Job Vs.

Career
What Is A Job?
• While the terms “job” and “career” are often used to mean the same thing, they really
are conceptually different.
• If you work a part-time job in your youth in order to have extra spending money, it
isn’t likely you’d refer to it as a career. Why?
• The reason is that a job is something you do without much concern for the long-term.
You get a job to buy your first car, to have extra spending money, to learn about work,
or to pay the bills.
• When young people work part-time in retail sales jobs, they aren’t thinking of it as a
career.
• The same goes for senior citizens who take on jobs after they’ve retired. It is simply
work done in exchange for money. Jobs are important for people of all ages.
• A job can put food on the family table. Some jobs even earn people high wages.
Advice About Jobs
• At a typical job, your goal is usually just to get the task done and not annoy
the boss. All you really want from a job is a regular paycheck and a positive
reference from the boss, and all you have to do to get that done is to get
your tasks done and stay out of the way.
• This means that you shouldn’t be investing significant emotional energy
into the job. Just do what you’re supposed to do with the minimum amount
of expended mental and physical and emotional energy, and save that
energy for other endeavors.
• If your employment situation sounds more like a job than a career, you
shouldn’t be killing yourself for it. You should be doing the tasks that are
required, then conserving your energy for the other things going on in your
life – a second job, raising a family, trying to jump-start a career, and so on.
List of Jobs
1. Cashier
2. Fast Food Cook
3. Janitor
4. Newspaper Carrier
5. Dishwasher
6. Waiter
7. Stock Clerk
8. Crossing Guard
9. Security Guard
10. Sewing Machine Operator
What Is A Career?
• So there must be a difference between a job and a career.
• Why are jobs that students or senior citizens work not considered careers? The answer lies in the
end goal.
• Students are striving to become educated in a certain field where they will continue to learn and
grow and advance by the work they do.
• A finance major may work in retail sales, but she doesn’t intend to build directly upon that
experience. A retired person has no reason to build a career, often he or she has already done so,
and therefore the work is just for the purposes of money or to stay social and active.
• Most careers start with education. Many people work jobs because they don’t have the education
needed to enter careers, though jobs can certainly turn into careers, regardless of type of
employment. Careers are about building on experience and advancing your job skills and knowledge.
• You can apply for a job, but you can’t apply for a career. A job is given to you; a career is made by
you.
Advice About Careers
• In a career, however, your goal is to not only get the task done, but it’s also to learn
skills, gain experiences, build connections, and put yourself in position for
promotions, raises, and possibly similar positions in other organizations. That’s a lot
more than just getting the task done, and that means putting your ear to the
grindstone.
• In other words, you should be investing at least some emotional energy into a career.
You should be looking for ways that you can get promotions , raises and bonuses and
useful resume-building skills and experience. This means always going the extra mile
and doing tasks that are beyond your minimum job description, building positive
relationships with people around you, and so on.
• You should fight hard for a career until you get to the level of success that you want.
That doesn’t mean alienating other pieces of your life. It means setting a professional
goal, figuring out what you have to do to get there, and getting to work.
List of Careers
1. Teacher
2. Dentist
3. Pharmacist
4. Engineer
5. Computer Programmer
6. Cosmetologist
7. Editor
8. Chef
9. Registered Nurse
10. Video Game Designer
What Is The Difference Between a Job & Career
• It might be easy to assume there's no difference between a job and a
career, but the educational requirements, personal satisfaction and
salary opportunities separate the two words.
• For example, you might hold a job before you complete an education;
afterward, you might embark on a career.
Differences In Fulfillment
• Sometimes a job is viewed as a means to an end.
• You might take a job to pay the bills, reduce debt or earn extra cash.
• A career is generally a vocation that you have chosen to bring a sense
of enjoyment, fulfillment or importance.
• Instead of merely working to make money, having a career can let you
find more meaning in the work you do.
• You will still make money in your chosen career, but the satisfaction
you'll get from doing your work will be just as important as this
financial gain.
Differences In Advancement Opportunities
• When you decide on a career, you will most likely put some thought
into your future and your goals.
• You might decide which position you'd like to eventually hold and what
you can do to accomplish this goal.
• With a job and no education, you are less likely to earn a promotion.
• This isn't to say that you can't advance in a job.
• If you find that you are dedicating more time and effort to your
advancement potential, it's possible that your job can become your
career.
• You'll find that this effort and planning are a large part of what makes a
career.
Do You Want A Job Or A Career?
• Whether a job or career is the right fit for you will depend on your
stage of life.
• Jobs can help people start careers in many ways – experience,
knowledge, learning about what they like and dislike.
• Eventually though, striving for a career is a very positive step because it
means you want more out of the work you do than a paycheck.
• You want to develop your talents, really enjoy what you do, and care
about how you spend your time each day.
• In addition, your earning potential is much higher in a career than in a
job in most cases.
 Comparison Chart
Career Job
A career is the pursuit of a lifelong ambition or the A job is an activity through which an individual can earn
What is it? general course of progression towards lifelong money. It is a regular activity in exchange of payment.
goals.
Usually requires special learning that includes Education or Special training may or may not be required
individualized components that develop abilities
Requirements beyond that which training is capable of.

A career may not mean stability of work as it A job is “safe”, as stability of work and income is there.
encourages one to take risks. The risks are often However shifting priorities, especially in resource jobs,
Risk taking internal and therefore planned. can abruptly change the demand and require relocation
which is an unstable factor. Risks may be completely
external.

Time Long term Short term

May have high value as social change/progress may May actually have a negative impact when
Contribution to be possible. counterproductive social practices are continued in the
society name of protecting jobs.
Is There More Stability In A Job Or A Career?
• This is a tricky question because job stability depends on so many factors. Job or
career stability depends on where you live, what line of work you’re in, and how
heavily saturated the market is with practitioners of that industry.
• If you aren’t interested in pursuing a career and you plan to work a job or some
combination of jobs as you go through life (food and beverage server, road worker),
you will probably have no problem finding a job. How stable the job is will depend
on how good an employee you are and how much need there is for your job. (Some
jobs are becoming obsolete, so the job outlook in 10 years from now will look
different than the job outlook is currently.)
• Pursuing a career can be a bit of a gamble, too. You generally invest years into
honing your skills and by the time you embark on that career, the outlook might be
different than it was when you first decided on your path. However, if you plan
ahead and study labor trends, you can better your chances of getting yourself on a
good stable career path.
Do You Earn More Money In A Job Or A Career?
• In general, a career allows you to earn more money than a job, but not in all cases. Usually, when
you have a career, you earn a salary—a set amount of money in exchange for a certain amount of
time. You may bring in a bi-weekly salary of $1200 in your career, with the understanding that you
will work approximately 80 hours in that time frame.
• With a job, you would be given an hourly wage and hours may vary. So, you might earn $12 per hour
rather than being given an agreed upon sum every two weeks. Your pay usually varies with a job, so
your income will probably change from week to week.
• Some people pursue a career for reasons other than salary, too. A priest, for instance, enters the
priesthood after receiving a calling. He’s usually not in it for the salary. A missionary pursues his or
her career for the greater good.
• So, to sum up, most people in university or college are there in pursuit of a career. Jobs are usually
something we do to earn money in the short term (maybe to help pay tuition), but that’s not to say
that lots of people enjoy working jobs and saving themselves the cost and stress that often
accompanies a post-secondary education.
• Everyone has a different path. For some, it ends up in a career and for others, it’s a job.
• What do you see for your future? What’s at the end of your path?
The Big Point
• Know going in whether or not this employment opportunity is a job or a
career. Ask yourself whether you hope to be promoted at some point, or
you just need to collect a paycheck.
• If you just need a paycheck, simply don’t become emotionally involved
at all. Do the tasks you’re told to do and conserve your emotional and
mental energy for the other pieces of your life. If you’re hoping that this
employment opportunity will push you on to other things, then turn on
the passion.
• Figuring this out right off the bat can save you a ton of investment in a
job. Save that investment for your family, your passions, or your career.
References
• Career Vs. Job. (2015). Diffen. Retrieved July 9, 2015, from http://
www.diffen.com/difference/Career_vs_Job
• Hamm, T. (2008). The Difference Between A Job and A Career. Retrieved July 9, 2015, from
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/the-difference-between-a-job-and-a-career/
• Mann, J. (2014). What’s The Difference Between A Career And A Job. Retrieved July 9, 2015
from http://nextnetwork.ca/whats-difference-career-job/
• The Difference Between a Job and Career. (2012). Job Interview Site. Retrieved July 9, 2015,
from
http://www.job-interview-site.com/job-vs-career-the-difference-between-a-job-and-a-care
er.html

• What Is The Difference Between A Job And A Career. (2015). Learn.org. Retrieved July 9,
2015, from http://
learn.org/articles/What_is_the_Difference_Between_a_Job_and_a_Career.html
Job Vs. Career Activities
• Job Vs. Career Worksheet
• Job Vs. Career Flyer: Create a Flyer on a Job and Career that are
related. Display information such as job requirements, education
needed, and salary. (Sample Included)
• Job Vs. Career Essay: In your own words, define job and career.
Discuss why jobs and careers are both important and why some
people may choose one over the other.