There is a considerable difference between just holding down a job and developing a career. However, people can hold several jobs during the course of their career, if the jobs all involve the same or related fields of work. Working hard in a field of employment that you are passionate about over the course of your working life is considered your career while working hard in a job you don’t care much about can be stressful and discouraging. A job you have no passion for is just a means to a pay packet. For many, a job is about survival, not growth
A career is where someone can pursue their passion and progress in their chosen field or profession, whereas a job is just a position of regular employment that provides a regular wage. If we examine the parameters of the job, we can recognize certain typical characteristics.
It is a means to earn an agreed rate of regular wages, to earn a livelihood
Some job-related training may be required
Is often considered a boring grind and unfulfilling
This can build resentment and dissatisfaction with the job
The worker may do the bare minimum required to get through the shift
It is usually short term in duration
While the job is a means to earn income by trading your time for money, it often doesn’t instill a great sense of loyalty or dedication. Work you don’t enjoy or you find boring can cause stress. Workers are often on the lookout for a better opportunity and don’t hesitate to switch to a new position elsewhere. Exploring the features of a career, however, builds a different picture. A career is a profession or occupation that often follows specialist field education and training and becomes a person’s life work.
Building a lifelong work history in the same field
Is viewed as a long-term employment proposition
Provides a pathway of progression towards lifelong goals
Often requires education in a specialist field
A person’s career is an occupation that spans a significant period of their working life. It can be a series of jobs in the same field, that work towards fulfilling their long-term goals and ambitions. It is not just about making money to survive, it’s something more. It is usually built around someone’s passion and dedication to a particular field of interest. In a devoted career path, the person is more interested in enjoying job satisfaction than just the money.
In conclusion, a dedicated career is a journey, not a job. People invest their time and devotion in following their dreams and their goals. A career gives the individual a path to do what they love during their working life while gaining satisfaction and fulfillment along the way.
