If We Give You Three Words, Can You Match Them to the Right Profession?

Jonnathan Chadwick

Members of the "NBA," "NFL" and "MLB" are professional what?

The NBA, NFL and MLB and the three major sports leagues in America and they employ some of the most popular professional athletes in the world. The most popular athletes around the globe are football (soccer) players, but America's football league (MLS) isn't nearly as popular as the others.

What "drivers" are known for their smartphone "apps" and car "stickers"?

Taxi cab drivers all over the world are under threat from Uber and Lyft drivers. Members of the Millennial generation and Generation Z are hailing taxi cabs less and less and using ride-sharing apps more and more.

No hospital can function without an army of these people equipped with "scrubs," "stethoscopes" and "clipboards."

According to the World Health Organization, there are about 30 million nurses in the world, and 4 million of them work in the United States. They are the No. 1 contact for patients across the world, and no medical center can function without them.

If you bring this person an "apple," other "students" might call you a "pet."

Being the teacher's pet isn't the best label to have, and it evolves into sycophancy as you get older. The teacher's pet is the student who sucks up to the teacher in an attempt to get brownie points. Gifting an apple on the first day of school might work.

"Body cams" and "Tasers" are modern technologies that help make "arrests" safer.

Anything can happen when a police officer confronts a suspected criminal, and proper training and new technology help minimize risk in these situations. Tasers don't always work, however, and body cams don't always hold officers or suspects accountable.

Who should you visit if you want your "suit" and "pants" "custom" fit to your body?

There is a chance that you can find form-fitting clothes right off the rack, but you should probably get in the habit of getting your clothes tailored to your body. A simple trim or tightening can work wonders for your outfits.

What type of professional specializes in making "screwdrivers," "sidecars" and "martinis"?

If you plan to be a bartender, you're going to need to know how to make a bunch of concoctions with weird names and weird ingredients. A screwdriver is simply orange juice and vodka so that one's easy to remember, but they get harder.

This "postal" worker has to be careful not to drop any "envelopes" when being barked at by "dogs."

It is scientific fact that dogs don't like mailmen, but we don't fully understand why. These postal workers usually work for the government but can also work for a private delivery company. If it weren't for them, we would never get our mail.

Who should you visit if you have a "toothache," "cavity" or need a "filling"?

Broken bones, childbirth and back problems are commonly listed as some of the worst pain a human being can face, but never underestimate the pain from a toothache or cavity. Some tooth pain is simply unbearable and requires immediate dental attention.

If you're familiar with "Python," "Java" and "Ruby," you might consider a career as a?

There are a bunch of different programming languages in the world, and they have become some of the most important languages in the world in the 21st century. Almost everything we interact with today functions because of a programming language.

Can you name the person who "studies" "fossils" and the "environment"?

Geologists focus on geology, and the main difference between paleontologists and archaeologists is that archaeologists also study human remains and paleontologists don't. An anthropologist studies humans and society.

What do you call a public "servant" who is "elected" to manage government "legislation"?

The No. 1 job of any politician is to serve the needs of the people who elected them to office. Politicians do this by listening to the electorate, drafting legislation, reviewing laws, passing and enacting laws and keeping each other in check.

Someone who regularly drops "habeus corpus," "pro bono" or "quasi" in a sentence might professionalize in what practice?

The legal system is full of confusing jargon that nobody can understand except for lawyers, and to make things more complicated, legalese is full of a ton of Latin terms that are essential to navigating the judicial system.

Who does the world depend on for "corn," "wheat" and "rye"?

Kentucky's bourbon industry is the biggest in the world, and the spirit is one of the country's most important exports. More than 95% of the world's bourbon comes from Kentucky, and it wouldn't be possible without America's farmers.

What professional is supposed to search for "truth" and "inform" audiences in an "objective" manner?

A journalist's goal is to discover and document the truth (the closest approximation of reality) and then relay that information to necessary audiences in an objective manner. This sounds like a horrible business plan today, but it is what journalists should do.

The person who officially "hires" and "fires" "employees" works for what department?

Not many employees like to become friends with the person who might let them go, and that person works in the human resources department. Human resource employees deal directly with any issue an employee might have.

Who's going to take care of your "pets" and "plants" when you're on "vacation"?

The most difficult part about going on vacation is getting the time off from work, but once you do that, the second most difficult part is finding someone to watch your house while you're gone. A house sitter is someone who will feed your cat and water your plants while you tan in Monaco.

A person who "serves" "food" and depends on "tips" is called a what?

Waitstaff in America are legally allowed to be paid under the minimum wage because they depend on tips for salary. It is the universal job of actors and artists around the world, and it is customary to tip at least 15% in America.

Who's "responsible" for "balancing" a company's "books"?

An accountant has to practice supreme attention to detail and be well-versed in arithmetic. Just placing a decimal point in the wrong spot can cost a company millions of dollars, so accountants can't afford to daydream all day at work.

Have you ever seen the "blueprints" or original "design" for the "Eiffel Tower"?

An architect is someone who plans and designs the construction of buildings and structures like the Eiffel Tower, which is one of the most famous structures in the world. The company that built it also built a really fancy McDonald's in Budapest.

There is nothing worse than standing in a "checkout" line that has a broken "register" and slow "receipt" printer.

A cashier is responsible for managing a store's checkout line and cash register. In this day and age, it is becoming more common for customers to function as their own cashiers and ring up items themselves, but old-school stores still have cashiers.

"Eminem," "Jay-Z" and "Lil Wayne" are examples of what?

These guys are rappers, but more specifically, they're lyricists. A lyricist is the person who writes the lyrics for a song. A composer is the person who writes the song's melody. A rapper is the person who raps the words to a song.

Whose "couch" might you sit on when you want to discuss "questions" about your "mental" state?

A psychologist is someone you can talk to about anything and they will work with you to resolve any mental stress, anxiety or illness you might have. A psychiatrist prescribes medication and a psychologist doesn't.

"Organization," "friendliness" and "phone" skills are important skills for everyone to learn.

A company's receptionist has to set the tone of the company through the phone. They should have exceptional phone skills and radiate trust, friendliness and expertise whenever they answer the phone or greet a visitor.

Do you know how to "shuffle" "cards" and stack "chips"?

Where did all these French names for jobs come from? A croupier is a fancy word for a casino dealer. Croupiers don't really need to know how to shuffle anymore, but they should know how to operate a card-shuffling machine. Counting chips and monitoring payouts are big parts of the job.

The key to a "portfolio" that "yields" consistent "profits" is diversity.

Your stock broker's goal is to make you as much money as possible. The safest way to reap consistent profits from your portfolio is to make it is as diverse as possible. A portfolio that is dependent on just a few stocks is a risky portfolio.

What "writing" "expert" prefers a "red" pen to a black one?

Novelists have some very weird habits, but they usually don't prefer to write their novels in red pen. Editors, on the other hand, use red pens to correct writers' work. Red pens were pretty much invented for editors and are rarely used for any other reason.

Who is best qualified to perform a "craniectomy," "lobotomy" or "cranioplasty"?

Neurosurgery is one of the most complicated practices in medicine and focuses on the human brain. Lobotomies have been performed for more than a century and cranioplasty dates back to the ancient Mayans, but today's procedures are a lot different and more advanced.

A brand's "slogans," "taglines" and "catchphrases" are essential to its success.

Copywriters are behind some of the biggest brand slogans in the world. Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Ford, Pfizer and any company you can imagine employs copywriters to craft copy that attracts consumers.

Are you "certified" in "fitness" "instruction"?

Anyone with a smartphone and a social media account can call themselves a personal trainer these days, but a personal trainer should be certified in fitness and health instruction, as well as emergency procedures like CPR.

Who is the person who works with "passengers" on a "plane" and "travels" the world?

The glamorous life of a flight attendant may or may not actually be glamorous. They have to deal with a lot of unruly passengers and all the disgusting stuff that happens on airplanes, but they do get to travel the world for free.

Who are you going to call when you have a "leaky" "sink" or wonky "toilet"?

It's always good to learn some basic maintenance skills when buying a house, but if not, you can always call a plumber, electrician or handyman over when something goes awry. A plumber specializes in your home's plumbing and pipes.

Professionals who specialize in "liposuction," "rhinoplasty" and "Botox" are some of the highest paid in the industry.

Plastic surgery started as a treatment for soldiers who endured facial scars, but today is an augmentation for celebrities around the world. Some of the poorest places need the best doctors, but the best doctors often go into practices like plastic surgery because they pay astronomically more.

What person in the "courtroom" gets to use a "gavel" to control "trial" proceedings?

The judge is the king of the courtroom, and when they aren't trying to stay awake, they are keeping order in the courtroom and making sure the trial runs smoothly. Judges are sometimes appointed and sometimes elected, and some of the most powerful judges in the world sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Who should you visit to get a "prescription" for "eyeglasses" or "contacts"?

When you need new glasses or contacts, you should visit an optometrist. These professionals specializes in vision and light refraction. An ophthalmologist focuses on more serious eye diseases like glaucoma.

"Driving" "cross-country" in an "18-wheeler" can become dangerous without adequate rest.

Truck drivers in America are required to rest at least 10 hours after working a 14-hour shift. Driving while tired is just as dangerous as driving under the influence, and driving the biggest truck on the road while tired makes everything more dangerous.

If you've cooked pasta, you know what "al dente" means, but do you know what "au gratin" and "au poivre" mean?

Pasta is one of the easiest dishes to make. All you have to do is let it sit in boiling water for 10 minutes. Pasta cooked al dente is actually slightly undercooked and is firm to the bite. This helps enhance the taste of the actual pasta.

This person might tell you to "shush" if you have an excuse for your "overdue" "books."

Librarians get bad raps as really strict Debbie Downers who don't like having fun and require silence at all time, but that's not the case. A librarian is just somebody who helps around a library and makes sure everybody can find what they need.

Who specializes in "buzz" and "fade" "cuts"?

The buzz cut, crew cut and fade are some of the most popular hair styles every barber must learn how to create. Barbers usually focus on trimming men's hair and facial hair, and hairdressers prioritize styling over cutting.

What do you call a person who oversees a company's "Facebook," "Instagram" and "Twitter" pages?

A social media manager is one of the most popular jobs of the 21st century. Almost every brand today needs a social media presence, which means almost every brand needs a social media manager. These people should have their fingers on the pulse of the brand's digital chatter.

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About This Quiz

The history of humans in the workforce is a complicated one. We used to just roam around and wait for real animals like lions and tigers to finish eating big animals like buffalo and wildebeest so we could walk over and scrape for bone marrow, something lions and tigers didn't care for. We were the laziest animal in the kingdom, but all that physical laziness allowed our brains to evolve.

We quickly realized that instead of roaming the land for food like everyone else, we could domesticate crops like wheat and barley and create a never-ending supply of food, and that's what we did. The Agricultural Revolution gave rise to society and put a high priority on work and labor. People worked sunrise to sunset and life depended on it. 

Iron and steel were discovered, society flourished and humanity ran away. Millennia later, somebody saw steam blow the lid off a boiling pot of water and steam power was born. The Industrial Revolution introduced a slew of even more professions, and the specification of timekeeping created the modern workforce. Employees began working set hours and worker rights became a thing. 

Now we're in the middle of the Digital Revolution, and out-of-this world jobs like Snapchat Editor and Uber driver are real things. With every social revolution comes more and more job definitions. Have you been keeping up? If we give you three words, can you match them to the right profession?

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