Ever since I got my first full-time job, I’ve had the displeasure of trying to explain what I do to my parents. I used to think that simply stating the title given to me was enough, but with my mom, anything more than three words would confuse her. Around 2016, my first job title was “Technical Support Specialist.” Yes, it was only three words, but it definitely raised more questions than answers. To explain this to my mom, I simplified it by saying something like, “I fix issues with a webinar platform when customers have problems.”

Her response? “Oh, ok.”

As the years went by and I mentioned each new role I’ve had, my answers got shorter.

“I work in IT for a company that collects business reviews.”

“I ensure corporate machines are safe from hackers.”

“I fix computers.”

The shorter my response, the shorter the conversation. While my mom still isn’t sure about what I do to this day, what she knows is that I work for a corporation. In her eyes, that’s as good as it gets.

If you ever face this problem and you’re not sure how to explain it, I like to break down my job in the same way I break down my documentation. If you can explain something as complex as reverse engineering malware to a 15-year-old, you’re in a good spot. If you can explain it to a five-year-old, you’re in a great spot. Here’s an open secret – there’s a 50/50 chance your parents will understand what you actually do, but a 100% chance they’ll understand if you make good money or not. Finally, if you find yourself unable to explain your own job at all, then there may be other issues you need to figure out.

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