6 ms·

What Do You Tell People You Are?

34 points by r11t 18y ago

dkarl 18y ago
I write code. Some people think that diminishes what I do. I don't just sit at a computer and type code in from start to end. I have to plan, design, revise, and test. I have to read and criticize. I have to consider very high-level structures and very low-level structures. Therefore, I should say I do something much grander than "write code." Something about "science" or "engineering." It's surely not science. Calling it "engineering" would be fair. Sometimes I do. I don't see what's wrong with calling it "writing," though. After all, don't I write code principally for other humans to understand, and only incidentally for machines to execute? Writers plan, imagine, write, revise, test, and rewrite. Writers read and criticize. Writers consider high-level structures and low-level structures. Writers produce rivers of words one afternoon and struggle with a single line the next. Writers excise large sections of their work with mixed feelings of triumph and regret. Writing code is what I do. If the language had evolved differently, I would be proud to call myself a "code writer" or simply a "writer." The closest equivalent seems to be "programmer," so that's what I call myself. Or, on my resume, as a concession to corporate dullness, a software engineer.
- aaronblohowiak 18y ago
  Depending on the audience, I say "typist.. but this trick is knowing what to type." About 70% of the time, people will say something along the lines of "isn't that what most people do?", to which i smirk in that creepy self-satisfied fashion and admit "exactly."
vasudeva 18y ago
Funny, I was just referencing this issue the other day. When people ask me what I do, I say "computer stuff", and occasionally I'll lift my hands and kind of type at a non-existent keyboard. They invariably go "oh" -- to date, not one has said "ok, but what KIND of computer stuff?" which would be my own personal response. This tells me I'm either consistently gauging their level of computer savvy pretty accurately, or that occasionally I come off like a bit of a dick. YMMV.
- sjs382 18y ago
  Same response for most people. :)
- jrp 18y ago
  You're not being a dick. It's generally correct to say something short (eg "I teach high school") and to go for brevity over correctness. If the person shows interest then you can launch into the details (and probably glaze their eyes).
- mikeyur 18y ago
  Same here. 'Computer stuff' is simple and to the point, sometimes they'll ask for more details but usually not. It's so hard for me to put a single label on myself because I do so many different things. I'm a freelance writer, SEO, programmer, marketer, PR-person and much, much more.
pg 18y ago
I usually just tell people I'm a programmer. If you say you're a writer, that tends to provoke some people into an attempt to discover whether you're "really" a writer, which in their minds equates with making your whole living from it. Despite the prevalence of open source, this sort of person tends to believe that no one would write code except for money, so they'll usually take your word for it if you say you're a programmer. Even though in fact I make some money from writing and none from programming.
- zupatol 18y ago
  Same here. I am a programmer, but I spend so much time making comics that I consider it a second, very low-paying job. When people ask me what I do, I say programmer so I don't have to justify myself. And people understand what programmers do, that's easier to imagine than many other jobs. My father was a marketing manager and I grew up not really knowing what he did.
  - blhack 18y ago
    oh come on, you've got to at least plug your comic!
    - zupatol 18y ago
      Oh well, it's in french. Here is a link to something I put online last year: http://grandpapier.org/La-presse-independante http://grandpapier.org/La-presse-independante But most of what I publish is in print, and some is out-of-print. I know I should put more effort in making my things available, but this definitely has a lower priority than making new comics. (hrm. I notice only now I was replying to a comment by pg. It made absolutely no sense to write 'same here')
  - access_denied 18y ago
    I belive this phenomenon comes from the fact that for certain people, the "artiste" is a superior human being. Someone who belongs to a special caste. So they don't want to let you come through with it untested. Envious.
imgabe 18y ago
I think he's greatly overestimating how well people understand engineering jobs. Half the time when I tell people I'm an electrical engineer, they go, "Oh, like an electrician?". Also, I've never met anyone outside of engineering who knew what a P.E. license is.
- SwellJoe 18y ago
  Definitely true. My dad worked as an instrumentation engineer (valves, gauges, etc.) in the oil and gas industry before retiring. I don't think anyone has ever known immediately what I was talking about if they didn't also happen to work in the oil and gas industry in a technical capacity. Most folks have no idea what someone in pretty much any technical field does.
jacoblyles 18y ago
He forgets to mention "Computational Mathematician". Computer stuff is more often like math than it is like science. Out of math, science, and engineering, I would say it is like science the least. I hereby request to be called an "applied computational mathematician". Although, often I get the feeling that I am a sort of wizard in training; constantly learning new spells (programming techniques) to apply to new situations. So I will also accept "apprentice computational warlock".
- theotherjimmy 18y ago
  on that train of thought I am called a 'technomancer' by my family,and have addopted the term for public use. apperently fixing things that you seem to know very littl about is a skill. I am also the official dvd player/cable box/game system expert and operator of my household. my family has now decided that they are toast when I go to college.
  - jacoblyles 18y ago
    I like it! I might try "technomancer" out some. But not with girls that I am meeting for the first time.
geebee 18y ago
I always tell people I'm a programmer. I don't really like terms like "software engineer" or "architect". This is largely because I think programming needs to stand on its own as a discipline. Sometimes I think people are worried that they'll be perceived as "merely a coder", so they play up the non-coding aspects of their jobs in their titles. Personally, I don't know a single programmer who "merely codes", and I rarely encounter a coding project that I'd use "mere" to describe anyway. I also avoid the term "engineer" because I don't want engineers to start thinking they have a claim on programming, especially with regard to these PE initiatives in software engineering. Maybe this is because I was a math major, but these people worry me.
martythemaniak 18y ago
I usually tell people I'm a programmer. Sure, it doesn't sound as nice as "Software Engineer", but it gives most people a decent-enough idea of what I do - I sit in front of a computer and make software. It doesn't matter than people don't know exactly what I do day-to-day, since the same thing is true of almost any other profession.
SwellJoe 18y ago
Depends on who it is. Cute girls, I'll usually say something to get a reaction, like "I have a technology company. You know, on the Internet." When they follow up with, "Like what?" The response is "Mostly porn." If they take me seriously, they're probably not going to get the real explanation, anyway, so I have a little fun with the porn explanation, making it more and more outlandish until they realize I'm joking. I often tell myself that this is merely for amusement, and that what I actually do for a living is not far more embarrassing (due to being really boring to most people) than running a porn empire. Other technology people, "I started a company that builds systems management software for web hosting." Regular folks, "Computer stuff." Very similar to vasudeva's response. The only flaw in this tactic is that every once in a while, you'll meet someone who also does "computer stuff" (or their nephew or son or cousin does), and they'll want to "talk shop" about their website where they sell their knitted dog hats, or whatever MLM scheme they've most recently signed up for that includes a website. Or ask me ridiculous questions about hacking GMail or facebook or something equally retarded (depending on age and demographic).
- blhack 18y ago
  What, you mean you don't want to talk to their nephew who is "also really into those computer things" (read: plays a lot of world of warcraft). Yes, I'm bitter. It annoys me that people thing that IT consists of helping you with your num lock button, blocking them from porn, and doing lots of things with cables.
  - DanielBMarkham 18y ago
    About 8 years ago I was flying from the East Coast out to San Francisco for a programming gig. As I sat in the plane, getting started for my trip, I happened to ask the guy next to me what he did. "I'm a dentist," he said, quite proud of himself, "and what do you do?" "I do computer stuff mostly," I mumbled. The guy -- I swear -- spent the next 5 hours of the flight telling me about how he wanted to computerize his dental office but his partner didn't understand things, how he was having problems with some software they had purchased, how he was looking to buy a new computer and didn't know what to get. For each subject, he questioned me at length for what I thought he should do. Finally, at the end of the flight just before we got off, I opened my mouth as wide as I could and pointed to the back of my throat "Doc," I said, "I got this sore tooth that only acts up when I eat ice cream, but sometimes the gum swells so I've been using a special toothpaste. Care to take a look?" That was the end of that.
hairsupply 18y ago
"I write software" is typically where I start and if the other person wants more information we can go down the rabbit hole from there. Funny story though, my wife and I are friends with Eric Meyer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Meyer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Meyer) and if we're in a group and other people ask him what he does, my wife jumps in and says he fixes printers. You should see his face :-)
kyochan 18y ago
I just tell people I make the websites. As a joke, I make developer and pornographer interchangeable. Too bad I don't do back-end work.
- blhack 18y ago
  Can you make a social networking site for me? You'll have to do it for free, but I'll give you some of the stock. or inquire_cost(build_social_networking_site); while cost > 100 { bitch() moan() ask again() }
  - falsestprophet 18y ago
    Oh, I'd do it for free. Its just a simple Facebook clone.
chops 18y ago
If they look like they'll be remotely interested, I give them an actual quick description: "I run a business that sells websites to video game players." On the other hand, if I don't really want to talk with them, I'll just give them the ol' "I'm a programmer."
jwilliams 18y ago
It is just me, or do the capitals in the title sentence make it really difficult to comprehend? (just curious)
- Deestan 18y ago
  A bit, now that you mention it.
intellectronica 18y ago
Once I tried to chat up this girl in a party. I told her that I'm a programmer and her response was, "you're what? a problemmer?!" These days I just tried to avoid the subject. It's lots of fun to talk about technology with hackers. With other people it's actually one of the worst topics to bring up. If people ask, I say that I'm a technologist. If they press to know what it is that I actually do I tell them that I talk on the phone a lot, and sometimes write emails, which is partly true and something almost anyone can relate to. Then I change the subject.
deleted 18y ago
[deleted]
BigZaphod 18y ago
I usually say something like, "I'm a programmer. I make apps for the iPhone." As soon as I utter the word "programmer", I can see the light in their eyes begin to fade - but mentioning the iPhone brings them back and suddenly I'm a person with a cool job. The nice thing about being an iPhone dev is I can avoid the usual "computer stuff" response that results in doing tech support because people don't realize that the iPhone is just a computer platform. :) I also have the advantage of having previously worked for Tapulous (as one of the original employees, actually), so people who have an iPhone/iPod have almost universally heard of Tap Tap Revenge - which has/had a little of my code buried in there somewhere.
- gdee 18y ago
  >As soon as I utter the word "programmer", I can see the light in their eyes begin to fade - but mentioning the iPhone brings them back and suddenly I'm a person with a cool job. I know just the situation. It's game consoles instead of iPhone in my case though. If I talk with youngsters I usually top it with 'coin-op' and 'have more than 70 consoles in my house' for maximum bang :).
chiffonade 18y ago
I just tell people I invest in startup companies or that I don't really have a job.
jhawk28 18y ago
Professionally, I am a Software Engineer. Otherwise, I am a nerd.
Karrot_Kream 18y ago
Everything you had wanted to be :)
sanj 18y ago
Engineer by training, entrepreneur by affliction.
gamache 18y ago
Fancy typist.
lr 18y ago
I tell people I am a "Professional web surfer."
lorax 18y ago
I tell people I'm a computer programmer, most of the time that's enough. Sure, that doesn't really tell them what I do, and sure, their eyes would glaze over if I talked about debugging or memory management, but so what? I don't really know what a brain surgeon does (besides 'operate on brains') and my eyes would probably glaze over if one started going into details of how they choose which scalpel or the details about _why_ they work on a particular brain. Any complex job will be largely incomprehensible to people not in the field, if you think otherwise, there is a good chance you don't know how much you don't know.
- eru 18y ago
  Or you don't know how much you now. (When you are the insider thinking your job easy.)
jimfl 18y ago
I tell people I am a Software Developer. I'm not a programmer, though software development occasionally requires programming. I certainly don't say Software Engineer, because what we do doesn't resemble engineering, no matter how much adherents to various methodologies say we do.
alecco 18y ago
I'm a runner. But what do you do to make a living. Computer stuff, sometimes, I'm not really good at it.
nostrademons 18y ago
I used to say "I work for a financial software startup." Then it was "I'm starting a web software company." Now it's "I work for Google." The latter seems to be by far the most effective explanation.
travisjeffery 18y ago
Software Engineer.
Edinburger 18y ago
Surely the entrepreneur's answer to "What do you do?" is "Whatever it takes!"
kaens 18y ago
I say "I make computers do what other people want them to do".
Deestan 18y ago
Careerwise, I answer "programmer, for TV news systems". That seems to work pretty well. When explaining my hobby, "programming" seems to generate strong associations to Excel for some reason, so I usually answer "mathematics" instead.
iuguy 18y ago
Sometimes I tell people I run a small business. I've done that many different things though, I'm not always sure what I do these days!
froo 18y ago
"I'm currently making cartoons" sums it up pretty much. I really don't want to get into the specifics because you then see people's eyes glaze over.
HeyLaughingBoy 18y ago
I've always gone with the domain, rather than the task. Me: "I build medical instruments" Them: "Oh." sometimes followed by "like what?" Me: "Blood test machines" Them: "Cool. You like football?" Most people have little idea what a computer programmer does. But they can understand that when a nurse takes their blood it goes into an instrument that measures different things about it and that's good enough for them.
rs 18y ago
I start off by saying "I work in IT for an investment bank", which usually ends up with bewildered looks. Then I say "I fix keyboards and mice for an investment bank", which usually ends up with some nervous laughs (some get it, some don't). Then I say "I write software that run electronic trading systems, like stock exchanges". That's when most people get it. The others tend to think the finance world ends at their ATM. Recently, the last sentence has ended up with dirty looks from those who probably think that people like me caused the current global recession. At this point I usually say something like "I don't work in credit derivatives".

34 points by r11t 18y ago

dkarl 18y ago

I write code. Some people think that diminishes what I do. I don't just sit at a computer and type code in from start to end. I have to plan, design, revise, and test. I have to read and criticize. I have to consider very high-level structures and very low-level structures. Therefore, I should say I do something much grander than "write code." Something about "science" or "engineering." It's surely not science. Calling it "engineering" would be fair. Sometimes I do. I don't see what's wrong with calling it "writing," though. After all, don't I write code principally for other humans to understand, and only incidentally for machines to execute? Writers plan, imagine, write, revise, test, and rewrite. Writers read and criticize. Writers consider high-level structures and low-level structures. Writers produce rivers of words one afternoon and struggle with a single line the next. Writers excise large sections of their work with mixed feelings of triumph and regret. Writing code is what I do. If the language had evolved differently, I would be proud to call myself a "code writer" or simply a "writer." The closest equivalent seems to be "programmer," so that's what I call myself. Or, on my resume, as a concession to corporate dullness, a software engineer.

aaronblohowiak 18y ago
Depending on the audience, I say "typist.. but this trick is knowing what to type." About 70% of the time, people will say something along the lines of "isn't that what most people do?", to which i smirk in that creepy self-satisfied fashion and admit "exactly."

vasudeva 18y ago

Funny, I was just referencing this issue the other day. When people ask me what I do, I say "computer stuff", and occasionally I'll lift my hands and kind of type at a non-existent keyboard. They invariably go "oh" -- to date, not one has said "ok, but what KIND of computer stuff?" which would be my own personal response. This tells me I'm either consistently gauging their level of computer savvy pretty accurately, or that occasionally I come off like a bit of a dick. YMMV.

sjs382 18y ago
Same response for most people. :)
jrp 18y ago
You're not being a dick. It's generally correct to say something short (eg "I teach high school") and to go for brevity over correctness. If the person shows interest then you can launch into the details (and probably glaze their eyes).
mikeyur 18y ago
Same here. 'Computer stuff' is simple and to the point, sometimes they'll ask for more details but usually not. It's so hard for me to put a single label on myself because I do so many different things. I'm a freelance writer, SEO, programmer, marketer, PR-person and much, much more.

pg 18y ago

I usually just tell people I'm a programmer. If you say you're a writer, that tends to provoke some people into an attempt to discover whether you're "really" a writer, which in their minds equates with making your whole living from it. Despite the prevalence of open source, this sort of person tends to believe that no one would write code except for money, so they'll usually take your word for it if you say you're a programmer. Even though in fact I make some money from writing and none from programming.

zupatol 18y ago
Same here. I am a programmer, but I spend so much time making comics that I consider it a second, very low-paying job. When people ask me what I do, I say programmer so I don't have to justify myself. And people understand what programmers do, that's easier to imagine than many other jobs. My father was a marketing manager and I grew up not really knowing what he did.
- blhack 18y ago
  oh come on, you've got to at least plug your comic!
  - zupatol 18y ago
    Oh well, it's in french. Here is a link to something I put online last year: http://grandpapier.org/La-presse-independante http://grandpapier.org/La-presse-independante But most of what I publish is in print, and some is out-of-print. I know I should put more effort in making my things available, but this definitely has a lower priority than making new comics. (hrm. I notice only now I was replying to a comment by pg. It made absolutely no sense to write 'same here')
- access_denied 18y ago
  I belive this phenomenon comes from the fact that for certain people, the "artiste" is a superior human being. Someone who belongs to a special caste. So they don't want to let you come through with it untested. Envious.

imgabe 18y ago

I think he's greatly overestimating how well people understand engineering jobs. Half the time when I tell people I'm an electrical engineer, they go, "Oh, like an electrician?". Also, I've never met anyone outside of engineering who knew what a P.E. license is.

SwellJoe 18y ago
Definitely true. My dad worked as an instrumentation engineer (valves, gauges, etc.) in the oil and gas industry before retiring. I don't think anyone has ever known immediately what I was talking about if they didn't also happen to work in the oil and gas industry in a technical capacity. Most folks have no idea what someone in pretty much any technical field does.

jacoblyles 18y ago

He forgets to mention "Computational Mathematician". Computer stuff is more often like math than it is like science. Out of math, science, and engineering, I would say it is like science the least. I hereby request to be called an "applied computational mathematician". Although, often I get the feeling that I am a sort of wizard in training; constantly learning new spells (programming techniques) to apply to new situations. So I will also accept "apprentice computational warlock".

theotherjimmy 18y ago
on that train of thought I am called a 'technomancer' by my family,and have addopted the term for public use. apperently fixing things that you seem to know very littl about is a skill. I am also the official dvd player/cable box/game system expert and operator of my household. my family has now decided that they are toast when I go to college.
- jacoblyles 18y ago
  I like it! I might try "technomancer" out some. But not with girls that I am meeting for the first time.

geebee 18y ago

I always tell people I'm a programmer. I don't really like terms like "software engineer" or "architect". This is largely because I think programming needs to stand on its own as a discipline. Sometimes I think people are worried that they'll be perceived as "merely a coder", so they play up the non-coding aspects of their jobs in their titles. Personally, I don't know a single programmer who "merely codes", and I rarely encounter a coding project that I'd use "mere" to describe anyway. I also avoid the term "engineer" because I don't want engineers to start thinking they have a claim on programming, especially with regard to these PE initiatives in software engineering. Maybe this is because I was a math major, but these people worry me.

martythemaniak 18y ago

I usually tell people I'm a programmer. Sure, it doesn't sound as nice as "Software Engineer", but it gives most people a decent-enough idea of what I do - I sit in front of a computer and make software. It doesn't matter than people don't know exactly what I do day-to-day, since the same thing is true of almost any other profession.

SwellJoe 18y ago

Depends on who it is. Cute girls, I'll usually say something to get a reaction, like "I have a technology company. You know, on the Internet." When they follow up with, "Like what?" The response is "Mostly porn." If they take me seriously, they're probably not going to get the real explanation, anyway, so I have a little fun with the porn explanation, making it more and more outlandish until they realize I'm joking. I often tell myself that this is merely for amusement, and that what I actually do for a living is not far more embarrassing (due to being really boring to most people) than running a porn empire. Other technology people, "I started a company that builds systems management software for web hosting." Regular folks, "Computer stuff." Very similar to vasudeva's response. The only flaw in this tactic is that every once in a while, you'll meet someone who also does "computer stuff" (or their nephew or son or cousin does), and they'll want to "talk shop" about their website where they sell their knitted dog hats, or whatever MLM scheme they've most recently signed up for that includes a website. Or ask me ridiculous questions about hacking GMail or facebook or something equally retarded (depending on age and demographic).

blhack 18y ago
What, you mean you don't want to talk to their nephew who is "also really into those computer things" (read: plays a lot of world of warcraft). Yes, I'm bitter. It annoys me that people thing that IT consists of helping you with your num lock button, blocking them from porn, and doing lots of things with cables.
- DanielBMarkham 18y ago
  About 8 years ago I was flying from the East Coast out to San Francisco for a programming gig. As I sat in the plane, getting started for my trip, I happened to ask the guy next to me what he did. "I'm a dentist," he said, quite proud of himself, "and what do you do?" "I do computer stuff mostly," I mumbled. The guy -- I swear -- spent the next 5 hours of the flight telling me about how he wanted to computerize his dental office but his partner didn't understand things, how he was having problems with some software they had purchased, how he was looking to buy a new computer and didn't know what to get. For each subject, he questioned me at length for what I thought he should do. Finally, at the end of the flight just before we got off, I opened my mouth as wide as I could and pointed to the back of my throat "Doc," I said, "I got this sore tooth that only acts up when I eat ice cream, but sometimes the gum swells so I've been using a special toothpaste. Care to take a look?" That was the end of that.

hairsupply 18y ago

"I write software" is typically where I start and if the other person wants more information we can go down the rabbit hole from there. Funny story though, my wife and I are friends with Eric Meyer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Meyer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Meyer) and if we're in a group and other people ask him what he does, my wife jumps in and says he fixes printers. You should see his face :-)

kyochan 18y ago

I just tell people I make the websites. As a joke, I make developer and pornographer interchangeable. Too bad I don't do back-end work.

blhack 18y ago
Can you make a social networking site for me? You'll have to do it for free, but I'll give you some of the stock. or inquire_cost(build_social_networking_site); while cost > 100 { bitch() moan() ask again() }
- falsestprophet 18y ago
  Oh, I'd do it for free. Its just a simple Facebook clone.

chops 18y ago

If they look like they'll be remotely interested, I give them an actual quick description: "I run a business that sells websites to video game players." On the other hand, if I don't really want to talk with them, I'll just give them the ol' "I'm a programmer."

jwilliams 18y ago

It is just me, or do the capitals in the title sentence make it really difficult to comprehend? (just curious)

Deestan 18y ago
A bit, now that you mention it.

intellectronica 18y ago

Once I tried to chat up this girl in a party. I told her that I'm a programmer and her response was, "you're what? a problemmer?!" These days I just tried to avoid the subject. It's lots of fun to talk about technology with hackers. With other people it's actually one of the worst topics to bring up. If people ask, I say that I'm a technologist. If they press to know what it is that I actually do I tell them that I talk on the phone a lot, and sometimes write emails, which is partly true and something almost anyone can relate to. Then I change the subject.

deleted 18y ago

[deleted]

BigZaphod 18y ago

I usually say something like, "I'm a programmer. I make apps for the iPhone." As soon as I utter the word "programmer", I can see the light in their eyes begin to fade - but mentioning the iPhone brings them back and suddenly I'm a person with a cool job. The nice thing about being an iPhone dev is I can avoid the usual "computer stuff" response that results in doing tech support because people don't realize that the iPhone is just a computer platform. :) I also have the advantage of having previously worked for Tapulous (as one of the original employees, actually), so people who have an iPhone/iPod have almost universally heard of Tap Tap Revenge - which has/had a little of my code buried in there somewhere.

gdee 18y ago
>As soon as I utter the word "programmer", I can see the light in their eyes begin to fade - but mentioning the iPhone brings them back and suddenly I'm a person with a cool job. I know just the situation. It's game consoles instead of iPhone in my case though. If I talk with youngsters I usually top it with 'coin-op' and 'have more than 70 consoles in my house' for maximum bang :).

chiffonade 18y ago

I just tell people I invest in startup companies or that I don't really have a job.

jhawk28 18y ago

Professionally, I am a Software Engineer. Otherwise, I am a nerd.

Karrot_Kream 18y ago

Everything you had wanted to be :)

sanj 18y ago

Engineer by training, entrepreneur by affliction.

gamache 18y ago

Fancy typist.

lr 18y ago

I tell people I am a "Professional web surfer."

lorax 18y ago

I tell people I'm a computer programmer, most of the time that's enough. Sure, that doesn't really tell them what I do, and sure, their eyes would glaze over if I talked about debugging or memory management, but so what? I don't really know what a brain surgeon does (besides 'operate on brains') and my eyes would probably glaze over if one started going into details of how they choose which scalpel or the details about _why_ they work on a particular brain. Any complex job will be largely incomprehensible to people not in the field, if you think otherwise, there is a good chance you don't know how much you don't know.

eru 18y ago
Or you don't know how much you now. (When you are the insider thinking your job easy.)

jimfl 18y ago

I tell people I am a Software Developer. I'm not a programmer, though software development occasionally requires programming. I certainly don't say Software Engineer, because what we do doesn't resemble engineering, no matter how much adherents to various methodologies say we do.

alecco 18y ago

I'm a runner. But what do you do to make a living. Computer stuff, sometimes, I'm not really good at it.

nostrademons 18y ago

I used to say "I work for a financial software startup." Then it was "I'm starting a web software company." Now it's "I work for Google." The latter seems to be by far the most effective explanation.

travisjeffery 18y ago

Software Engineer.

Edinburger 18y ago

Surely the entrepreneur's answer to "What do you do?" is "Whatever it takes!"

kaens 18y ago

I say "I make computers do what other people want them to do".

Deestan 18y ago

Careerwise, I answer "programmer, for TV news systems". That seems to work pretty well. When explaining my hobby, "programming" seems to generate strong associations to Excel for some reason, so I usually answer "mathematics" instead.

iuguy 18y ago

Sometimes I tell people I run a small business. I've done that many different things though, I'm not always sure what I do these days!

froo 18y ago

"I'm currently making cartoons" sums it up pretty much. I really don't want to get into the specifics because you then see people's eyes glaze over.

HeyLaughingBoy 18y ago

I've always gone with the domain, rather than the task. Me: "I build medical instruments" Them: "Oh." sometimes followed by "like what?" Me: "Blood test machines" Them: "Cool. You like football?" Most people have little idea what a computer programmer does. But they can understand that when a nurse takes their blood it goes into an instrument that measures different things about it and that's good enough for them.

rs 18y ago

I start off by saying "I work in IT for an investment bank", which usually ends up with bewildered looks. Then I say "I fix keyboards and mice for an investment bank", which usually ends up with some nervous laughs (some get it, some don't). Then I say "I write software that run electronic trading systems, like stock exchanges". That's when most people get it. The others tend to think the finance world ends at their ATM. Recently, the last sentence has ended up with dirty looks from those who probably think that people like me caused the current global recession. At this point I usually say something like "I don't work in credit derivatives".