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What exactly are people looking for when they say they prefer a "professional" for a roommate or whatever? To me, the definition of "professional" is someone who is college educated with a specialized skill and uses that skill in his/her employment. So, you could be a server at a high-end restaurant, or work for the local government, and make more money than the average so-called professional (especially after you factor in paying off student loans), but you would not be "good enough" to move into these places? Or, is "professional" just code for someone who has a steady job and isn't a bum/hippie/thug? What's up with this?
I think it probably means they want someone who 1) has a 9-5 office job and not someone who works in a restaurant and will be up at 2 am after they get off the night shift; 2) has a steady income and can pay their share of the rent every month; and 3) someone who is responsible enough to hold a good job and won't skip out. Obviously this is an overly simplistic way of judging people but when you are dealing with strangers you have to make guesses about behavior based on stereotypes.
I think it probably means they want someone who 1) has a 9-5 office job and not someone who works in a restaurant and will be up at 2 am after they get off the night shift; 2) has a steady income and can pay their share of the rent every month; and 3) someone who is responsible enough to hold a good job and won't skip out. Obviously this is an overly simplistic way of judging people but when you are dealing with strangers you have to make guesses about behavior based on stereotypes.
THIS!
not necesserily an office job though... just someone who is college educated with a steady, respectable job.
working at a bar and making money doesn't count as professional, sorry. it is really a sanity / responsibility check, not money check.
not necesserily an office job though... just someone who is college educated with a steady, respectable job.
working at a bar and making money doesn't count as professional, sorry. it is really a sanity / responsibility check, not money check.
Wow - so working at a bar makes you insane & irresponsible? I worked as both bartender & waitress for over 15 years, steadily, at "respectable" places of business, and lived what I believe most people consider a sane & responsible life. I happen to enjoy that type of work much more than a closeted office environment. A formal education is certainly no marker of sanity or responsibility either.
Wow - so working at a bar makes you insane & irresponsible? I worked as both bartender & waitress for over 15 years, steadily, at "respectable" places of business, and lived what I believe most people consider a sane & responsible life. I happen to enjoy that type of work much more than a closeted office environment. A formal education is certainly no marker of sanity or responsibility either.
there's nothing wrong with your career choice, but its totally reasonable for someone to desire a roommate who has a similar sleep/work schedule as they do. when you didn't get off work til 3am the night before, you probably wouldn't want to be woken up every morning at 6am by your roommate getting ready for work so surely you can understand.
there's nothing wrong with your career choice, but its totally reasonable for someone to desire a roommate who has a similar sleep/work schedule as they do. when you didn't get off work til 3am the night before, you probably wouldn't want to be woken up every morning at 6am by your roommate getting ready for work so surely you can understand.
I think it was the generalization that touched a sore spot. Not all waitstaff and bartenders work into the wee hours and many are home at a very reasonable hour. As far as the term "professional" is concerned then it's less to do with the nature of the occupation but that the applicant HAS an occupation; in other words is gainfully employed, has a steady income, etc. That's the bottom line when seeking a roommate and all the rest of it comes when you start sifting through the applicants to determine the person with whom you'd be most compatible.
Wow - so working at a bar makes you insane & irresponsible? I worked as both bartender & waitress for over 15 years, steadily, at "respectable" places of business, and lived what I believe most people consider a sane & responsible life. I happen to enjoy that type of work much more than a closeted office environment. A formal education is certainly no marker of sanity or responsibility either.
Professional in my mind is someone who has a day job and can pay their share of expenses on a monthly basis without shorting any part of it because their income was short.
The job itself does not matter I would look for the steady income and over all how responsible they are with their appearance, how they keep the space as far as cleanliness, no drug/alcohol abuse, loud parties, up all hours, etc.
I would be a terrible roommate because I have chronic insomnia so I am up at all hours simply because I have yet to be able to defeat this insomnia beast.
I'm in a professional type field IT/telecomm, I work 7 to 3:30, but receive call outs at all hours. Because of this I seldom work a 7 to 3:30 week and am up at all times of the night and am home during the day quite a bit.
The 9 to 5 job is almost a thing of the past...
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