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Our family and extended families talk about careers and job opportunities and promotions and changes all the time. I mean, it's always an active part of get togethers. Apparently all of us think the topic is interesting.
I think if someone brought up a celebrity or a reality TV show, the silence in the room would suddenly be deafening.
What's annoying to me are family members like a particular aunt who has never worked an effin' day in her life, always asking what other family members do...over and over again...nosy idiot haha
I am annoyed by the women (boyfriend's mom, my sister as examples) who have not worked outside the home in years. Because they can't relate to "career talk" they constantly steer the conversation away from people's work, even if there is an interesting conversation happening. My sister shushes her husband when he tries to talk about work, and she steers the discussion to something she can relate to, like her kids. Again.
Boyfriend's mom stopped working in her 40s for no apparent reason, and she's in her 60s now. She is truly confused and surprised when we mention things like not getting home last night until 7pm, being so busy we didn't get a chance to eat lunch or answer her e-mail, or not automatically getting the day off for "Easter Monday" or "Black Friday" and other non-holidays. Boyfriend is like "Mom, that's what the working world is like." She actually stands there with her mouth open, saying she just can't believe our lives are like that.
Many people don't like to talk about their job in fear of being judged. In this economy not everybody is raking in the big bucks and not everyone is even employed.
If you want to socialize about work, attend professional networking events in your field. Then you don't have to worry about offending anyone plus those people will better relate to your conversation.
My family is quite the opposite. They will straight up ask "What do you do and how much do you make?" I find it extremely tacky because they'll then pit me against my cousins and say "well he's an anesthesiologist and makes over 100k." Then I have to explain that I don't even like blood and I'll never get into the medical field. I'd much rather not discuss work at family gatherings.
I have found that when his relatives and my relatives actually do ask about what I do, they say they find it really interesting, and they ask me lots and lots of questions. It's just that it takes them a long time (or some accidental/unplanned mention of what I do) to get them asking about it. It's like if that thing never happened to accidently reveal what I do, they would never have known or asked.
I like talking about my work and my field. I know a lot about mental illness, psychiatric meds, different types of behavioral health treatment--how they work and how they are paid for, different resources and benefits people with mental illness can pursue, and political changes and how they will affect the mentally ill population and their families. When I go get a open-door invitation to talk about my work, people do get really into it (even beyond the people who just want to hear stories about "crazy people.") Except people like boyfriend's mom and my sister, who seem to not want to talk about any work, probably feeling inadequate in conversations they cannot dominate.
My work is really not boring to me, and not to others I've encountered who get me talking about it.
How much I earn never comes up. I would consider a questions like that very rude and intrusive, and evidence of a person with no class. But asking me about my actual work--I actually wish they would do that more! I don't drone on, and I stop talking about it as soon as the questions stop coming. I just don't bring it up spontaneously on my own without being asked or that "accidental" things that bring it up. I think that would be boorish.
But unfortunately, family gatherings I attend (on both sides) seem to be characterized by discussions about the kids, sports, the kids, stupid shows on TV, the kids, our pets, and the kids. So I just drink until someone brings up mental health, then I jump into action.
I work in a position that doesn't lend itself to explaining itself to family members, let alone extended family. So, my extended family knows essentially nothing about my job. I'm fine with that, since they're not that interested in my life- they'd rather brag about their jobs.
My immediate family knows a bit more, but not that much.
Human Nature is that people who really like you and really enjoy being around you will be facinated with you and enjoy hearing about things that are important to you, including your career. If so called friends or relatives show no interest that mean deep down they really don't like you.
Location: Finally escaped The People's Republic of California
11,329 posts, read 8,677,752 times
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I'd prefer to leave work at the gate, and not talk about on my time off.
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