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How do you tell people what you do?

When people ask me what I do for a job I always say I am a CMM programmer. This always leads to confused looks. So I usually follow up with "I measure stuff." If they have further questions I hit em with "essentially I perform complex measurements using the science of manufacturing (GD&T) by programming a machine to measure parts." After that there are no more questions.

What is your go to description of what you do?
Parents
  • I normally just say that I program automated industrial measuring machines. Sometimes I'll throw in there that it is for the aerospace and defense industry. Normally, these days, the follow-up questions are not about what I do, but how is work for me in pandemic times. I can normally follow up with saying that we are always very busy and that the plant was open all throughout the pandemic. I'll say jokingly that there is still plenty of demand for flying war machines. One way or another the conversation tends to go another direction from there or I get an opening to ask questions about them.

    More and more I have learned not to use the term "CMM". It just confuses people.


    I like the phrase "flying war machines". I might have to steal that.
Reply
  • I normally just say that I program automated industrial measuring machines. Sometimes I'll throw in there that it is for the aerospace and defense industry. Normally, these days, the follow-up questions are not about what I do, but how is work for me in pandemic times. I can normally follow up with saying that we are always very busy and that the plant was open all throughout the pandemic. I'll say jokingly that there is still plenty of demand for flying war machines. One way or another the conversation tends to go another direction from there or I get an opening to ask questions about them.

    More and more I have learned not to use the term "CMM". It just confuses people.


    I like the phrase "flying war machines". I might have to steal that.
Children
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