When visiting home over Christmas, I overheard my mum explaining to her sister that I was like a teacher, but just starting out so I still need some help learning the ropes.
Sadly I couldn't honestly correct her.
Being an assistant professor is strangely embarrassing
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No one outside of academia is ever going to be very impressed by you being a professor. It is what it is, can't enter this profession to impress people
Depends. I have found that the educated class is fairly impressed with professors. Anyone who went beyond a BA along with people who are adjacent to those people personally or professionally. It's true that a random person next to you on the bus, at the gym, or at a bar isn't overly likely to fit that category, it is a pretty broad swathe of people.
Also, I don't think I have ever used the words "Assistant Professor" to describe myself outside of my CV. With people outside of academia I say "I'm a professor", with other economists I say "I'm at school x", and with faculty at my school outside the department I say "I'm in the economics department". That is the information they are looking for.
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No one outside of academia is ever going to be very impressed by you being a professor. It is what it is, can't enter this profession to impress people
Not true. If anything, professor sounds more impressive outside of academia. Those familiar with academia know how much of a joke job it is.