yeah, interesting. When I don't want to continue the conversation, I usually say something like "I build websites" and end with that. Even my least tech savvy relatives have used websites before.

For my more technically inclined relatives, I go a bit deeper and try to give a relevant example like "...when you deposit a check, I run some validations to make sure the check is valid, make sure this matches that, and issue a transaction to another system that does additional processing"....that's usually enough.

Ialways, always always, stay away from answers that might make me sound like some expert in setting up smart TVs, fixing printers, setting up a home wifi network, or being a zoom call expert etc. lol

Just say you build software, when they ask for specifics just throw some random term like "CI/CD, Kubernetes, Containerization, Virtualization, Keras, Tensorflow" or some other dangerously sounding word. Now watch them say "aha" and change topics. But if they insist on explaining more, say it's a trade secret and you cannot go into specifics.

Me [opening a beer]: I work with computers

"I create solutions for increasing business value for companies using binary technology."
If they ever find out I work with computers, I'd constantly be fixing everyone's wifi, installing Office and advising which phones to buy...

I explain to my parents with construction analogies.. like we're the "developers" and theirs an "architect".. and we "design" a software.. and then "build" it.. even "bugs" and "fixes".. It's easier and I think they get it too

Heh, I just ran into this today, trying to describe to family whatTugboat is. "It's like carbon copies for websites."

When my day-to-day job was architecture consulting and devops, I would say things like, "I help build the internet," which at least seemed to avoid the, "oh, my friend wants to do The Blog™, can you help?"

I tell my family that I develop the internet. Shape its existence such that their lives are made easier and more convenient.

Although it does backfire sometimes in a "smartphones make people dumb" kinda way, but this has been the most relevant way for me to tell my family what makes my employer provide my paycheque.

For me it really depends on the target audience.

if I don't want much conversation I just sayI get payed to hack stuff but no I won't help you hack your partner's facebook

If its more business targeted or a deeper convo about jobs then I would describe the various scopes, security, project management, company scale up and more.

I always start with an ELI5 version, something like “I take the boring processes and automate them so people aren’t bored”, lol. If they probe deeper I give an example: “well every time we release software, we publish this document. We used to copy & paste data into that document manually. I wrote some code to do it semi-autonomously”. At that point if they’re still thirsty for more then I just nerd out. 🤷🏽

I usually say that I do the same type of work as Chandler from Friends.