What is the difference between a job and a career? What are the pros and cons of both? (collect, retirement plan)

[Haeley_Ramirez]

There has been some confusion between a job and a career for me.
Technically a job is really JUST A JOB for me but isnt a career like the same thing?
What is the main difference between a job and a career is there any difference?
Can't you make decent money with either one?

[Kaphawoman]

A career has room for advancement. A career is what you want to stick with for the rest of your life. You don't dream of doing something else, and you make enough money in it to feel satisfied.

[statisticsnerd]

Pay, education level required, and prestige are irrelevant. The way I see it is as follows:

Job = you are unengaged in what you are doing (it's just a paycheck and as long as the checks clear on time you're happy)
Career = you are engaged in what you are doing (you enjoy your work and are motivated to advance)

[BirdieBelle]

In my mind, it's just a difference in how you look at it, or what motivates you.

A "job" is just a way to get a paycheck. A "career" is something you enjoy doing and attempt to advance in while you're earning that paycheck.

So theoretically you could have a career doing what some people might consider a job.

**ETA looks like statisticsnerd and I had the same idea.

[Pragmaticus]

Here you have the entertaining definition of Job vs. Career



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnlNUZqFzgY

[jade408]

A job = limited opportunity for growth, you are there to collect a paycheck. You have no aspirations or goals to keep it other than keeping your paycheck.

A career = something you want to grow with and grow into. You want to see and measure progression.

[DorianRo]

Tough to say since under this economy there are mostly just jobs available, not careers. There aren't too many careers anymore

[pvande55]

Like the difference between a road and a journey. A career is what you do from graduation to retirement, generally in the same field. Jobs are part of the career. My career in Engineering has spanned many jobs. In some cases it is the same.

[azsportpilot]

this is a matter of perspective

in my opinion:

a career is:

Compensation: must pay a "living wage" (see below for def.)
Health insurance
some kind of retirement plan
full time
a job that will likely continue for many years

a Job is:
pay that is too low to maintain a normal standard of living.
no benefits or sub-standard benefits
probably temporary even if not advertised that way

Liv·ing wage
noun
a wage that is high enough to maintain a normal standard of living.

[grampaTom]

A job and a career can be part of the same thing. It really has nothing to do with the amount of money earned: one person may have a career as a history teacher and other a job as a heavy equipment operator and make more money.
A job is an agreement with an employer where you agree to perform a task in exchange for money. A previous poster noted that he was an engineer (his career) and, as such had several different jobs (money for services rendered) over the years.
Typically a career is a field (engineering, law, medicine, education) of study and work. In that career path a person can have several jobs (university, hospital, public defender's office...).