If you’ve ever wondered what people make of your job, wonder no more. We collated the Google autocomplete suggestions for 131 of the most common professions in the UK*. The suggestions are based on the most commonly searched terms in a specific area, in this case – the UK.
So, when you type ‘Why do writers…’ into Google, the helpful search engine offers an autocomplete suggestion based on what others most commonly search for.
The results reveal an array of commonly held misconceptions, popular musings and odd – yet popular – questions about the professions.
Most of the commonly entered questions were quite negative, with Google users wondering why certain professions do certain annoying or socially unacceptable things. But some were positive. We’ve pulled out of favourites here, paying particular attention to the jobs Stormline customers have.
Most assumptions were about money
| Expensive | Paid so much | Earn so much | Rich |
| Anaesthetists | Actors | Bankers | Bankers |
| Builders | Accountants | Recruitment consultants | Property developers |
| Chiropractors | Anaesthetists | Refuse collectors | Youtubers |
| designers | Train drivers | Train drivers | |
| DJs | Tube drivers | Tube drivers | |
| Electricians | Dental hygienists | Accountants | |
| Hair stylists | Dentists | Anaesthetists | |
| Orthodontists | Developers | ||
| Plasterers | DJs | ||
| Plumbers | MPs | ||
| Psychiatrists | Orthodontists | ||
| Surveyors | |||
| Therapists | |||
| Vets |
The most common personality stereotypes were broadly negative.
| Rude | Arrogant | Annoying |
| Academics | Developers | Bloggers |
| Bartenders | Estate agents | Journalists |
| Baristas | Electricians | Recruitment consultants |
| Bouncers | Lecturers | Salespeople |
| Bus drivers | Paramedics | Students |
| Chefs | Physicists | Youtubers |
| Debt collectors | Psychiatrists | |
| Dental hygienists | Surgeons | |
| Dentists | Academics | |
| Hairdressers | Bankers | |
| Judges | ||
| Letting agents | ||
| Mechanics | ||
| Nurses | ||
| Receptionists | ||
| Surgeons | ||
| Tattoo artists | ||
| Taxi drivers |
Some were less negative
| Hot | Left wing/liberal |
| Dental hygienists | Musicians |
| Bartenders | Academics |
| Baristas | Journalists |
| Fire fighters | Professors |
| Flight attendants | |
| Musicians | |
| Soldiers | |
| Tattoo artists |
Some appeared to show a degree of concern
| Mean | Weird | Crazy | Grumpy | Hated | Depressed |
| Chefs | Engineers | Hair stylists | Bus drivers | Social workers | Musicians |
| Landlords | Fashion designers | Office workers | Developers | Bankers | Writers |
| Managers | Musicians | Therapists | |||
| Orthodontists | Writers |
Gallery – what people think about you – based on your job
Regan McMillan, Director of Stormline, explained the inspiration for the study:
“We did this research to see if perceptions of jobs could be making them unattractive to otherwise ideal candidates.
“The industries we work with all suffer from stereotyping and those stereotypes can put talented people off pursuing great careers in industries that need them.
“According to this study, engineers are boring and weird, farmers are poor and people in forestry have beards and wear check shirts.”
“Some of the stereotypes were funny, but if people truly think you need to be female to be a receptionist, or that lumberjacks really all have beards, there’s clearly an issue with inaccurate stereotyping and some of it is gender-driven.
“Previous research we’ve conducted has shown that 1 in 5 women would expect to be patronised if they worked in a male-dominated industry like engineering, where women represent just 7% of the workforce. This is just one of a number of invisible barriers to entry.
“With this research, we wanted to show just how ridiculous some of these stereotypes are.
For the full breakdown, scroll to the bottom, or if you want to know what people think about your profession, just hit crtl+F and type in your job to find it (cmd+F if you’re one of those fancy developers or designers who use Mac).
Full Results
| Search format | job | top suggestion | second suggestion | third suggestion |
| Why do | Academics | use Macs | hate capitalism | write |
| Why do | accountants | wear green visors | use excel | use spreadsheets |
| Why do | Actors | change their names | wear makeup | bow |
| Why do | Anaesthetists | earn so much | not wear masks | give muscle relaxants |
| Why do | Bakers | wear white | put flour on bread | use yeast |
| Why do | Bankers | earn so much | use spreadsheets | do coke |
| Why do | Barbers | use talc | spray alcohol | use hot towels |
| Why do | bartenders | shake drinks | put visine in drinks | open cans |
| Why do | baristas | bang the milk | hate making frappucinos | spell names wrong |
| Why do | beauticians | wear black | wear uniforms | need insurance |
| Why do | Bee keepers | use smoke | wear white suits | wear white |
| Why do | Biologists | classify living things | use models | use stains to study cells |
| Why do | Blacksmiths | tap the anvil | have beards | quench in oil |
| Why do | Bloggers | get free stuff | make money | blog |
| Why do | bookmakers | limit accounts | close accounts | pay out early |
| Why do | bouncers | refuse entry | say not tonight | thing that they are hard |
| Why do | Bricklayers | wear gloves | use lime | |
| Why do | builders | ask for cash | never turn up | charge so much |
| Why do | Bus drivers | hate notes | wave to each other | wear gloves |
| Why do | Butchers | have sawdust on the floor | wear white | have fat fingers |
| Why do | Carpenters | use flat pancils | wear white pants | have big hands |
| Why do | Cartoonists | use blue pencils | use caracature | |
| Why do | CEOs | get golden parachutes | wake up early | leave |
| Why do | chefs | wear white | wear aprons | wear hats |
| Why do | chemists | use moles | wear white coats | take so long |
| Why do | Chiropractors | call themselves doctors | crack your back | crack your neck |
| Why do | Clients | chose schroders | ||
| Why do | Contractors | get paid more | pay less tax | earn more |
| Why do | Councillors | get paid | hold surgeries | |
| Why do | Counsellors | need an ethical framework | need supervision | need counselling |
| Why do | Customer service people | |||
| Why do | Customers | complain | get angry | leave |
| Why do | Debt collectors | keep calling | call family members | call and hang up |
| Why do | Delivery drivers | ask for last name | wear shorts | get tips |
| Why do | Dental hygienists | make so much | work part time | take blood pressure |
| Why do | Dentists | charge so much | do x-rays | polish your teeth |
| Why do | Dentists | charge so much | do x-rays | polish your teeth |
| Why do | designers | ues Macs | use CAD | render their images |
| Why do | Developers | use Macs | use abstraction | use Linux |
| Why do | DJs | tap the cue button | use laptops | wear black |
| Why do | Doctors | say stat | get called quacks | going on strike |
| Why do | electricians | wear rubber soled shoes | use symbols not drawings | wear rubber gloves |
| Why do | Engineers | use spreadsheets | use J | say ‘off’ instead of ‘of |
| Why do | Entrepeneurs | fail | go into business | dropout |
| Why do | Estate agents | ask for ID | charge admin fees | overvalue |
| Why do | factory workers | wear overalls | wear masks | get low pay |
| Why do | Farmers | use fertiliser | harvest at night | use pesticides |
| Why do | Fashion designers | dress badly | wear ugly clothes | use skinny models |
| Why do | Film directors | wear hats | get all the credit | wear headphones |
| Why do | financial advisors | change firms | push annuities | fail |
| Why do | fire fighters | meet air ambulance | have dalmatians | make so little |
| Why do | Fishermen | fish at night? | want to leave the EU | Wear camouflage |
| Why do | Fishmongers | hang bags of water | ||
| Why do | flight attendants | have to be tall | go in the cockpit | hide their hands |
| Why do | funeral directors | bow at the coffin | carry a cane | walk in front of the hearse |
| Why do | Gardeners | put bottles on sticks | add lime to soil | hate weeds |
| Why do | Hair dressers | cut wet hair | wash hair twice | always get it wrong |
| Why do | hair stylists | never listen | hate boxed color | charge so much |
| Why do | head teachers | bully | ||
| Why do | Illustrators | use red pencils | use blue pencils | |
| Why do | Journalists | lie | use the inverted pyramid | write 30 |
| Why do | Judges | wear wigs | still wear wigs | wear white wigs |
| Why do | labourers | have big hands | ||
| Why do | Landlords | ask for bank statements | not want DSS | put rent up |
| Why do | lecturers | sleep with students | ||
| Why do | Letting agents | credit check | want bank statements | charge so muh |
| Why do | Lumberjacks | wear check shirts | yell ‘timber’ | have beards |
| Why do | Managers | make bad decisions | lie | need leadership skills |
| Why do | Marketing managers | need research | use qualitative research | use pivot tables |
| Why do | Massage therapists | use oil | burn out | |
| Why do | Mechanics | wear gloves | have to pay for their tools | wear overalls |
| Why do | MPs | want Corbyn out | keep standing up | jeer |
| Why do | Musicians | use Macs | wear earplugs | smoke |
| Why do | Nurses | need a degree | wear crocs | leaving the profession |
| Why do | office workers | go postal | wear suits | go crazy |
| Why do | Orthodontists | take impressions | use rubber bands | bend wires |
| Why do | paralegals | need negotiation skills | ||
| Why do | paramedics | wear green | cut clothes off | wear purple gloves |
| Why do | Physicists | hate biologists | use models | work in si units |
| Why do | Physiotherapists | use tape | use ultrasoud | hate chiropractors |
| Why do | Physiotherapists | use tape | use ultrasoud | hate chiropractors |
| Why do | plasterers | use pva | wear white | |
| Why do | plumbers | never turn up | charge so much | use copper pipe |
| Why do | Police Officers | wear blue | cheat | have a high burnout rate |
| Why do | Porters | wear turbans | ||
| Why do | Post men | wear shorts | come so late | wear shorts in winter |
| Why do | professors | take sabbaticals | curve tests | make so little |
| Why do | Project managers | manage project scope | need to understand strategy | fail |
| Why do | Property developers | fail | ||
| Why do | Psychiatrists | drug test | prescribe medication | ask questions |
| Why do | Psychiatrists | drug test | prescribe medication | ask questions |
| Why do | Public relations | campaigns fail | degree | |
| Why do | Radiographers | wear lead aprons | stand behind a screen | wear special protective clothing |
| Why do | Receptionists | |||
| Why do | recruitment consultants | earn so much | lie | need my passport |
| Why do | Refuse collectors (binmen) | earn so much | ||
| Why do | Researchers | conduct pilot studies | use case study method | use inferential statistics |
| Why do | royal marines | sleep without underwear | wear green berets | wear pith helmets |
| Why do | Sailors | say aye? | wear white | have tattoos |
| Why do | Sales people (sales men) | fail | ask for water | lie |
| Why do | Scientists | use antibodies | classify organisms | use microscopes |
| Why do | Self-employed people | pay less national insurance | pay less national insurance | pay more tax |
| Why do | Ship captains | have the power to marry | go down with the ship | |
| Why do | Shipbuilders | put pieces of zinc | ||
| Why do | Social workers | lie | do assesments | get involved |
| Why do | Social workers | lie | do assesments | get involved |
| Why do | soldiers | march | smoke | wear their uniforms in public |
| Why do | Somelliers | love reisling | ||
| Why do | Steel workers | put a tree up | ||
| Why do | Students | go to university | misbehave | get discounts |
| Why do | Surgeons | wear crocs | wear blue | listen to music |
| Why do | Surveyors | under value houses | take photos | use theodolites |
| Why do | Tattoo artists | draw on tracing paper | draw in red | have bad tattooss |
| Why do | Taxi drivers | hate Uber | drive so bad | drive so fast |
| Why do | teachers | strike | quit | teach |
| Why do | teaching assistants | have performance management | need qualifications | |
| Why do | Telesales people (cold callers) | hang up | ||
| Why do | the police | use horses | have a tractor | hate batman |
| Why do | the RAF | have overseas bases | get involved in Afghanistan | burn pianos |
| Why do | Therapists | charge so much | stare at you | not take insurance |
| Why do | Train drivers | strike | earn so much | beep horn |
| Why do | Translators | need to learn about technology | ||
| Why do | Tree surgeons | nothing | ||
| Why do | Tube drivers | earn so much | strike | why do we need tube drivers |
| Why do | TV presenters | wear earpieces | wear makeup | |
| Why do | Uber drivers | have Prius | cancel | drive so slow |
| Why do | Van drivers | tailgate | ||
| Why do | Vets | charge so much | recommend Chappie | charge so much UK |
| Why do | waiters/waitresses | pour a little wine | take the menu | get tips |
| Why do | Writers | use aliteration | use similies | write |
| Why do | Youtubers | get paid | shout | want you to like them |
| Search format | job | top suggestion | second suggestion | third suggestion |
| Why are | Academics | left wing | so rude | so arrogant |
| Why are | accountants | accountants | called bean counters | paid so much |
| Why are | Actors | Actors | so short | paid so much |
| Why are | Anaesthetists | Anaesthetists | paid so much | so expensive |
| Why are | Bakers | Bakers | ||
| Why are | Bankers | hated | arrogant rich | |
| why are | Barbers | called barbers | closed on Mondays | closed on Wednesdays |
| Why are | bartenders | so rude | hot | rude |
| Why are | baristas | so rude | so hot | so important |
| why are | beauticians | licensed | important | |
| Why are | Bee keepers | important | suits white | worried about the varroa mite |
| Why are | Biologists | so interested in chemsitry | concerned about the rainforests | important |
| why are | Blacksmiths | called blacksmiths | important | |
| Why are | Bloggers | so influential | so annoying | morman |
| Why are | bookmakers | called bookmakers | based in Gibraltar | called turn accountants |
| Why are | bouncers | good | so rude | called bouncers |
| Why are | Bricklayers | |||
| Why are | builders | fat | so expensive | pervy |
| Why are | Bus drivers | so rude | so grumpy | so miserable |
| Why are | Butchers | closed on Monday | dogs fits | closed on Monday |
| Why are | Carpenters | called chippies | called carpenters | |
| Why are | Cartoonists | important | ||
| Why are | CEOs | overpaid | greedy | tall |
| Why are | chefs | so mean | always angry | so rude |
| Why are | chemists | developing new polymers | important | paid so little |
| why are | Chiropractors | so expensive | bad | called doctors |
| Clients | importat | stupid | ||
| Why are | Contractors | paid more | always late | so flaky |
| Why are | Councillors | Councillors | elected | important |
| why are | Counsellers | Counsellers | important | called shrinks |
| Why are | Customer service people | Customer service people | ||
| Customers | important | rude | stakeholders | |
| Why are | Debt collectors | so rude | calling me | calling and not leaving a message |
| Why are | Delivery drivers | |||
| why are | Dental hygienists | so rude | paid so much | so hot |
| why are | Dentists | so rude | paid so much | seperate from doctors |
| Why are | Dentists | so rude | paid so much | seperate from doctors |
| Why are | designers | pretentious | expensive | |
| Why are | Developers | so arrogant | so grumpy | paid so much |
| DJs | famous | so expensive | paid so much | |
| Why are | Doctors | called quaks | called Mr | going on strike |
| Why are | electricians | important | arrogant | expensive |
| Why are | Engineers | important | so boring | so weird |
| Why are | Entrepeneurs | important to the economy | unique | |
| Why are | Estate agents | fees so high | so arrogant | so rubbish |
| why are | factory workers | |||
| Why are | Farners | subsidised | so strong | poor |
| Why are | fashion designers | gay | important | weird |
| Why are | Film directors | important | ||
| Why are | financial advisors | financial advisors | ||
| why are | fire fighters | fire fighters | hot | important |
| Why are | Fishermen | called anglers | wearing masks | superstitious of bananas |
| Why are | Fishmongers | Fishmongers | closed on Mondays | called fishmongers |
| Why are | Flight attendants | female | so old | so hot |
| Why are | funeral directors | funeral directors | ||
| Why are | Gardeners | important | so happy | always Mexican? |
| why are | Hair dressers | so rude | so stupid | so rough |
| why are | hair stylists | crazy | so expensive | |
| Why are | head teachers | |||
| Illustrators | ||||
| Why are | Journaists | called hacks | so stupid | annoying |
| Why are | Judges | so rude | being arrested in turkey | being sacked in turkey |
| Why are | labourers | poor | children | |
| Why are | Landords | so mean | so greedy | selling up |
| Why are | lecturers | striking | arrogant | so arrogant |
| Why are | Letting agents | so bad | so rude | |
| why are | Lumberjacks | so strong | associated with pancakes | called lumberjacks |
| Why are | Managers | important | so mean | stakeholders |
| Why are | Marketing managers | important | ||
| why are | Massage therapists | particularly at risk of lympangitis | ||
| Why are | Mechanics | paid so little | so shady | so rude |
| Why are | MPs | paid so much | called honourable | |
| Why are | Musicians | so weird | so hot | depressed |
| why are | Nurses | called Sister | so rude | so important |
| Why are | office workers | |||
| why are | Orthodontists | so mean | so expensive | paid so much |
| Why are | paralegals | important | needed | valuable to the legal system |
| Why are | paramedics | so arrogant | called paramedics | paid so little |
| Why are | Physicists | so arrogant | so important | so smart |
| why are | Physiotherapists | important | called doctors | needed |
| why are | Physiotherapists | important | called doctors | needed |
| Why are | plasterers | so expensive | ||
| Why are | plumbers | called plumbers | so expensive | so unreliable |
| Why are | Police Officers | called pigs | called 12 | called copper |
| Why are | Porters | |||
| Why are | Post men | so late | striking | so unhappy |
| Why are | professors | liberal | so bad at teaching | called doctors |
| Project managers | important | needed | so stupid | |
| Why are | Property developers | rich | ||
| why are | Psychiatrists | Psychiatrists | so arrogant | called shrinks |
| why are | Psychiatrists | Psychiatrists | so arrogant | called shrinks |
| Why are | Public relations | PR people | important | important to schools |
| Why are | Radiographers | Radiographers | important | |
| Why are | Receptionists | so rude | always female | important |
| Why are | recruitment consultants | recruitment consultants | so annoying | |
| Why are | Refuse collectors (binmen) | Refuse collectors | ||
| Why are | Researchers | important | switching to effect size | concerned about a volunteer bias |
| why are | royal marines | royal marines | called bootnecks | in Afghanistan |
| Why are | Sailors | caled Jack | gay | |
| Why are | Sales people (sales men) | annoying | sleazy | important |
| Why are | Scientists | so interested in stem cells | interested in mars | paid so poorly |
| Why are | Self-employed people | |||
| Why are | Ship captains | ordained | ||
| why are | Shipbuilders | Shipbuilders | ||
| why are | Social workers | Social workers | important | so stupid |
| why are | Social workers | Social workers | important | so stupid |
| why are | soldiers | soldiers | called Tommies | heroes |
| Why are | Somelliers | Somelliers | ||
| why are | Steel workers | Steel workers | ||
| Why are | Students | so stupid | excempt from council tax | so annoying |
| why are | Surgeons | arrogant | rude | called Mr |
| Why are | Surveyors | so expensive | important | needed |
| why are | Tattoo artists | so rude | jerks | so hot |
| Why are | Taxi drivers | so rude | so bad at driving | Asian |
| Why are | teachers | leaving | important | on strike |
| Why are | teaching assistants | important | paid so little | |
| Why are | Telesales people (cold callers) | |||
| why are | the police | called old bill | called the fuzz | called coppers |
| why are | the RAF | in the Falklands | in Cyprus | overseas |
| why are | Therapists | called shrinks | so expensive | crazy |
| Why are | Train drivers | paid so much | striking | called engineers |
| Why are | Translators | so bad | important | needed |
| Why are | Tree surgeons | |||
| Why are | Tube drivers | paid so much | striking | on strike |
| Why are | TV presenters | |||
| Why are | Uber drivers | independent contractors | so stupid | protesting |
| Why are | Van drivers | so aggressive | ||
| Why are | Vets | so expensive | against raw diet | fees so high |
| Why are | waiters/waitresses | called waiters | paid so little | tipped |
| Writers | so weird | depressed | alcoholics | |
| Why are | Youtubers | so popular | so annoying | always sick |
A note on methodology:
We analysed autocomplete suggestions for 131 jobs, taken from the industry sectors that employ the most people in the UK according to Government figures*, the results reveal a somewhat depressing – and sometimes funny – snapshot of how we perceive one another.
*http://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/activitysizeandlocation/bulletins/ukbusinessactivitysizeandlocation/2016