When someone asks what you do for a living, are they usually trying to figure out how much money you make?

[Flower7]

Yes

No

[Static_In_The_Attic]

As for the majority of people I would have to say they are probably in chitchat mode & as for everyone else they might have a few tricks up their sleeves. You go to a barbershop for a haircut & the person cutting your hair is in chitchat mode & they usually ask what you do for a living. On the other hand I tried a few dating sites years back & I laughed because one or two messages in the ladies were asking what I did for a living before they were asking my name. Long story short I told them I was unemployed which was a load of bullshit & never heard from them after. Those ladies had tricks up their sleeves.

[Flower7]

There could also be some tricks involved if the person asking is in the process of trying to sell you something. The prices could start going up.

[Static_In_The_Attic]

Contractors & car sales people do that & if you open your big mouth & tell them you have a high paying job the price goes up.

[Flower7]

Exactly! So sometimes I wonder about the motives behind this question.

[Static_In_The_Attic]

Tell them you work at a popcorn stand next time.

[Flower7]

Lol, good idea!

[Static_In_The_Attic]

Tell them you work at a slinky factory.

[Massageman]

I have no idea. Rather irrelevant to me at this point: I have enough to get by.

[Flower7]

Yes, as long as someone is living comfortable, I don’t see why it matters how they made their money.

[Massageman]

Yep - Some just need to learn to be concerned about things they REALLY need to focus on, and not all the other misc stuff around them.

[Massageman]

Thanks for the MHO.

[Xoxocutekitty]

We spend just as much time sleeping as we do working. Asking about ones sleeping habits is a bit much so typically it's just nice to have an idea of what they do with themselves for 8 hours a day.

Asking what people do can provide some insight on what types of hobbies they might be into (growing up we did local BYO sledding instead if skiing) or what capacity of leisure time they might have. I figure a nurse would have occasional weekdays off while a 9-5er would live for the weekends. It's really understanding how someone else measures time, if at all.

[Little_Bumblebee]

I'm sure some ask to get an idea of the amount they make.

I would usually ask to know about them as a person. The work you do is a big part of your adult life. And it's a great conversation topic to get to learn more about them.
Like, do they like their job, what field is it in and why, how did they get there, and so on.

I could be curious to ask if someone was loaded just as a way to be like "how do you have so much money"? But that's not really something I would do to a stranger.

[wtf636]

Usually, that is the goal. Especially when asked by a woman in the context of a date.

In some professions we all know what kind of money they make.
Doctor, Lawyer = 6 figures
Fast food, Retail = minimum wage

But also, it's just an easy question to ask. And can get a conversation going.

I get this a lot. What do you do? User experience design. What is that? (99% of the time) I explain, and now we are talking. Then I ask them, and now we are talking. It's a good way to get to know someone and the type of person they are. Someone's job can tell you a lot about them.

[Aerissa_Jade]

I think it can vary, some are just curious. I have loads of family that ask what I do, not cause they care how much I make but because they haven't seen me in a long time and are wondering what I'm currently doing. When someone I barely know asks, I think its a combination of both, trying to figure out how much I make while getting to know what I am doing.

[Flower7]

I’m referring to people that you’ve never spoken to before.

[Aerissa_Jade]

Probably a little of both, how much and getting to know you.

[Gagname]

I voted No.

Do some people ask what what you do for a living to figure out how much money you make?…sure; but do most do it for that reason? I DON’T think so.

I think most people ask what you do for a living to get an idea of who you are as a person, and/or to have something to talk about when you meet.

[Flower7]

I can see if it’s a date or something, but it confuses me when random strangers ask this. It’s a borderline personal question.

[Gagname]

But your dental hygienist isn’t “completely” a “stranger,” and I think it’s most likely exactly what @shortster & @kyleelyn199723 said it probably was—just “small talk”/“strik[ing] up a conversation.”

[kyleelyn199723]

@Flower7 I don’t think it’s a person question. If someone asks me what I do for a living I say “I am a waitress” then they ask “oh where do you work” with my occupation , people have no clue I actually make middle class living wage, but even so I think it’s just a convo starter. I think you are the minority that thinks it’s a very person question

[kyleelyn199723]

Personal*

[Flower7]

@kyleelyn199723 At the moment, things aren’t going very well with my career path and I’m kind of ashamed of that. I guess that’s why I get a bit triggered by being put on the spot with people wanting to know that information.

[kyleelyn199723]

@Flower7 I get what you mean, but your dental hygienist probably meant no harm. Dental hygienists don’t even make that much money to feel like they should be above and beyond. I sure hope no dental hygienists walks around thinking they are better than others

[Gagname]

Don’t be ashamed @Flower7, sometimes sh-t happens; and when it does, it just “makes us tougher” and prepares us to be more appreciative & overjoyed when things are going well for us.

[RobT312]

I don’t think so, that may be secondary though.
i think people generally have an interest in seeing what people do for work to see if there’s a common interest, etc. as your profession tends to tell a lot about you and your personality. It also opens the door to other conversation such as where did you go to school, etc.

[DonkeyDan]

I don't think that's why most people ask, it's purely out of interest I guess, that is why I would ask someone the question and possibly small talk etc. Unless I had reason to believe they made good money, I might be interested in what profession allowed for that income.

[SaoirseS]

Not that I can tell. Usually it’s nothing more than a conversation starter or small talk. I’m more interested in how much a person likes or dislikes a job than how much it pays. When I get asked what my job is and I respond, the asker often changes the subject or comes up with a reason to be somewhere else.

[AllieAnswersThings]

If someone asks you what you do for a living, it could be about money - but I only ask if I'm trying to get to know someone. I honestly could not care less about how much money somebody makes, but I'd be very interested in how their career impacts the world in a positive way :)

[ChiTown33]

Exactly! This is why when a woman asks me what I do for a living. I ask her how much debt she's in. It's also funny the reaction she gives to. What? You want know how much money you're going to be working with if we form a relationship. Well I want to know how big of a hole you're in then if we form a relationship. Lol

[Juxtapose]

Haha I'm going to have to remember this one!

[Staximus]

That depends, maybe they just want to know about your life. All these women from China wanting American citizenship kept sending me messages on Facebook dating. One of the first few questions was always "what do you do for work" or what do you do for a living. I have 2 jobs but always told them "I don't have a job right now, I'm looking for one" and they would just disappear

[Juxtapose]

HA! Brilliant.

[Madhatter920]

Partially, yes, but also maybe to help form a better picture of who you are. Because, unfortunately, your job is considered part of your identity for some reason.

[Flower7]

That is kinda odd. I feel like a job is just a job. Just a way to pay the bills etc.

[Madhatter920]

I agree. And that's how it should be, in my opinion. Though that's not what it is for many.

[InferiorElegy]

Depends who is asking, generally if it's a female asking, it's because she wants to know how much you make to determine your worth. Guys ask to build a social circle of friend who they can ask for help on projects and such, guys don't care how much other guys make.

[OlderAndWiser]

Perhaps, but they may be trying to determine how educated you are, how motivated and goal oriented you are, whether you know how to act in professional/social settings, whether you have common interests, or any number of other things.

[WhatTheHeckkkk]

Oh, that never comes to mind for me. I just think that it’s a good conversation starter and I like to hear what they do. Maybe after talking, I will wonder “how much do ___ make?” But it’s never my first thought, only out of genuine curiosity.

[msmissydc]

Thats never my intention when I ask at least. I ask because l am generally interested. Also it sometimesmmakes for a good conversation. In addition to me probably not even knowing how much they make, even after I asked them.

[The_Shadow_Dweller]

I think it is the sophisticated way of asking about the money you make.

[Flower7]

It seems to be that way!

[NathanDavis]

or maybe... they're interested on what you're doing for an entire third part of your day... and almost every day of your life

I think that's a very considerable piece of information... lol

[Flower7]

Why does it matter if it’s someone I don’t even know?

[NathanDavis]

well you tell me... lol

why would you be engaging in the first place, with people you don't even know?

also, you never really get to know anybody ever... unless you engage with them first

[Flower7]

Well in the most recent example. I was asked this by a dental hygienist when I sat down in her chair. This was my first time at this dentist’s office and I’d never met her before.

[NathanDavis]

well, that could be just a personality thing... and it's very common when and with some people you're going to spend some time on, like a hair stylist is another example, or a barber

even if is just for 20 minutes they just like to strike on a conversation with you, and like I said, asking about what you do for a living is a very common thing to ask, at least in the USA... everyone seems to ask that

[Bricealan]

I had never considered that, but you are probably right.

[Flower7]

Yes it seems that way because if someone says they’re a doctor versus working at a clothing store, the person asking now knows a lot of info about their income bracket.

[ChrisMaster69]

Just small talk really, I don’t really care overly what someone’s job is.

im talking to them or dating them not their job,

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

They are wondering how much money you make
when someone does that to me when I meet a girl
I lose all faith and knowing anything good will be
coming out of it

[jshm2]

Not really, as it's not always an indication

I work in IT, but make more than several doctors put together. I also don't look like a typical IT guy.