Try having a deep voice that your appearance does not match. People you deal with over the phone want to meet you and when they do.............Yeah you know it, they find a friend over there they must talk to etc. Radio Djs suffer from this. Then there is the Govt job you have, yawn, "Oh I see a friend over there". The car that doesn't make it in the sexy stakes or you own a BMW but it is a motorbike not a car, yawn, "Oh I see a friend over there".

Don't worry you are not alone, but suffering along with thousands of others somehow does not make it easier. Sigh! yawn, "Oh I see a friend over there".

haha, because i've got "curves" i must never work out and must eat mcdonalds everyday. lol.

You seem lovely - don't let the stereotypes get you down!!!!

As a fellow accountant, I commiserate with you. During the good old single days, it would appear males were far more interested in you if you were a receptionist or secretary. Have not yet worked out if this is because guys are threatened by chics with brains, or if receptionists were perceived to be easier. Yep another stereotype??

I'm with you on the Accountant front!! However I was lucky enough to lure my now husband before I was actually qualified - so maybe thats how I got around it? And the idea that all accountants sit at home counting their pennies? Totally wrong. I spend more than anyone - however they are all logical purchases, well nearly all! The lamp last week totally matched the curtains I just brought, and the new wallpaper!!

You chose a boring uninteresting profession,which im guessing you only did because a job is always out there for accounting graduates. You had four years to realise that numbers is not as interesting as learning how the human body works or how our earth formed,yet you still complain about being stereotyped give me a break you made your bed now lie in it!!!

It is sad that we are so often defined by the jobs we do especially when for a lot of people their job is just what pays the bills.

I dont know what sort of look I have but my intelligence is often underestimated.. I remember being at someones house and a game show was on the telly, I start banging out the answers and the look of amazement I got that little ole me knew most of them was priceless.

I think we're all definitely stereotyped, possibly because on first meeting someone it's the easiest conversation starter. "Hi, I'm so-and-so," "Hi, I'm so-and-so. So, what do you do for a job?.." is generally how first introductions go.

As a journalist the comment to me is usually, "Oooh, better be careful what I say, or I might end up in the news!"

Ha-de-ha-ha. Like I haven't heard that one before.

My partner works at Westpac, and he definitely got all sorts of 'jokes' about "So, you going to give me a million dollars?" when that incident was all over the news a while back.

I think as long as people are actually still generally interested in what you do, it's fine. Laura, because you don't necessarily fit the 'sterotype' of an accountant, that would actually be more interesting to me, and if I met you at a party I'd ask you more about your job and how you got into it.

I'm an IT Architect (female). Most people don't even have a clue what I do, and then stop listening once I start to explain.

At 21 its hard to battle these stereotypes (but it sounds like you're doing a good job) but when you're 40 and successful (and hopefully rich!) spare a thought for the tiny little beauties in fashion and media" who have been spat and replaced with a younger version!

Heh, love this one, as I too am an accountant.....and do not sport a comb over or coke bottle glasses. I am lithe, young and fit as a trout. I have six tattoos, a penchant for bright or bogan clothing. Is quite amusing when A.....colleagues meet me for the first time, when you walk into a meeting, shake their hand and announce who you are the eyebrows raise, generally followed by ‘ohhh..’ (I work for a huge organisation so there are many many people here I have never meet,) or B, meeting strangers and the inevitable question of what you do comes up, again surprise, which I don’t really get, apparently we maintain the archaic attitude that girls can’t do maths. I even went to a job interview once and as I approached the potential employer in the cafe he tried to order a coffee from me.

I loathe the term ‘bean counter.’ I count no beans, in fact if I had any I am pretty sure I’d make like Jack and grow me a magical beanstalk to the land where I never have to work again. Neither am I boring, hell work calls me ‘Trouble’ so yeah, stereotype smeareotype.

Usually tho, I find being a young woman and the complete opposite of the stereotype gets me ahead. For example, I swear like a trooper and have a somewhat dirty sense of humour, yet it is seen as “cute” by my colleagues to have this little girl do such things, where as if I was a forty something balding male the HR complaints would be endless, so I cannot complain, I have been known to use my appearance and age to my advantage. Oh....and all IT people play World of Warcraft, male architects are gay, lawyers are arrogant, middle management are lazy, hospo people are drunks, personal trainers are vain and anyone who works in retail is dim. Accountant getting my own back.:)

I agree with you 100%. People should not be judged on first impressions, or career choices. Im a 23yr old female working in retail and plan on becoming a history teacher. When i tell people this they give you that certain look and you know exactly what they are thinking! A dull old man with hair sprouting out in all directions. 'You are who you are, no one can change that' I wonder if the stereotypes will ever disappear!