the instrument while another guy walks around with a pole. That is the most visible, and also the EASIEST part of the job. We have a signficant amount of work before and after that part. To get my license I had to take a 4 year engineering degree, with classes including Boundary and Business Law, Trigonometry, Geometry, Photogrammetry, Architecture, Civil Enginneering, Hydrology, Orbital Mechanics, Statistics, And more.
Laserleader 3 hours ago
Tourism isn't a job field according to most job databases. I've seen outrageously rare jobs that have a very few individuals working in them on lists, but not Tourism, which has a huge field of individuals located in every major city. Usually, outnumbering passenger bus divers in many destination places by hundreds to one.
jessica r 32 minutes ago
I'm a teacher. Some students think I enjoy failing them. I don't. Even if I don't like you as a person, I'd rather let you pass. Not because I'm such a wonderful idealistic human being, but because I'm lazy. 1) failing means I'll have to grade your next test again which means extra work, 2) I have to explain myself, there's a lot of discussion with students who failed the test 3) if many students fail it reflects negatively on my teaching. So if you fail the test, you can be sure you really messed up.
Doctor Strange 37 minutes ago
Land Surveyor here. Most people don't even know what a survey IS, let alone what we do. No, that isn't a camera, we can't take your picture. Just because we work outside doesn't mean its ok to walk up to us and have a conversation. That's no different than walking into a random office, going to someone at a cubicle and trying to talk to them. We are working. No, we can't just tell you where your property lines are. That requires a significant amount of work. And speaking of work, surveying is not just standing behind the instrument while another guy walks around with a pole. That is the most visible, and also the EASIEST part of the job. We have a signficant amount of work before and after that part. To get my license I had to take a 4 year engineering degree, with classes including Boundary and Business Law, Trigonometry, Geometry, Photogrammetry, Architecture, Civil Enginneering, Hydrology, Orbital Mechanics, Statistics, And more.
You May Like “Easiest Money Ever”: 30 Jobs Where People Get Paid To Do Very Little Work 30 Times People Got Fired In Ways They Will Never Forget “Most Were Also Flabbergasted When I Told Them No”: People Share The Dumbest Customer Questions
Dominyka
Mantas Kačerauskas
Ieva Pečiulytė
Related on Bored Panda
