History Main / ObliquelyObfuscatedOccupation

A classic sitcom trope where a character (or an entire company, in some examples) has an occupation but no details are ever revealed to the audience, or occasionally to any other characters. Usually played for laughs as their job can contain as many NoodleIncident events as possible, or the character will expect all others to know what he does and be disappointed when [[WhatExactlyIsHisJob nobody can name it]]. For the character example, this trope is not to be confused with PointyHairedBoss; this character is generally competent, just nobody knows what their position is. Related to ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything.

* ''BlackBooks'' lampshades and inverts when Fran gets and loses a new job in the space of a week or so, all without ever knowing what she was meant to be doing.

A classic sitcom trope where a character (or an entire company, in some examples) has an occupation but no details are ever revealed to the audience, or occasionally to any other characters. Usually played for laughs as their job can contain as many NoodleIncident events as possible, or the character will expect all others to know what he does and be disappointed when nobody can name it. For the character example, this trope is not to be confused with PointyHairedBoss; this character is generally competent, just nobody knows what their position is. Related to ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything.

A classic sitcom trope where a character (or an entire company, in some examples) has an occupation but no details are ever revealed to the audience, or occasionally to any other characters. Usually played for laughs as their job can contain as many NoodleIncident events as possible, or the character will expect all others to know what he does and be disappointed when nobody can name it. For the character example, this trope is not to be confused with PointyHairedBoss; this character is generally competent, just nobody knows what their position is. Related to ThePiratesThatDontDoAnything.

A classic sitcom trope where a character (or an entire company, in some examples) has an occupation but no details are ever revealed to the audience, or occasionally to any other characters. Usually played for laughs as their job can contain as many NoodleIncident events as possible, or the character will expect all others to know what he does and be disappointed when nobody can name it. For the character example, this trope is not to be confused with PointyHairedBoss; this character is generally competent, just nobody knows what their position is.

* On ''TheFlintstones'', Barney's occupation - aside from occasional [[NewJobEpisode single episode jobs]] he and Fred get together - is never clarified. It became a running joke, such that in one episode, when Wilma and Betty are trying to impress someone by lying about how prosperous their families are, Wilma claims Fred is "[[ExactWords in the construction business]]" while Betty claims Barney is in "top secret work."

* On ''TheFlintstones'', Barney's occupation - aside from ocassional [[NewJobEpisode single episode jobs]] he and Fred get together - is never clarified. It became a running joke, such that in one episode, when Wilma and Betty are trying to impress someone by lying about how prosperous their families are, Wilma claims Fred is "[[ExactWords in the construction business]]" while Betty claims Barney is in "top secret work."

* In "TheAdventuresOfOzzieAndHarriet", Ozzie's job involved hanging around the house a lot.

* In "{{TheAdventuresOfOzzieAndHarriet}}", Ozzie's job involved hanging around the house a lot.

* PlayedForDrama in TheBoyInTheStripedPajamas, where Bruno's father hides his occupation from his son, since he take orders directly from "[[AdolfHitler The Fury]]". [[DramaticIrony It's pretty obvious to the audience what Dad does, though]].

* ''{{Dilbert}}''. The title character is an engineer (along with most of the rest of the cast), and there are references to creating software, but that's about as much details as you're going to get.

-->--''HowIMetYourMother''

[[AC:LiveActionTelevision]]

* ''HowIMetYourMother'' has Barney, who answers every question about his job with a dismissive laugh and a "please."

* PlayedForDrama in TheBoyInStripedPajamas, where Bruno's father hides his occupation from his son, since he take orders directly from "[[AdolfHitler The Fury]]". [[DramaticIrony It's pretty obvious to the audience what Dad does, though]].

* On ''TheFlintstones'', Barney's occupation - aside from ocassional [[NewJobEpisode single episode jobs]] he and Fred get together - is never clarified. It became a running joke, such that in one episode, when Wilma and Betty are trying to impress someone by lying about how prosperous their families are, Betty simply claims Barney is in "top secret work."

* ''{{Dilbert}}''. The title character is an engineer (along with most of the rest of the cast), but details about the company are rather vague.

* ''{{Friends}}'': Chandler's job is set up as a trivia question, but nobody can answer what he does.
** It was statistical analysis and data reconfiguration.

->''BHDR Industries, they're the top makers of that product that has something to do with our company!''
-->'''Jen''', ''TheITCrowd''

->'''Lily''': ''Barney, what do you do?''
->'''Barney''' (Dismissive): ''Please.''
-->''HowIMetYourMother''

* ''{{Dilbert}}''. It's implied that the title character is an engineer, but we still have no idea about specifics

->"BHDR Industries, they're the top makers of that product that has something to do with our company!"
-->Jen, ''TheITCrowd''

->'''Lily''': "Barney, what do you do?"
->'''Barney''' (Dismissive): "Please."

* ''{{Dilbert}}''