Survival is very important for almost everyone, and in today’s generation, in order to survive, one needs to have enough resources.
Resources can be food, shelter, clothing and the like. To be able to acquire these resources, one would need to have money to buy them, and in order to gain money, one needs to work.
People in two different categories can view a position or work; one can see it as a job, while the other may consider it a career.
Key Takeaways
- A job is a specific role or position a person holds temporarily in exchange for payment.
- A career is a long-term occupation or profession that a person pursues to advance and grow in that field.
- Jobs may not necessarily be related to long-term career goals, while careers typically involve growth and development in a specific field.
Job vs Career
The difference between a job and a career is how a person treats their work. If a person feels like they are doing the work to get their salary, they consider it a job. But if a person feels like doing the work gives them a sense of fulfilment and helps them grow, then they consider it their career.
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Below is a deeper understanding of the differences between a job from a career.
Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Job | Career |
|---|---|---|
| Duration of Goal | Short Term | Long Term |
| Growth in Job | Not necessary; very low | The goal is to reach the peak |
| Purpose | To get salary | To gain experience |
| Result after work | Exhausted | Feeling Productive |
| Level of Effort | At a minimum, give what is asked | Exceed expectation |
What is a Job?
A job is a task or group of tasks one is expected to finish effectively. Most people get jobs to earn a living.
There are different kinds of jobs, and two of the main difference includes part-time and full-time jobs. Full-time jobs mean that an employee would work for at least 8 hours daily and do the job on a daily basis.
Part-time jobs can be done in less than 8 hours, and it is not necessarily done on a daily basis.
Some people take whatever job is available, even if it is not their passion or not their field. As long as they can earn money, that would be enough for them to survive daily.
Usually, people do not have a sense of fulfilment in their jobs. They deliver what is asked and go home on time.
They are working so that they can live. They need their jobs for survival.
What is Career?
The career gives a deeper connection to one’s work. Just like a job, it is also a group of tasks.
However, a person sees these tasks as challenges to improve themselves. A career is more personal than a job.
People usually consider their careers as a field they are passionate about. They care about their tasks and go beyond what is expected of them.
They use all their skills and everything they have learned to make sure they deliver effective and efficient work.
They see themselves being in the same field for a long time, maybe not in the same position, but on a higher level. People who see their tasks as their career are those people who are living so they can work better.
Main Differences Between Job and Career
- Job is done on a short-term basis, while a career is more long-term. For people with jobs, their goal is to finish the task and get paid. While for people with careers, their goals do not revolve around pay alone. Their goal is to be able to help the company in the long run by doing a great job.
- A career is for people who want to grow in their field, while a job is for people who only care about getting the job done. People in their careers have more extended plans, like getting promoted and going for higher responsibilities, while those with the job would usually end their employment and find another job once they get bored. What matters to them is that they earn their salary.
- The purpose of having a job is to earn money, while the purpose of a career is to gain experience and connections. People with jobs are concerned with their salary alone so they can buy their necessities for survival. But with a career, it is not just the salary. It is more than that; it means being able to finish a job that can help their growth and positively affect their company.
- With a job, one exerts little to just enough effort to complete the task, while with a career, one goes beyond expectation. This also means that people with careers don’t usually mind the number of hours they spend doing their tasks. They are willing to work the extra mile if they finish it efficiently. While people with jobs usually start their work on time and go home on time. They do not see the importance of exerting extra effort if they cannot earn more from it.
- People with jobs go home exhausted, while people with careers finish their work feeling productive. After their work, people with careers feel happy and are looking forward to working the next day, while people with jobs feel tired and would not want to work anymore, but they need to because they need their salaries.
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
