Practitioners should not let themselves be defined by just one word.
How do you respond when asked, “What do you do for a living?” It shouldn’t be tough, but answering that question can be an exhausting exercise in diplomacy and obfuscation. If you say that you are an auditor, almost inevitably the person then asks, “Oh, do you work for the Internal Revenue Service?” Or some may just suddenly disappear in search of what they believe will be a more interesting conversation — such as the rate of moss growth on redwoods or observations on the drying of paint. Even if they don’t run away, their eyes have usually rolled to the back of their head by that point as they check out of the conversation, mentally filing your mug shot in The Hall of Individuals With Whom I Will Never Talk Again. All because of one word — auditor.
