What are we talking about when we talk about what we do for work?
I have a lot of T-shirts and sweaters from my previous employer, and I still wear them. They are made of quality materials. They are comfy and easy.
I wore one of those sweaters to the community garden the other day, and a fellow volunteer immediately called out: “You work at Pivotal Labs? A friend of mine worked with you guys a few years back, and he said good things!”
I figured she didn’t need to know that Pivotal Labs had long ceased to exist and that I had quit my job. So I rolled along with the conversation, mingling with her as if I was still an employee.
What should be my new greeting identity though?
I was at my cousin’s dinner party. Since everyone there was working a tech job one way or another, after a few glasses I felt giddy to say: “I used to work in tech as well, but I just joined the Great Resignation movement!”
One guest said: “So you are saying you are unemployed?”
My cousin chimed in: “No. She’s saying she’s living her best life.”
Thank you, Cousin.
In the near future, there will be more chit-chats inevitably involving:
So what do you do for work?
