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Importance of Career

June 25, 2002 - 11:17pm

"Why do New Yorkers attach such importance to the state of your career?" Toby Young asks in an interview about his new book, _How to Lose Friends and Alienate People_.

I don't think it's just New Yorkers. I definitely feel the pressure to be doing something that's higher up on the social status ladder than customer support. But I like my job. I don't have to take work home with me. I make enough money to cover my bills and play as hard as I want to. The people I work with are for the most part really cool. And I'm good at what I do. So why do I feel like I have to say I "only" do customer support? I'm talented and smart and I learn more everyday. This is the best job I've ever had and I consider myself very lucky to have it.

But that's not even the point. The point is my job does not define who I am. Toby made me realize this today. We define each other way too much by what we do. I've got to find a new question to ask at happy hours instead of asking "what do you do?" Maybe, what do you love?

So I think Toby has a good point but from the review, it doesn't sound like the book is worth reading. Too bad.

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Comments

You've hit a nail on the head, Erica. We all have the bad tendancy to define people primarily by their occpations. For many people, this may be a good match to their personality. But for a large amaount of folks, what they do for a living has nothing to do with who they are internally. It's more important (and interesting to me) to know more about the person and where their mind is at, as opposed to how they spend their time from 9am - 5pm. And it's good to see both sides of the coin. (EX: When I met you. I knew you were this bright, intellegent, glamorous woman who was pretty AND smart. But I didn't know you worked with customer support. Guess that's just another facet to your total package.)
Posted by ed k. on June 26, 2002 - 4:23pm
*sigh* i know exactly what you mean. and wholeheartedly agree. i can't wait to go back to school.
Posted by amanda on June 27, 2002 - 7:32pm
And you wondered why I don't like telling people what I do? It sounds like you understand perfectly.
Posted by Sam on June 28, 2002 - 5:45am
Unless your a gay man, Charles. Then it's how much money you make AND how good you look. (See east/west.nu or littleyelowdifferent.com for the evidence.)
Posted by ed k. on June 28, 2002 - 5:31pm

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