Job vs. Career

Question:

What’s the difference between a job and a career?

Answer:

Good question!

The difference is highly subjective. Two people working side-by-side, doing the same work in the same company, can easily have different opinions as to whether what they’re doing is their job or their career.

You can decide to take a job on the fly. Maybe you need to put food on the table. Maybe it sounds interesting. Maybe it’s just something that somebody needs to do, and for whatever reason, you’re elected.

Career decisions should be made very carefully, and that will take time. You’ll want to consider your skills and talents; your education, and whether you’ll need more of it; and what the opportunities for growth look like.

The biggest difference between a job and a career is the timeline. A job can last as little as an hour. A career lasts for decades. You can change careers, but it’s going to be a significant transition, and may involve training and relocation. You’ll want to be able to see yourself going into the future in your career.

Sometimes a job turns into a career. Maybe you took a job, intending it to be for the short term, but then you fall in love with it. Or you don’t, but it seems too hard to get out of it, so you hang on for years. (Don’t let that happen to you.)

If you find yourself in the latter situation, don’t give up. Many people have changed careers before, and maybe you can too. It won’t be easy, but Workforce Services can help. We can help you make a good decision for the rest of your career; identify whatever training you need; possibly help with an internship or on-the-job training, to be sure you’ve made a good choice. We have many resources for you, all of them at no cost. Check it out! You’ll be on your way to a better career soon.