Sooo...What Do You Do For A Living?

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When you are faced with this question, how do you respond to the "so what do you do for a living" question that you are ultimately asked whether you are on a date, or you just bumped into an old friend on the street that you haven't seen for years. Do you pop out your shiny business card and direct them to your popular website filled with gizmos and gadgets, or do you stumble to explain what exactly it is you do? Either way, give me your best 30 second elevator pitch. Ready?...3...2..1...go!

Sooo... What do you do for a living?
#main internet marketing discussion forum #employment #job description #job position #job title
  • We Breath For Living!
    P.s. This question has been asked many time on Wf,You may use the search button too(there is no extra charge for it.
    • [1] reply
    • 1. Thank you for signing up to the WF less than a year ago and explaining the search button to me. I did not notice it in the last 6 years.

      2. If a question was only asked 1 time on the WF then this would be a very small forum.

      3. You're not funny.
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  • I'm an entrepreneur! How cool is that?
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  • I am the agent called 008 always works for me But for real now, making money online is not something to be ashamed of si I just tell them that I make money online. Most of them are pretty excited to find out more.
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    • hahaha, Please give Mr James Bond a kiss from me, i'm not a guy, i just like it
  • I eat on time, sleep on time, and make money online..
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    • I own a computer repair business, website designer, Author and grandfather of 11. No I never sleep.
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  • I take relatively few words from the available millions in the English language and arrange them so people better understand complex concepts and sometimes even reach for their credit cards to show their appreciation.
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  • I don't see how the OP's question can be answered without getting hit for self-promotion. Seriously.

    I don't think this is a fair question for this forum. I'll PM you mine if you like, but I really don't think it's OK to post these.
    • [3] replies
    • An "OK" answer here would be "I create music and sound effects for use in multimedia productions.

      A not so ok answer to post here would be a business flyer / advertisement with links to your current promotions.
    • yeah! Agree with you.
    • So, if I say that I am an affiliate marketer, then that is self promotion???? What Exactly am I promoting?

      You will not say in a public forum because that is self promotion, yet, your signature, which I assume is not also self promotion, is quite prominent in your post. And I am quite sure that it is in all your posts.

      I guess I am just confused

      al
  • My answer: (internet) bum
  • I still work a 'day job' so I start with that. Then also add in that I'm a freelance writer.
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    • It's a tough one, because I find that most people who don't work online just don't understand it. They think it's just scams and bumming around.

      I tend to say 'I run my own business', or 'I write advertisements for businesses', because that's the easiest way I've found to describe copywriting!
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  • I'm a nobody, I'm a nothing, not even a ghost, who I am
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    • You Are a Spiritual Being who continuously recreates himself into the highest version of the grandest vision you ever had about yourself while challenging your present way of thinking and moving into a grander and larger experience of who you really are.

      Tell your friends.
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  • "I'm a digital crack dealer...." (Waits for response).

    RoD
  • Iam an email marketer to talk professionally with my customers but still a freaky idiot to talk crazilly with my friends.

    Thats life and this is how iam living it.
  • I second that, if you try to explain something like "I'm a wordpress theme developer"... what's that? .. "well wordpress is an online publishing platform.."

    I usually give up around there.. I've learned to just say web developer, or graphic designer.. just general vague terms that most people will understand.

    Working from home I've had a lot of people think I don't have a job O_o Why do I gotta drive somewhere to make money?!
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  • I tell folks i'm a marketing consultant (not internet marketing consultant - they look at me weird like i'm selling porn or something when i tell them this), then give them my business card. The simpler, the better. People have to "get it" instantly.
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  • [DELETED]
  • I take money from people online...its all legal you should call me sometime i have this great e-book that can actually get you making money in no time, sort of like a second income. I know people in the industry, normally this e-book costs $395 but because your my friend i can get it for you for $69. Call me.
  • I tell them I work on "The Interweb". Nuff said.
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  • I do what I'm told and paid nicely to do it.

    George Wright







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  • Why are people so fascinated by this? Someone else asked exact same question not even 48 hours ago..... Stop worrying about what other people earn, do, eat and get on with it...

    Never met a Canadian without a sense of humor...
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    • The point of this discussion is not really to find out what people do for a living. As a matter of fact, I myself am very Anti the question of "how do you do and what do you do" as I feel that what one does for a living does not define a person and should not be the second question a person asks. However, in this society people ask the question, and therefore it's always interesting to find out how someone responds, when they are not employed by a company that has already predefined their job title and duties for them.
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  • The short answer - I sell anything and everything possible.

    I think its the best way anyone can make money. Whether you sell a service that you outsource, leads, products, home made stuff... sales is the heart of capitalism.

    The problem I see on here, people tend to sell a lot of stuff that nobody actually wants.

    So don't get too creative, sell things that you know people need, preferably higher ticket items or services (although I do sell cheaper stuff too).

    -Red
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  • I just tell people I'm an internet marketer and that I'm working on it to get full time. Everyone I know is supportive of me and hopes I succeed. If people ask what I mean by internet marketer, I just tell them I market for different products online through my own websites.
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    • Actually...I am going through that right now. Going full time in the online marketing world. My wife says she doesn't know how to respond to her mother's...ergo...my mother-in-law's questions. I just tell people that I help people build successful businesses online by providing them content for their websites.

      Most of the time I still get a glazed eye look but I just tell them...I help people get to the first spot on the search rankings by writing for them.

      John
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  • I say - hubby and I have two small business, one is paint touchup repair on vehicles for area car dealers and the other is an online version for the DIY person who wants to repair the paint on his car at home in his driveway. Been doing this since 1995 and it's been great so far. That usually invites questions that I am generally happy to answer. Sold many a DIY kit that way :-)

    I dont think this is a bad question to ask, people like to talk about themselves and this is a way to start a conversation.
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    • Awesome! Make sure to check with your web host regarding raising your bandwidth as you are probably missing out on potential customers. (was checking your site but it was unavailable).
  • My reply to them is that I am a website creator. It saves me the trouble of having to explain to them what I am doing because they do not even understand after I have explain to them
  • It really depends on who I am talking to. If they are a Facebook friend or other Social site, I give them a short explanation of what I do, if not, then I tell people I sell stuff online. And then they nod their head like they understand.
  • Happily working for a mobile marketing company is my answer
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    • Have a Full time day job paying very nicely too. So Sometimes I wonder why do I spend so much time online..

      Well, you guys know the answer.. :-)
    • I keep it general, something like: I have a few online micro-businesses. If they are really interested then I'm happy to go into more detail. If they are just being polite, or making conversation then we move on to talking about something else.
  • Open a shop and make money online..
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    • I'll usually say, I help businesses get more leads and sales and profit of course!
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    • i tell people that i help people make money working from home on the internet, you get a lot of goofy looks but i'm dead serious when i tell them! some respond some don't which is fine
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  • Search Engine Optimisation Specialist
    Just to impress girls around and most of them don't know what the hell it is
  • I scrub toilets for a living.

    I usually just say "Online Business Consultant".


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    • Transaction Management Specialist for an electric company (full-time day job)
      Automotive Journalist for here and here
      Automotive Dealership Mystery Shopper
      Online Marketing Business Owner
      Webmaster
    • Damn straight, Rocky. Since it seems OK to do so, I'll give mine:

      "I work with people who view themselves as presidents/owners/CEOs and are:

      * frustrated that price keeps coming up as the #1 objection from prospects

      * concerned that their income goes up one month and down the next, like a yo-yo

      * upset because they or their sales staff are either unwilling or unable to consistently and effectively make prospecting calls."

      Which means about 3% of Warriors are my target market. Most don't view themselves that way.

      BTW, what Rocky shared is HOW you craft a response to "What do you do?" that you can use at networking events, in the supermarket checkout line, or anywhere else somebody can ask you the question. It qualifies people In or Out instantly. Trying to find a response that appeases people or shuts them up (and yes, family and friends trying to 'help' can be annoying) doesn't do that for you, does it.
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  • I'll be truthful.

    I tell them I work from home making money online. If they want to know anything more I direct them to my membership site.

    Pretty much makes the conversation short.

    If there interested then that works out too.
  • Im a Webdevloper.

    And If they probe into that more or want to know exactly what I do, I just compare it to being a property developer.

    I buy property, make them more attractive to homeowners and sell them.
    I buy websites, make them more attractive to buyers and sell them.

    Normally sets most people straight.
  • For Date : Online Marketing Business

    For Family : Working on some very hard online projects and dont have free time at all

    For Friends : I make lots of money
    • [1] reply
    • well Im not going to brag my date

      and with the family as easier the money making the more worries for them - so that one you right, is best to avoid ..

      and about the friends ? I dont really care .. just know that Im making my money and shut up
  • Banned
    It depends on who is asking. I will not jump into too many details with someone I do not really care much about.
    But I do not want to be rude, either, so i would say something general like the main activity field, for example "Finance"or "Education" or "I work in online business" etc.
    Somebody here - I do not quite remember who - said we need not be ashamed about it. It has nothing to do with shame. It is just that I like to keep my privacy...
    But if I care about the person asking me this question and I am sure it is not for the sake of conversation,I would be more than glad to answer more.
  • What do you do for a living is not important, important is whether you happy.
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    • This is very true. And as mentioned earlier, I myself feel that what one does for a living does not define a person and should not be the second question a person asks. However, in this society people do ask the question, and therefore it's always interesting to find out how someone responds, especially the self employed who run multiple ventures online and wear many hats.
  • Well considering that I used to hate this question from strangers and acquaintances because the answer was escorting....telling them I'm a freelance writer now is actually just fine. Like, I don't worry about any blank stares, judgement or requests for my phone number. Kind of cool really. Not that I minded answering honestly before either, but it's just simpler now!
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    • Thanks for jumping in and for your honesty. Nothing wrong with that profession, (my opinion). I grew up in Holland where things were a tad more open minded and usually a decade or more ahead in mentality.
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  • Yeah, I hear that most European countries are much cooler about such things. Or even Canada! Some interesting responses to this thread for sure.
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  • I usually tie myself in knots trying to answer this question... everything I have tried to date will just elicit a blank stare... if I try to go into any detail their eyes start to glaze over... Lol!

    I think maybe "it's complicated" might be the best response...

    Sally
    • [1] reply
    • I used to try and explain what I did and met glazed over faces, now I just say "I muck about with websites". I still get the glazed over faces biut they have a vague idea of what I do.
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    Sooo...What Do You Do For A Living?

    When you are faced with this question, how do you respond to the "so what do you do for a living" question that you are ultimately asked whether you are on a date, or you just bumped into an old friend on the street that you haven't seen for years. Do you pop out your shiny business card and direct them to your popular website filled with gizmos and gadgets, or do you stumble to explain what exactly it is you do? Either way, give me your best 30 second elevator pitch. Ready?...3...2..1...go! Sooo... What do you do for a living?