What is a White Collar Job?

Although dress codes have changed significantly over the years, many jobs are still defined by the traditional work shirts worn by those who perform them. Workers who primarily perform manual labor or other hands-on work often wear blue work shirts, for example. Jobs traditionally held by women, such as teaching or secretarial work, are considered to be pink collar jobs. A white collar job is typically associated with clerical, sales or managerial occupations. The traditional dress code for such work is often a white button-down dress shirt and tie.

Back in the days when the American economy was primarily agrarian, white collar jobs accounted for less than 20% of the total workforce. Today, the number of people who hold a white collar job is closer to 60%. As technology improves in a given industry, there is often a shift from blue collar workers who service the machinery to white collar workers who supervise and manage production. A white collar job is quite often associated with management, even if the employee's actual job duties are more hands-on than supervisory.

Clerical work in an office environment is generally considered to be the ultimate definition of a white collar job. A person who holds a white collar job may still be an hourly employee like his or her blue collar counterpart, or he or she may be salaried. This often means a white collar worker has a significant number of responsibilities and a longer work week than hourly blue collar workers. A white collar job description does not always provide protection from manual labor, however. Restaurant management, generally considered a white collar job, often requires managers to perform the duties of absent workers, for example.

Other types of white collar jobs include sales, accounting, advertising or customer service. These jobs are usually considered to be career-level vocations held by degreed or highly trained workers. Although modern business dress codes now allow for other "business casual" attire, many clerical and managerial workers are still encouraged to wear actual white collars in order to present a professional appearance to potential clients or the blue collar workers they may supervise.