Question – are you searching for a job or a career? Do you even know the difference? Is there a difference?
In short, yes, there is a difference between a job and a career…but here is the thing, you can have a job within your career, but not a career within your job. Confused yet?
What if we add ‘work’ to the equation? Is there a difference between work, job and career or are they all different words meaning the same thing? Well, no. There is great difference between the three, however, they do interrelate and you can have a career, work and a job all at the same time.
We promise, we are not trying to puzzle you, so if you just stick with us a little longer, we will break it all down and then show you how it all ties back into one another.
But first, let us ask you this – is flipping burgers at a fast food joint a job, work or career? What do you think? Well, keep reading for the answer.
Alright, here is the time we make it all make a little more sense. Let us first define the three.
The definition of a job is “…a paid position of regular employment”. However, it does not always have to be paid – it can also be “…a task or piece of work…” For example, it is your job to look after your children or your job at home to take out the rubbish.
Definition of work is “…an activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or results.” So, for example, you could be working on yourself to be a better version of you, or work on your art project, work on your cooking skills, work on building a network. It does not have to be paid.
Last definition ‘Career’. It is defined as “…an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress”. You cannot say it is your career to take out the rubbish.
A career is something you clearly and very specifically select for yourself to do as an employment where you can scale, grow and achieve measurable results. It is a particular activity that not only brings an income, but so much more. A career usually comes about with big goals that are personal, and usually very meaningful to an individual. The reasons for a career progression vary; for some it is for status, and others it is for personal satisfaction and desire.
By breaking this down, we can see that a career is something you invest time in, your energy and dedication to make it a part of your life in a significant form. It goes beyond material gains. Many feel defined by their careers and the direction it has or has not gone.
Within our careers we have jobs. So, for example an individual has chosen the career of Chef. After completing their courses, perhaps in hospitality, they do not walk out of the class and into a 5 star, Michelin restaurant as a Head Chef. They get a job as a Cook, work their way up to a job as a Chef, then Sous Chef, Head Chef and hopefully Executive Chef. These are the various jobs within the industry they can work in and aspire to accomplish. Remember, a job is a paid position within regular employment. If the career goal for a Chef is to become an Executive Chef, they will continue working for an extensive amount of time within the various roles to progress their careers. Yes, work. You work in a job. Because, in the job that you do, you are working – using mental and physical effort to perform the task/job. You do this job to build your career so you can progress: you have to work for your career.
So as you can see, you really do all three. There is no version where you are not in a job or working if you want to have a career. However, you can work and have a job, but no career. For example, you may not have a direction or idea where you want your career to go, so you are working in a role that simply pays your bills until you figure it out.
So is flipping burgers a job, work or career? Well, that is a very personal answer and will vary from individual to individual. It really all depends on what you want your career to be, there is no right or wrong. It is personal to you and that is the beauty of it.
