does your career define who you are?

[sandra]

mine sure doesn't. i hate sitting in front of the computer. that's what lawyers do most of the time. the t.v. shows showing lawyers in courtrooms, investigating in the field, conducting depositions, having sushi meetings in fancy conference rooms--don't believe the lie!!!!!!! (except for the sushi meetings in nice conference rooms--some attorneys actually get that). anyhow, the vast majority of our time is spent in front of this damn computer.

[CrX3183]

i think your career doesn't define who you are because some people choose a career that they don't really like but they stay with it until retirement. :? but in my case i guess it does define who i am because i'm an active person and i like to keep myself busy...

[ChinaLama]

wait a minute...i thought you were a law STUDENT...not a LAWYER...

oh well, I won't be in a full time permanent "career" kind of job for many many years so I don't hate anything now. :)

[princess]

well i dont think it defines WHO u are but i think it definitely defines some of ur personality characteristics.

[SunWuKong]

in alot of cases it defines who you're NOT because you spend so much time at your job that during your spare time (hahhah...) you find things to do that doesn't have anything to do with your job.

um... although i still sit in front of the computer after work... guess i'm just a geek...

[Arex]

I think whether your career defines who you are depends on to what degree you want/allow it to. For me, it's turning out that I hate this "chosen" profession of mine. Thus, I refuse to allow my career to define who I am and try to do everything in my power to distance myself from it. Like SunWuKang said, I prefer to define myself by the other things that I do outside of this wretched job.=) Other people absolutely love what they do and are married to their careers. I reckon those people're more likely to not only see themselves as being defined by their careers but be seen by others as being defined by their careers as well.

Of course, one's career (or job, as it may be) is just one aspect of a person's life. Parenthood, childhood, friendships, ties to the community, hobbies, interests, actions, etc. also define a person. More often than not, I'd say those things tend to play a greater part in defining one's self. But I think we all knew that.

Alex

[achtungbaby]

I'm going to refrain from commenting on this one...la la la la (can't hear you).

[princess]

lol how....grown up...haha...

[Faithless]

Work is probably just a fraction of who you are. Yet, there are folks that seem all wrapped in their careers and have a lot of their ego tied to their careers.

[Hanuman]

I think what you do does play a big role in your identity. I'm a police officer, so for me this is really true.

I go to a party with my friend who is a chef, and we get introduced as me the cop and Scott. Not Scott the Chef. I find my friends and family do this a lot and I have to beg them to stop.

I also think this is true for other people too. For example, think about the last time you met someone new, or were interested in someone. One of the first things you ask is "what do you do for a living?" We may not like it, or realize we are doing it, but our jobs to a large part is part of our identities.

[teaz0r]

i'm the communications manager
at the world's largest marketing
communications agency. my job
requires me to go out and be
very sociable and be nice to
everybody.

in reality, i'm not nice at all.
i'm a meanie.

[Bhodi_Li]

It all depends on the comittment that your career requires. The military will define you to a certain extent just by the invasive toll that it takes on your private life (or the lack of) as well as keeping you away from home for... years. For me, being in command is not what defines me, but rather an extension of who I am (that's right a bossy arrogant SOB) and the concern for my soldiers is a part of that.

[rice cracker]

I don't even have a set job title. I'm nothing :(

[Bhodi_Li]

I don't even have a set job title. I'm nothing :(
You're not nothing to me :wink:

[rice cracker]

You're not nothing to me :wink:

Awwwwwww :redface:

[TB4000]

Mine definitely doesn't. I'm a corporate drone working on IT stuff all day, and though I'm semi-skilled at it, I'd rather be writing for a living.

[kboy75]

Me? Hell no.

Kasie, don't you think that you're doing what you love tho? I know your post is old, but what about now that you've accepted this new job?