If you ask Wikipedia, someone’s job, or occupation, is their “role in society”. More specifically [it]… is an activity, often regular and performed in exchange for payment (for a living). In short, your job defines who you are and enables you to get by in the world today. If you subscribe to that view, a job is pretty much necessary and really important in your life. So, it should come as no surprise that your career can have a big impact upon your life as a whole!
What is the difference between a job, a profession and a career?
Generally speaking, it is considered to be the case that you have a Profession if you fill a role which requires specific training, learning, and/or licenses. Professional jobs include, for example, Dentistry, the practice of Law, or Teaching. The term Career, however, refers to the overall history and trajectory of your working life; each job you hold, professional or not, is a part of your career path.
Job categories
Jobs can be categorized in many ways, but, broadly speaking, there are some universal ones: full-time, part-time, seasonal, temporary, freelance, unpaid, and contract are some of the categories which are instantly recognizable, but their meanings can be flexible. For example, in the UK “full-time” means 40 hours per week, whereas in some other countries it means 37 hours.
Unpaid jobs
Unpaid jobs are found in many sectors of business and employ people from all walks of life. Unpaid jobs include volunteer work, work experience (usually through education), and of course internships.
Life expectancy
You might be surprised to hear that your line of work can have an effect upon your life expectancy; perhaps this is not so surprising when we tell you that high stress or very physically intense roles can have a negative impact you’re your life expectancy. But did you know that having a role you’re happy in can actually boost your life expectancy? It’s true; being happy in your job can lengthen your life!