What is the meaning of the phrase “wrong line of work”?
When someone says that they are in the wrong line of work, they are basically saying that they are working in the wrong profession. So, think of “line of work” as meaning the same thing as “profession” or “industry that they are currently working in”. People usually use this phrase to mean that the current profession that they are in does not make them a lot of money, and that some other profession would be a lot more profitable for them. An example of how to use the phrase will help clarify what exactly it means.
Example of using phrase “wrong line of work”:
Joe: "Some doctors make over $400,000 per year!" Adam: "I am in the wrong line of work - as a budget analyst I only make $60,000 per year."