Discussion Main / WhatExactlyIsHisJob

I think we had quite a few discussions that called for a course of action, but that course was not followed.

Until now. Major Example Prune, filed per Target Trope:

Obliquely Obfuscated Occupation:

• Pretty much the entire faculty of Unseen University in Discworld, which is quite a feat considering we only know them all by their job descriptions (it's hard enough to figure out what a Provost does in real life). Exceptions are Archchancellor Ridcully (who's in charge), the Bursar (who does the accounts...as long as he remembers to take his pills), the Librarian (who runs the library), and Ponder Stibbons (who does all the things that need doing, including distracting Ridcully from asking what, exactly, everyone else does). Rincewind is explicitly stated as having nineteen jobs, none of which involve doing any actual work. The real purpose of the faculty is that if the world's most powerful wizards are in pointless committee meetings and big dinners, they aren't blowing holes in reality.
• Friends: As the quote above says, Chandler Bing. He works in an office, but no one else can name what he does, although it's clear he earns a lot of money from it. In the first season, he's promoted but refuses to take the new position and quits because he wants to find a job he loves. His new boss sees this as a sign he's playing hardball for more money and keeps offering more and more until Chandler gives up trying to explain he hates the job and accepts the amazing salary figure he had just been offered. In later seasons he does finally quit to get a job in advertising. It's only after he's quit that someone finally remembers what his job title used to be. Incidentally, it's Statistical Analysis and Data Reconfiguration. No, we're still not sure what that actually means. Some theorize that the job is intended to resemble the many, many real word positions with ambiguous names and descriptions.
  • Lampshaded in his original character description:
  "Works in front of a computer doing something tedious in a claustrophobic cubicle in a non-descript office building."
  • This troper has a friend who works in something similar Statistical Analysis and Data Reconfiguration: Making statistical analyses based on massive quantities of data to make other analyses and then analyze how accurate those analyses are with more analyses. It is, like Chandler's job, a rather high-paying one. It is so esoteric that most people higher up on the corporate ladder have no idea how he and his team do what they do, half of them blindly trust his conclusions, and the other half ignore them. All in all, Truth in Television.
• Barney Stinson of How I Met Your Mother refuses to tell anyone what he does for a living, brushing off the question with a quick, "Heh, please," before changing the topic. It is stated, however, that the company destroys the environment, engages in a great deal of illegal activity, and does extensive business with North Korea.
  • In later seasons, the company has a merger with Goliath National Bank, completely changing his company... while still keeping Barney's position equally vague.

• A particularly extreme example in Ultima Underworld II. The Eloemosynator in Talorus, an alternate dimension, has a function so glorious and complex that we're not expected to understand it.
• A cutscene from Tales of Symphonia invoked this trope when Lloyd asked Sheena and Zelos what a company president does. Regal lampshades it.
• The Simpsons. Homer's job at the power plant was Chief Safety Inspector, but as the years dragged on, Homer never seemed to go to work anymore, which became lampshaded a few times lately.
• For the majority of Moral Orel, Orel's dad Clay Puppington complains about his "lousy dead-end job". It isn't until the second to last episode that we find out he's the Mayor. Even his son is surprised.
• One of the biggest mysteries in King of the Hill throughout its run was "What is Jeff Boomhauer's job?" It wasn't until the last minutes of the last episode does it reveal he is a Texas Ranger.
• My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic has Pinkie Pie, who works and lives in a bakery, but we rarely see her doing anything but holding parties and breaking the fourth wall. Most likely, Pinkie's job at the bakery is just that, a job, and unlike most of her friends, her job is not a major part of who she is.
  • Similarly, Rainbow Dash is the town's weatherpony — that is, she controls the weather, not being a meterologist — but rarely is she ever seen doing that job, as she spends most of her 'professional energies' on practicing her flying, to the point that it's easy to forget that she has a day job. When she does do the job, she tends to be extremely competent at it, giving her effectively a Ten-Second Work Week.
• On The Ren And Stimpy Show, Ren would occasionally be shown going to work wearing a hat and tie and carrying a briefcase, but what job he had was never specified.
• On Phineas And Ferb, it's never said what Charlene Doofenshmirtz's job is. Whatever it is, it apparently pays very well, as a lot of Dr. D's schemes are funded by her huge alimony checks.

One-Hour Work Week:

• Uncle Parker in Helen Cresswell's Bagthorpe Saga had an unspecified work-at-home job which involved a lot of time in the den doing crosswords.

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything:

• One of the earliest examples appears in A Night At The Opera.
  Mrs. Claypool: Six months ago you promised to introduce me into high society. Since then, you've done nothing but collect a handsome salary."
  Otis P. Driftwood: You call that "nothing"? How many people do you know who are collecting a handsome salary these days?!
• Guy's Entire Job Just Asking People If They Have Time For A Quick Chat

Unclear:

• Yotsuya from Maison Ikkoku has a job, but never reveals what it is.
• On Dr Quinn Medicine Woman, resident Jerkass Preston A Lodge III asks "What exactly is your occupation, Sully?" as a means of taunting him.

• Lots of people have at least one person like this in their extended family. (Note: This is the only Real Life example redacted; all others by default fall within the "workplace is setting" exemption.)

None of the Above:

• Meeting Iceman's parents in X2: X-Men United:
  "What exactly are you a professor of, Professor Logan?"
  "Art."

Removed a later case of Square Peg Round Trope. Also removed this, which is neither:

• Who hasn't seen an advertised job opening with the disclaimer "... and other duties as assigned." tacked on the end?

This sounds to me more like a case of Fine Print... I'd have to find a related Trope. This is actually the antithesis of WEiHJ, except in cases (still present) where that line sums up a majority of a person's job.