Of course everyone does! There are some people I could never date because of what they do...I am sure everyone has a little list somewhere!

I don't really have any experience doing one or the other, but I do think it matters, b/c a person's job tells you about that person, I mean they have that job for a reason. They either enjoy what they do, so that tells you what kind of stuff they like, or they want money, which tells you what their priorities are in life. Everything about a person tells you something. The only problem I would have is with someone who didn't have a job, lol!

Yeah the only problem is to NOT have a job....
lol

I wouldn't say I actively pursue someone in a certain line of work, that is a little weird to me but I do know people that do that. Usually I end up with the same type. I would prefer to date someone in an entirely different industry.

Hmm...i've got a long list of people that I wouldn't want to date based on their profession ranging from bellboy to psychiatrist. I'm picky I guess...I just want my man to be ambitious and be smart/work hard enough to move his way up. But he should already be in a lucrative field.

As long as a person is making an honest living why should their job matter?

I don't pick guys to date according to their profession but the guys I tend to lean towards are usually the ones in the business/legal field. I think it's because our schedules are more similar and the work we do is similar, too; plus, certain personalities work in a certain field so we'd probably share some of the same characteristics. i.e. Dating a paramedic would be hard because the schedules are so different; the stress level will also be different so in turns reflects a much different personality.

Sometimes you work in the profession that you are in because you have to. So, I won't hold it against those who work as exotic dancers or escorts but it would make me think twice before going out on a date with them.

Sort of.

Don't take this the wrong way, but the only profession I've been a little prejudiced against was accounting. I don't why. Maybe it's due to the accountants I met. I think it takes a certain personality to be an accountant, and I don't click with particular personality.

I'd like to extend the question asked.
Next to dating or not dating someone because of common interests (which could be related to your professions),
people also accept/reject someone based on the social status a job has. I.e. bankers vs. janitors. How about that???

Yes. I am from Oklahoma. And after growing up in a small town that had a lot of its residents involved in rodeo and barrell racing, I will NEVER marry anyone involved in such activities, nor will i marry ANYONE that will subject me to anything like the "redneck weddings" that i see on TLC. I want someone (like cvandoorn said) that is smart and ambitious and willing to work hard to move his way up. I am sorry, but I have my standards.

Lol. I agree with you glowingmoon. Accountants and I don't mix well either.

I would never, ever date someone who did the same thing as me. All the male CS majors I know have always treated me like this silly little girl who knows not about computers (hello, I'm a CS major too). Yeah, they may know a little more about hardware and stuff than me, but I don't like the attitude.

I don't care about profession so much as other interests. Like, my boyfriend loves a lot of the same shows and movies as me, which is great, because we can watch them together and cuddle and stuff He also majored and minored in my minor which is cool

I dont think it really matters, just as long as they have a job. Im not trying to date someone that Im going to have to take care of. My BF is the project manager for a local contracting company. His boss is getting ready to retire, and will probably hand the company over to him when he does.

glowingmoon-I totally agree. Accountant usually have very "type A" personalities. My mom dated an accountant for a while, and he was all about making money..that was his main priority, along with that came a certain lack of interest/compassion for other people

I probably wouldn't date a lawyer again. I spend too much time around them (between work & law school friends) so it's nice to come home to someone who doesn't know and really doesn't care what I do at work. I mean interesting and frustrating stories can be shared, but I really don't want to discuss the merits of an argument (or if I do, I always win b/c he doesn't know what he's talking about). Besides, I'm competitive and it's easier to compare success in the same career, which shouldn't matter, but it does.

Apparently, I didn't even pay attention to my guy until I found out we had the same major. We were around each other quite a bit because of mutual friends, and he tells me I barely spoke or looked at him before he said what is studying. And the second he said it, my eyes lit up and I wouldn't stop talking to him. I barely even remember this.

I'm a scientist, and I tend to go for the scientist/engineering type who keeps his mind sharp as part of his work. I definitely like the people I date to be as least as smart as I am so we can have intelligent conversations. It's not necessarily "raw intelligence" that I look for, but someone who loves learning and thinking, reads the news, etc.

Well, I wouldn't say I date someone BASED on their profession. But, I will find myself much more attracted to a guy if I find out he's a writer or an artist or a photographer or something, as opposed to a lawyer or accountant. (Not that being a lawyer or an accountant will turn me off, though! It just won't turn me on. Wink wink.)

I agree with almost famous! He better have at least some type of job with decent pay and having a degree is a BIG plus. Education is important to me. My mom taught me that LOVE does NOT pay the bills. haha

I love brilliant programmer/engineering/mathematician nerd minds, most likely because I have one of my own. There are several little sites that blurb about the great characteristics an engineer nerd boyfriend possess. They ring true in my relationship.

I agree with hotstuff but I'd would actually prefer that my future husband make as much, if mot more money than I do. I don't want to have to deal with some power struggle when it comes to finances and also, like Shopaholic Hunny says...love does not pay the bills. Although, money is not that important to me but I'd greatly prefer if we match up with some things that we bring to the table. I do believe that if two people are truly committed to each other, they can accomplish ANYTHING together.

I have to admit that I've been guilty of being prejudiced about someone's job and education. It was, in the past, hard for me to even think about dating someone who didn't go to college, let alone have a graduate degree, and didn't have a white-collar job. It wasn't about money, not at all, rather I just assumed he couldn't possibly have the same world view as I do.

But I have been making an effort over the last few years to be more open minded and less elitist because I think someone can be incredibly intelligent and just not have the degree or mainstream professional job. And plus, I think life's too short to miss out on any chance for real, deep love.

As long as he HAS a job...

Profession never really mattered to me, but unemployed means a big deal! And oh, do I love a man in uniform

They have to have a steady job and some ambition...I like a man with goals and a good work ethic. It doesn't matter too much what the profession is.

Everybody is hating on accountants!!!

I love my accountant hubby!!!!

As far as the question goes, I got married to my college sweetheart, so I didn't date in the working world. Ambition was more important to me than major or projected profession though.

I have to admit, I am very picky about profession, as well as education. I just can't see myself being with someone who has an occupation that doesn't require education or a lot of skill. As superficial as it sounds, looking good on paper is important to me although personality is definitely the first thing I look for.

I agree with other posters in that it's more important to me that my S.O. actually HAS a job... that being said, I do find that I'm more attracted to men with "nerdy" professions (my fiance is a programmer). That's probably because my mind does not work that way (I'm a writer), and also it's a turn on for me when my guy does a bunch of techy stuff. lol!

I am starting to be a little wary of dating musicians. I've dated two and they were both pretty lazy. I'm not saying all musicians are lazy, just the ones that I meet! For some reason I tend to go for men who did not go to college or who dropped out - I seem to be attracted to people who do their own thing and don't follow "the rules."

I should probably date an architect or something because I have a master's degree too (whatever), but right now I'm crushing big time on the Purolator courier guy who somes into my office every day because he is just so nice and normal compared to most people I meet during the day! I don't care what someone does for a living, just as long as they are happy and make enough money to support themselves.

I don't want to marry a rodeo clown, if that's what you mean...

But as long as the job's hours are compatible with our home life (no extremely long hours, etc.), then I don't see a problem.

The UPS guy is kinda cute...

Yes...but it doesn't rank higher than character for me.

that's a sweet story though =)

now that i am older i feel a job does matter. fresh out of college i had no problems dating the waiter/bartender or construction worker but now i need someone with some ambition. if the construction worker is working on opening his own company, then that would be ok or if the bartender also owned the bar, then ok. but i am edging towards the stage of life where i am going to want a stable family and a good job for both me and my (future) husband is part of that. plus just that ambition in someone to succeed is attractive to me

although it does not matter to me (much) what profession someone is in, i would have to say that i tend to go for guys who will not/are not in the same profession as i am. one teacher is enough in a relationship! i would hate having another one and discussing teaching and education all the time. i'd rather just discuss this with my colleuges and leave work at work. i think it is more interesting to hear about a completely different line of work. plus someone from the "outside" can give you good ideas for your profession that you may have not thought of on your own before. the only time i think someone's profession would bother me to the pt of not dating them would be if it was some weird profession, but the typical ones i would not mind at all.

girlfriday, I am stunned at how you've put my thoughts into words. The day might just come that you find the guy who reads your mind, has a heart and pushes all your buttons, in short, has the X factor, but who might not match the factual image you conjured up all these years. When that day comes, can you refuse him? Life's too short for that.

No musicians for me. I know that's odd because so many women love them. However, I happen to live in a city FULL of aspiring rock gods, which usually translates to servers/bartenders with occasional music gigs. In this situation, the appeal of the sensitive, guitar playing, song writing, shaggy haired guy is completely lost.

I'm a teacher and I would never date a teacher. My reasons are based on observations of teacher/teacher couples.
> too easy to disagree on how each other handled a particular situation and have a fight that gets out of hand
> if one person is lazy/does the minimum they can't understand why the other person puts in extra effort (and vice versa) and gets jealous/insecure
> if you work in the same school, you see each other WAY too much and know way too much about each other
> and my final generalisation, most of the male teachers i've worked with are idiots (either in all aspects of their lives or just socially). don't flame me on this last one, it's just my observations.

As long as he has a job and he's passionate about his career