(Akiit.com) At school, we tend to receive career advice and career guidance. This is all well and good, and will help many students find their path in life.
Nevertheless, there is a simple fact of life: for many people, they don’t have a career. That might call it that, use the term interchangeably, but what they really have is a job.
What’s The Difference Between A Career And A Job?
As a simple definition:
A career is something that you do almost as a vocation. It’s something you take very seriously, enjoy, or at least find some level
of satisfaction from doing. You have a distinct career path in mind and always know your next steps. Of course, it’s important you receive financial compensation for the work you provide, but this is rarely the main focus of what you have chosen to do with you life.
A job is the exact opposite of this. It’s something that people do for money. They take it seriously, but it’s not something they have truly immersed themselves in. It’s the kind of role where you are paid by the hour in the majority of cases. There is no particular path for progression in mind; there might be promotions in the future, but these more happen by chance than by any defined plan.
Is It Better To Have A Career Or A Job?
This will always be subjective, of course. For some people, they work to live, and don’t particularly care what they do with their days. If you’re happy like that, then more power to you – not everything is about work.
However, most will find satisfaction in a career rather than a job. The feeling of being good at something, being capable, being able to progress and have a future in mind for yourself.
How Can A Job Become A Career?
This is perhaps the key question. If you’re in a job and like your industry, then how can you transform your career path from a rather haphazard “this’ll do” approach, to something more focused?
There are always routes regarding education you can take, even from entry level positions, to show your willingness to commit to a particular field. A teacher can specialize; a nurse can undertake an MSN FNP program; a store clerk can take qualifications to improve their management and customer service skills in anticipation of promotion. These transformations take the baseline job, and then focus in on specific areas.
Will Morphing A Job Into A Career Make Life Better?
The golden question, for which there is no answer that will work for everyone.
While a career is doubtlessly more fulfilling than just turning up and waiting for a paycheck, it also tends to involve more stress. You will be more invested in your career and nurturing it to be the best it can be, which is a sacrifice that some people aren’t willing to make.
For the most part though, taking a basic job and turning it into a valuable, satisfying career will improve their life exponentially. Why don’t you look into the options in your workplace, and see which might benefit you?
Staff Writer; James Law