How to Answer the "What do you do for a living?" Question When You Don't Work?

[Guest cherzeca]

the other question is "how do you fill your days?"

 

right, I dont commute, I dont sit in endless boring meetings, I dont write CYA memos....

 

there is so much that I miss...what to replace it with?

[rb]

When people ask I tell them that I'm a consultant. They've heard of consultants and it covers a broad area you can consult on anything. If they drill down further with what kind of work/consulting I do I tell them financial strategy. At this point they still don't know what I do but they generally leave it alone because the term conjures up in their mind a painfully boring conversation.

 

All of the above is true and works pretty well. If you don't mind lieing then I agree with Cevian. The utterance of the word ACTUARY will stop any conversation dead.

 

Just so you're prepared for your new life. It doesn't matter what you actually tell them. Unless you engage in flashy displays of wealth most people will assume that you are a deadbeat in some form or another because you don't have a "real job".

[bizaro86]

Yeah, unless you come across an actuary who is really excited to meet another one and wants to have an in depth conversation about it...

[writser]

Unless you engage in flashy displays of wealth most people will assume that you are a deadbeat in some form or another because you don't have a "real job".

 

Which you won't, because this is a value investing board :P .

[SharperDingaan]

People will think what they want - why disavow them?

If they think you're a dead-beat they'll voluntarily stay away from you - problem solved  :D

 

Nice thing with 'rape and pillage' is that it reinforces the above, and also describes your day.

And it immediately filters the small-talk down to the more 'interesting' 10%

 

SD

 

[bizaro86]

People will think what they want - why disavow them?

If they think you're a dead-beat they'll voluntarily stay away from you - problem solved  :D

 

Nice thing with 'rape and pillage' is that it reinforces the above, and also describes your day.

And it immediately filters the small-talk down to the more 'interesting' 10%

 

SD

 

Doesn't seem like a good answer for when the mom of one of my kids friends is asking questions to casually figure out whether she should let her kid come over and play.

[valueinvestor]

I'm currently going through the same thing, although I'm not nearly in the same financial situation - I'm in my mid-twenties.

 

Most of the questions I've got is "did you finish your degree?" and "what do you do for a living?"

 

If I want to be polite - I just say "no/self-employed - but did you need insight - it's why most people ask?"

 

If strangers are asking, I would ask "why would you want to know" in the most sincere way possible.

 

For the most part, people want to know my takes on things. Typically people who know me believe I'm pretty smart, being a scholar student, accepted to med school, etc.

 

Sometimes they are just curious about the person who had his whole future set-up and dropped out of school or in your case a good job, because they cannot imagine doing that themselves, and want to genuinely understand. 

 

Other people for some reason find joy to keep score on who's doing what and how well are they doing, and this "retort" sometimes catches them off guard, although that is not my intention.

 

At the end of the day, my obligations to my family and myself are taken care of with the caveat of any major devastation. Most importantly, I believe I'm living my twenties in a way that would make my 80-year-old self proud. Being a person who was wealthier than most, lost it all, and building it back up to do my part for society (not to get back my wealth necessarily) - I know firsthand that money is does not bring happiness or fulfillment.

 

Not to say just because money is useless, and one should not aim to generate wealth, but again I believe it should be used as a tool to push your "agenda."

 

I went on a tangent, and hopefully, it's a useful tangent.

 

In my eyes, you hit the jackpot and should be proud. For anyone else trying to besmirch your win - f*ck em.

 

:P

[EricSchleien]

Just authentically share what you're up to in life and what your life is about.

[valueinvestor]

Just authentically share what you're up to in life and what your life is about.

 

+1

[writser]

Just authentically share what you're up to in life and what your life is about.

 

Surely you, of all people here, must know that that isn’t necessarily always the best idea ..

[Parsad]

I'm pretty well always mucking around with something that interests me, but isn't actually profitable. Usually that activity can be used as a descriptor that satisfies people. e.g. when I was writing novels, I said I was a writer. Now that I'm playing around with reinforcement learning, I say that I'm working on machine learning.

 

The question usually isn't phrased as "How do you make money?", and more like "What do you do?". So saying what I'm focusing on is an honest response.

 

Also, as I get closer to 50, it's a bit more acceptable to say, "I'm semi-retired". Thus, the answer can depend on what sort of interaction or relationship I want with the other person.

 

I would just say "I'm a consultant and I take on different contracts and positions from time to time."  Get some business cards made up.  You would be telling the truth, without disclosing your financial position. 

 

If anyone asks have you gotten a contract now...just respond "Just finished one, but I have a few coals in the fire.  I might take a break until the Fall."  Cheers!

[Guest cherzeca]

Just authentically share what you're up to in life and what your life is about.

 

+1

 

which is what I actually do, and it is a downer for most others in conversation, not that I care.  I am old enough to be "retired", but that is such a strange concept when you work by not going to work, so I say I pursue funded contentment. 

 

 

[investmd]

Agree, not easy when one isn't conforming to how the rest do it.

Basic principle is the truth will always be easier - just stick to it. If you want to add some humour and shock people, it's still ok to stick to the truth: "I made a lot of money in the markets, and retired at 37" - that will impress some and force them to move on.

However, it sounds like you are in transition. Apparently, transition is about getting from you are to where you want to be. So make the jump. Figure out where you want to be in 10 years and start incorporating that in your language today.

[cheapguy]

Agree with the message "Be authentic, as it will help in long run. Of course it will come with short term costs"

 

Many many great people were clear on their communications and true. For example Buffett, when he started his partnerships working from home.

[Castanza]

Answer with the classic one liner from Barney in How I Met Your Mother.

 

Question: What do you do for a living?

 

Response: “Ha ha.....plz *shoulder brush*”

 

Congrats btw