To ask do you have a "job" or a "career"?

[bennibooboo]

Had this conversation with my cousin. I was complaining about work and how stressed I was this week and she said that "it's only a job" to which I said well it's my career, I love it and I want to move forward etc etc. She said that to her work is just a job...not a career. She works for money each month and that is it.

So it got me thinking? Do you have a "job" or a "career" or is it both to you?

Career. Trained for five years. But at times it just feels like a job and I wish I didn't care as much.

I used to have a career, till I got screwed over and sacked for something I didn't do so that they could employ someone else, so now I have a job, it pays the bills and I have some left over at the end of the month too. I'm too old to start again, so this will always be "just a job" for me

Career

@indianelephant

I have a job. F**ked about at school. Left without GCSE's. Had my 3 children throughout my 20's. Now I just work the tills at my local shop. I hate it and so wish I'd taken a different path 😞 I was always in the top sets while at school too. And I read a lot. I think I'm quite intelligent and am so envious of people with careers. I'm always telling my children to just try their hardest at everything they put their hands too so they can find happiness in the jobs they find in the future.

There are loads of apprenticeships around at the moment. It’s never too late to look into doing something where you feel valued and satisfied. People think they are just for school leavers but they are definitely not. I don’t know your current salary, but even if an apprenticeship is low paying at the start, the vocational qualification will lead to higher paying roles afterwards. All the best

I have a career.
No qualification whatsoever, there weren't any in this field when I started to work anyway.
But I've always worked in that field and grew more and more passionate about it as I acquired expertise.
My career choice is the one thing I have zero doubt or regret about.

This said, as much as I love my job, I'm pretty good at not overworking or overthinking about it once my day is over.

I have a career. To be honest I would have been in a better place in a lot of ways if I had in the past treated it as job , in someway it has taken a lot from me but I am ultimately hardwired to be driven even when I don't want to be.

I'm in an industry that is often claimed to not be a career and "just" a job but honestly that's a bit ridiculous and laughed at a bit by those higher up because there is huge interesting progression if you want it. There's also extremely technical skills involved on the right role.

I've balanced it this time and going back to work after the Pandemic madness I'm going into a role that is less frontline but hugely rewarding and interesting and there is a lot of options for progression, my goal is to balance things more. No 80 hour weeks again but also progression and interest (and money). I feel quite lucky to have got this opportunity because I was worried my career had tanked over the last year.

That said I have a sideline (Not MLM which I think is vile) which is far more what I want to be remembered by so to speak.

I have a job.... I've stepped back and reduced hours.
Covid and furlough made me realise I would rather have time than the money so I'm going back on the minimum I need .

Definitely a career
It requires a specific advanced degree and continuously building skills.

Career. I'm a doctor and my whole identity is tied up with what I do.

At the end of a difficult or harrowing day though, I do try to remind myself that it is also just a job.

I had a career in a field where I worked my way up and was I really ambitious - but it didn't require much in the way of qualifications.

Now (post DC) I have a job in a field where I actually have/use more qualifications but progression isn't something I'm that bothered about. I'd rather do a good job every day without the stress of constantly worrying about the next step. It's definitely a career for some of my colleagues though.

A career. I definitely didn’t know where my interests would take me right out of education though. Parts of my professional world didn’t even exist when I was in school and other parts I didn’t know existed until I was in the profession.

I consider it a career because I read about it outside my work time and go looking for things to expand my professional knowledge. I really enjoy my work, I’d hate to not do it. It's not just about money, I feel like I’m making a difference in the world. I can’t say I’ve dreaded going to work.

If I won the lottery tomorrow I'd never work again. Not sure if that means I have a job or a career now?

I'm pretty high up and work hard but would happily walk away tomorrow if I didn't need the money.

My job/career doesn't define me.

A job. I work in sales and after my mat leave I will be working on reception again. Definitely job!!
I dont know if I am good or passionate enough about anything to have a career...

A vocation, I am a foster parent, the hours are long, the financial rewards are small but the emotional reward is huge.

I used to have a career. (I used to marvel at the fact I got paid to my job - I would have carried on with it if I won the lottery !)

Now I have a job. (Fits around the kids)

Priorities change.

I have a job. Had the career and the stress and long hours that came with it and hated it. Yes the money was good but it couldn't buy my mental health which was suffering so I took a step back and completely changed industries. I'm happier now and my work life balance is great so it was a risk that paid off.

I have what other people may describe as a career. I have been to uni 3 times, have postgraduate qualifications and am a registered professional with a lot of experience...

That said, I only ever see it as a job. A job I'm good at, qualified and experienced in and a job I will continue to do, gaining further skills and qualification BUT all of my real focus is on my life outside of work. I don't feel motivated enough by my job to call it a career at all.

A portfolio career, which is now three self employed businesses and some freelancing, but for a long time was a full time day job and side businesses.

I have a job, not a career.

But I'm also a single mother, to two lovely children, one of whom is autistic.

A job. I have no desire for promotion or extra responsibility. I'm quite happy to clock off at 5 and forget the place exists and get my pay packet each month. 😂 I used to think it would be a career. But it soon drained any life or happiness outta me 😂😂

I had a very demanding professional career as a fresh graduate, then a part time job when I had children, then back to a side-step career when I went back full time and tripled my salary and seniority over 10 years in a fast moving demanding field.

I am now in the head role with nowhere else to go and lots of responsibility. I think I will do this for as long as I can until the dcs graduate from university and then will scale back to a part time job and down shift towards retirement.

I am pretty exhausted. It has been quite a ride.

@secretllama

Job. I work to make money and couldn't care less about progressing.... in fact, actively don't want to progress. I dont want more responsibilities and stress. I like the fact if I don't know something or it's a big issue I can pass it to someone higher than me. Luckily the level I'm at now is enough for me to live a comfortable lifestyle!

exactly this

I have a job I love in Oz- I really enjoy the variety to my day& autonomy with the option to work long days and have more days off if it suits.
The clients I work with are diverse and interesting& I get paid 2.5x what I earned in the UK The company is big on work/life balance and internal promotion and a lot of the staff have been around for years.

Career. I like what I do.
That’s not to say I wouldn’t leave tomorrow and not look back if I won the lottery, but I do genuinely enjoy the work.

I’m a GP. Other people probably think of me as having a career and in my younger days I would have agreed but I now consider it a job. Possibly because that’s the only way to survive it. Possibly also because I don’t want further hours or responsibility and am satisfied at the moment staying in my current role. I might feel differently when my child is all grown up and I have less stress in my life generally.