Job stereotypes - are they true and do you conform?

average hero · 18-07-2020 6:54pm #1

Most jobs have a stereotype of one type or the other. Are those job stereotypes true in your experience and do you fit the job stereotype of your job/profession?

I had a few jobs in my day...

Late-bar barman - stereotype of a personable young person always on the hunt for a tip or to meet someone for a date (think of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Yeah I probably BROADLY fit the stereotype of that job. I think the stereotype is true in a large amount of cases.

Bouncer - stereotype of a musclebound thick manning a door. In my experience, it is about 50/50. I definitely saw a lot of roided-up aggressive types on the door but then again there were a lot of smaller, clever guys doing it for a few bob too. I didn't fit the stereotype as I was small and had a couple of degrees at the time.

HR - stereotype of dry, company-orientated people who are no fun at all. I'd say the stereotype is true but I saw many HR people at Christmas act.....less than their professional selves in work. Suppose they're human after all! I didn't fit the dry stereotype in work anway!

So, AH lets have you. Are the stereotypes true about your job and do you conform to it?

pgj2015 · 18-07-2020 7:29pm

I definitely do in some ways but i'm not greedy so don't in that sense.

Jimbob1977 · 18-07-2020 7:33pm

Accountants - largely dull and cautious... with little creativity or spontaneity. I'm an accountant and it's normally true of our profession.

Creative Accounting is the height of it. We let our hair down with Enron, WorldCom and the banks.

18-07-2020 7:38pm

Retired librarian. Definitely did not have a bun. Actually quite a few library folk are rather non-conformist and arty types, and endlessly curious.

Your Face · 18-07-2020 8:19pm

I used to work on the doors when I was younger.
Yep - 50/50.

cannotlogin · 19-07-2020 10:38am

Teachers - especially primary school ones think everyone is in their classroom. Most tend not be react well when their rules aren't followed or they are challenged in any way.

Engineers - no experience of the industry but dated a fair few down through the years. Very linear thinkers where the interpretation of every thing is black or white. Find it surprising as surely their job requires creative solutions from time to time. Often wound too tight.

Data Analysts - overly focused on facts without understanding the reason for them. The stats usually prove what they want them to. Completely reluctance to try to understand the meaning behind any thing other than what they want the result to be. Limited capacity for connection or emotion.

Littlehorny · 19-07-2020 10:44am

Sales people- mostly men and you can spot the sales team a mile away in any firm. They try to appear confident, yet only stick and speak to each other like a click. Don't know what it is but the way they dress, their watches, shoes etc,you know as soon as you see them.

El_Duderino 09 · 19-07-2020 10:46am

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

Accountants - largely dull and cautious... with little creativity or spontaneity. I'm an accountant and it's normally true of our profession.

Creative Accounting is the height of it. We let our hair down with Enron, WorldCom and the banks.

I work with accountant auditors they're probably cautious and considered, but definitely not dull. There are definitely some with autistic traits of religiously following the rules and it really pays off for them in auditing. But generally not dull at all.

pgj2015 · 19-07-2020 10:57am

cannotlogin wrote: »

Teachers - especially primary school ones think everyone is in their classroom. Most tend not be react well when their rules aren't followed or they are challenged in any way.

Engineers - no experience of the industry but dated a fair few down through the years. Very linear thinkers where the interpretation of every thing is black or white. Find it surprising as surely their job requires creative solutions from time to time. Often wound too tight.

Data Analysts - overly focused on facts without understanding the reason for them. The stats usually prove what they want them to. Completely reluctance to try to understand the meaning behind any thing other than what they want the result to be. Limited capacity for connection or emotion.

i

Edgware · 19-07-2020 11:54am

Littlehorny wrote: »

Sales people- mostly men and you can spot the sales team a mile away in any firm. They try to appear confident, yet only stick and speak to each other like a click. Don't know what it is but the way they dress, their watches, shoes etc,you know as soon as you see them.

"Selling a car is like making love to a beautiful woman" Swiss Tony

Gregor Samsa · 19-07-2020 1:05pm

I’m a web developer (well, I was until I moved into management). I didn’t think I fit the stereotype until I realised that every other web developer the company hired had a very, very similar personality to me (and it wasn’t me doing the hiring, or even the same person each time). One guy that works with me even looks like me to the point that we’ve been confused for each other on a number of occasions.

Company got us to do the Enneagram once. We all didn’t believe in it, and we all turned out to be Type 5.

Job stereotypes - are they true and do you conform?

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