Work & Career in Russian

«Кем ты работаешь?» — literally as whom do you work? — is the second question of every Russian acquaintance. The answer runs on the instrumental case, and the workplace itself runs on a naming system worth understanding: the patronymic.

The Professions

Working AS Someone

работать + instrumental — your profession is the instrument:

Becoming

Я хочу стать программистом.

I want to become a programmer.

Note: стать + instrumental — becoming is wearing a new role.

And studying toward it: учиться в университете (at university), учиться на курсах (on a course).

Иван Петрович: the Patronymic

Common Mistakes

Я работаю врач. The role takes the instrumental: врачом.
Addressing Иван Петрович as «господин Петрович». Петрович isn't a surname — use имя-отчество whole: Иван Петрович.
стать + nominative. Стать программист → программистом. Becoming bends.

What You Can Do Now

You can answer «Кем вы работаете?» properly, talk about career plans, and address Russian colleagues the way they address each other — имя-отчество and вы.