12 Professions That Are Actually Nothing Like We Imagine

Many popular professions are connected with various myths. For example, we are sure that IT specialists always hide behind their computers and librarians are bored at work all day long. In fact, this is not entirely true. We decided to find out what ideas of certain professions are far from reality.

The article uses images created by artificial intelligence.

The main task of flight attendants is to serve passengers.

Although flight attendants do try to make the flight as comfortable as possible for travelers, their main task is to ensure passenger safety. This is why during training courses, they spend much more time on practicing emergency situations rather than learning how best to serve food and drinks.

And, despite common misconceptions, flight attendants are not obliged to help passengers place their luggage. Moreover, if a flight attendant accidentally strains their back while shoving a heavy suitcase into the overhead compartment, the airline will not pay for their treatment and the flight will have to be delayed until a replacement is found.

Teachers have a lot of free time.

A teacher’s work doesn’t end after the last lesson. Many teachers have to work evenings, weekends and holidays. In addition to checking homework, teachers have to prepare lesson plans, prepare for presentations, study new teaching materials, and fill out a lot of paperwork. And that’s beyond extra classes for students.

Any hairdresser would be horrified if their client got a haircut at another salon.

For some reason, it is believed that the hairdresser will be shocked if they find out that their regular client visited another salon. In fact, hairdressers are far from being that jealous, and most of them won’t be upset by a “treason” like this. A true professional will be primarily concerned with whether a person is satisfied with the result, not where exactly they made a haircut or coloring.

Accountants spend all day with a calculator.

Accountants may have once spent all day in the office counting numbers and filling in spreadsheets, but now many professionals are more likely to do the work of financial advisors. Their tasks often include calculating possible risks and strategic development of the company, and they may work on different projects.

Preschool teachers are just playing with the little ones.

Preschool teachers do more than just entertain and look after the children. Their job is also to prepare kids for school and to teach them social skills. Like other teachers, their work doesn’t end when parents pick up the last child from day care. In the remaining time, they have to plan classes, prepare the classrooms for celebrations and do a lot of other things.

IT is the perfect field for misanthropes.

It’s believed that IT specialists hide somewhere in dark corners, and it’s much easier for them to communicate with computers than with other people. In fact, modern IT workers need strong communication skills, because they often have to explain technical nuances to people who are far from understanding how modern technologies work.

In addition, they are involved in setting up all sorts of work processes. For example, if an IT guy is helping the accounting department to understand new software, technical knowledge alone will not be enough.

Librarians read on the job all day long.

Many people believe that everything librarians do at work is reading new books, and they have nothing else to do. Of course, it depends on the size of the library, but some librarians don’t even have time to sit down during the day, let alone flip through a book.

After all, it is necessary not only to carry out a constant inspection of the book collection, to receive and place new copies, but also to plan various events. Some libraries tend to become public spaces, and reading rooms are not as quiet and peaceful as we used to think.

All waiters are students.

Many people are genuinely perplexed when they learn that a person has chosen the profession of a waiter deliberately, and not just as a casual part-time job. In fact, it’s the experience of working as a waiter that can help make a career in the restaurant business, and many managers started out by serving tables. So, don’t think that this field is only for students who don’t care if a guest leaves satisfied or not.

A chef can cook any kind of dish.

For some reason, it’s believed that a real chef can cook any dish, even in the most difficult conditions. Perhaps this misconception has arisen because of numerous cooking shows. In fact, this is far from true: and some professional chefs can have problems with certain cuisines.

Secretaries just serve coffee and answer the phone.

There is a misconception that a company secretary should only answer the phone, keep track of paperwork, take minutes during meetings and gracefully serve drinks to the boss. In reality, many secretaries are involved in developing company strategy, assessing legal risks and are well versed in modern technology.

A sailor can see the whole world.

This is technically true, but with the modern ship traffic schedule, sailors sometimes don’t have time not only going out to the city, but even going ashore. Usually ships are at the port for loading and unloading for only a few hours, at best for a couple of days. Even then, the crew is very busy, and it is impossible to leave the harbor for souvenir shopping or sightseeing.

Realtors only show houses.

In fact, showing different housing options to clients is probably the easiest part of a realtor’s job. These professionals spend much more time preparing documents, checking all the nuances, negotiating, signing contracts and analyzing the market. For most people, buying or renting a property is a serious step, and a realtor must be prepared not only to answer all questions, but also to reassure clients when necessary.

And the photos here will show how different professions have changed over the last century.