What TV and films get wrong about these common jobs

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

Some of us have learned much of what we know (or think we know) through films and TV. Maybe we've even had childhood inspiration to try and follow a career path because of an actor's portrayal of a lawyer, a doctor, or a teacher.

But how realistic are these representations? Do they ring true, or are they all phony? To tell us the whole truth, a Reddit thread posed the question, "What do movies get wrong about your job?" Luckily, a group of people who actually do these jobs in the real world decided to give some feedback.

Click through the gallery and see if these jobs sound better or worse than you imagined!

Journalists

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

Journalism is less about secret meetings in obscure and dangerous locations, and far more being stuck to a desk and hammering away at the keyboard to make a deadline.

Lecturers

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

Not all teachers in universities or high schools are greatly inspirational and change all of their students' lives in one semester forever!

Scientists

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

Laboratories are often shown as places inhabited by “mad scientist” types. Bright-colored fizzing chemicals line the room. In reality, in most labs, things are mostly far less colorful and far more mundane.

Restaurant workers

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

The work shown onscreen is nearly always more civil and involves far less screaming and shouting than in real life. The pace is just too slow to be realistic.

Political campaigners

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

Most political campaigns are not corrupt or insane—many are just quite boring! There is a job to be done and the cesspit shown in films and television is often entirely unrealistic.

Archaeologists

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

Attention to detail in looking at artefacts and taking notes is far more relevant to the profession than raiding temples and jumping off cliffs.

Lawyers

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

The image of a lawyer yelling at a witness in a courtroom is not based in reality. Months of preparation go into cases before trials occur, and there are strict rules.

Musicians in bars

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

Not everybody who plays music in bars is depressed, an alcoholic, or desperately waiting for their big break. Some of them may well actually enjoy their jobs.

Bookshop workers

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

People who work in bookshops are often paid poorly and over-worked. It is not quite the sophisticated and glamorous job depicted in films.

Actors

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

Acting, for the most part, can be uneventful, especially for small part players. A huge amount of time is simply spent sitting around waiting to work.

Tattoo artists

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

Not all tattoo artists work in shops with secret drug dens in the back, or have sleazy, criminal recreational habits. Most are normal people making a living.

Architects

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

Not every architect is as glamorous and wealthy as they are portrayed in films. Many are simply making a decent living and getting by like the rest of us!

Doctors and nurses

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

Doctors and nurses are not portrayed accurately at all. Many of their decisions are far too impulsive. There is strict protocol in the real world!

Private investigators

Journalists, Lecturers, Scientists, Restaurant workers, Political campaigners, Archaeologists, Musicians in bars, Bookshop workers, Tattoo artists, Architects, Doctors and nurses, Private investigators

The job of a private investigator is not nearly as exciting or glamorous as you might think. There is a lot of paperwork involved, and naturally some surveillance.

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