People wondering what you are working.

Some people just think they need to know everything. It's irritating when they don't understand that other can have lives of their own or are successful in what they are doing. Too many times people define others by their jobs and that's a shame.

It's a shame we are so defined by our jobs. Think of the little kids who say, "When I grow up, I want to be a - teacher, doctor, police officer, etc....". They want to be a certain "role" or "job" - rather than have the job just be something they do. When I was getting my college degrees in mental health/human services and psychology, I stopped telling people what I was studying because almost immediately they'd want - or rather - challenge me - to "analyze" them. I certainly didn't plan on spending my free time psychologizing everyone in my life! My daughter-in-law teaches first grade. She has two young children of her own. While being a mom also means being a teacher to a degree, she doesn't put on her teacher persona at home with the kids - they have their own teachers at school. On the other hand, some people do have fascinating jobs, and it can be wonderful hearing about the jobs and what goes on. But it should be up to the one who has the job to talk about it - rather than interrogated. Some people are more private than others, too. I know I am. When people - esp. those who I barely know - start asking me what I do for a living and other personal questions, I just say I get by.

I think people are actually looking for job or a better job than theirs yea . i think you should not feel offended with people asking you. I believe they are having good intention yea.

hmm, i think the probably are not trying to rub it in... usually when you just start a conversation there is nothing much to talk about except how they are doing and what they are doing at the moment so its pretty common thing to ask about people's work and what they are "up to these days". =)

It also bothers me, too, when people who I'm not that good terms on with, keep asking where I study, if I work. It's not their business, especially not my job. They are just nosy, and wanna dig mentally in my wallet... and most of them tend to forget the simplest things about me, and they ask the same question year by year... there's one lady who asks me about where I study, I always answer my university name... and I met her last week, and she thought I was still in high school o_O...

I think we can really tell when people are just plain curious and concerned, and when they just want to fish information for something to talk about when your back is turned. I don't really like to tell people whom I am not too close really about what I do and how I do my job. Some people would even go as far as asking me how much I earn. I don't want to be rude and I don't want to give the wrong impression because whatever I say will always be taken the wrong way anyway. So I would just tell them that I don't earn as much as I want to, but enough to pay the bills. If I say I earn great, I will be borrowed money from. If I say I earn below the minimum, I will be pitied upon. True story, happened to me.

Here people pay more attention to other people's job and income, while pay less attention to their own work. They are always feeling unfair for they do not earn as much as other people do, while they do not see they have never worked as hard as other people do too.