What Is A Career?: Definition, Examples, Types

Defining the Term “Career”

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a "career" is a person's "course or progress through life (or a distinct portion of life)".When we ask what is a career, it usually refers to an occupation, profession, vocation or employment.

The career path encompasses everything from your education and training to the jobs you take (whether paid or unpaid), as well as the skills you develop over time. For example, a career could mean pursuing a career as doctor, a career as lawyer, or a career as engineer or any other profession of your choice.

Understanding Career Goals

Once we understand what is a career, the next step is to define career goals. These are long-term professional aims that you set for yourself, based on your interests and ambitions. They are professional targets that you aim to achieve in your professional journey.

Career goals can be different, such as

• Short-term goals: Getting into a desired college or completing a certification.

• Long-term goals: Becoming a CEO, an IAS officer, or a research scientist.

Understanding what your career goal is and selecting the right academic path, developing relevant skills and gaining required experience are necessary to survive in this field.

What Is a Career Plan?

Since we now have clarity on what is a career and what a career goal is, let us understand what a career plan is. A career plan includes interim goals, eventual career goals, and all the efforts you make to achieve them.

For instance, if your goal is to become a software engineer, your plan could include:

• Choosing science and computer-related subjects in Class 11.

• Pursuing a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, followed by a master's in the same field.

• Gaining practical experience through internships in tech companies.

• Earning certifications in programming languages.

Read on to know more about what a good job is and what a corporate job is.

Types Of Career Paths

Students often face the dilemma of ‘What career should I choose?’ Understanding different types of career pathways can help you make a wise and calculated career decision.

Path 1: Exploring Different Jobs to Discover Your Niche

This involves trying out jobs unrelated to each other to finally gain clarity on your area. Working on different jobs might help you understand which profession suits you the best. When you explore these fields, you get a clear idea of what is a career and how to choose the right career for yourself. Examples of different careers include,

• Fashion Designer: These are experts in designing clothes, accessories and more. You can be interning in a fashion design studio, studying business, and later working at a BIG 4 company.

• Graphic Designer: These professionals create visuals for brands, including logos, advertisements and website layouts. In this profession, you can start as a freelance designer and then progress into a full-time role through internships in advertising agencies.

• Event Manager: He or she organises and manages events like weddings, corporate events or concerts. You can begin your career through internships in event planning firms, hotels or marketing companies to gradually grow in this role.

• Content Writer: He or she writes content like articles, blogs or even social media content for various companies. You might work as a freelance writer initially or intern at companies.

Understanding these examples also helps you analyse the top 5 factors for career options in India, like job demand, salary potential, skill requirements and growth opportunities.

Path 2: Advancing in the Same Profession

The second path involves advancing in the same occupation gradually as you gain experience. You can work in the same organisation or at different companies for the same profession.

For example,

• Teacher: Start working as a teacher, then can move to a different role of a curriculum coordinator, vice-principal and eventually become the Principal of a school.

• Software Developer: Writing and testing code to build software applications is their main duty. You can begin as a junior developer, advance to a senior developer and then become a project manager.

• Civil Engineer: Plans and supervises construction projects, ensuring safety and quality. Start as a site engineer, you can progress into a project engineer role and then become a project manager.

• Nurse: These are highly noble professionals who provide patient care and assist doctors. Join as a staff nurse and progress into a senior nurse role. You can even get promoted to the nurse supervisor role with experience and expertise.

• Sales Executive: Selling products or services and boosting sales is the primary responsibility of these professionals. Build your career as a sales representative first and then proceed to become a sales supervisor. You can move to a regional sales manager role after years of experience and good performance.

Path 3: Growing in the Same Industry Through Different Roles

This path involves moving up the higher positions professionally through diversified roles in the same industry, but it does not mean that you work in the same occupation.

For example,

• Retail industry: If your ultimate goal in life is to be a retail chain store manager, you can begin doing an internship at a retail chain store and then qualify for a salesperson position. After gaining some experience, you may become a department manager, then an assistant store manager and eventually a store manager.

• Media and Journalism: Begin as a reporter collecting news and move to an editor position, who manages content. You can also shift to a content strategist role and plan media campaigns or focus on digital marketing and become a digital marketing specialist.

• IT: You can start your career journey as a technical support analyst. Changing to a system administrator role or becoming a network manager are also options.

Please note: Every person may have their own different career path, and it may not be a linear one. We all have our own unique experiences. However, we suggest that students explore and capitalise on as many relevant opportunities as they can. This helps to create a better network and industry readiness.

Read further to understand what is a career.

How to build a successful Career?

To build a successful career, the primary thing you need is clarity. Being crystal clear about what you want to become is highly important while building a career. This helps in creating a structured plan that can be made practical with continuous effort. You can begin your career journey by focusing on the subjects and fields of your interest and then building skills that are in demand. Try to stay updated with the latest trends and developments in the industry to stay ahead of the competition. Connect and build networks with industry professionals to find useful opportunities. You just need the right mindset and a strategic plan to make your dream career come true.

What Is Career Counselling?

Making a career decision is a crucial and significant milestone for every student. Career counselling helps individuals understand themselves and explore suitable career options. This includes assessing one’s aptitude, interest, skills, personality and much more. It also helps when students are confused about how to choose a stream in class 11 or when they are seeking clarity on career options after 12th.

Career counsellors guide students in:

• Choosing the right educational path

• Identifying career options that are aligned with personal interests and skills.

• Ensuring a smooth transition from academics to industry.

When to Start Career Counselling?

• Class 9: Ideal time to start exploring career options.

• Class 10–12: Helps in subject selection and further educational path planning.

• Post-school/college: Useful for choosing degree programs and later career changes.

Job vs Career: What’s the Difference?

To understand what is a ‘career’, it is essential to understand the difference between a job and a career. A job is a specific role you are assigned to, which provides you with income. A job can be full-time or part-time, and requires learning specialised skills relevant to the job role.

For instance, if a company hires a local building contractor to complete an office renovation. The company and the contractor agree upon the terms of payment duration, so the job ends once the project is finished and the office is renovated. However, a career might last for your entire life that consists of all the jobs you have done in your chosen industry. For instance, you can build a career in Education, Finance, or other fields for your life.

What Is A Career: In A Nutshell

While many people consider a career just as a job role, it is important to understand that it is a broad concept. To truly understand what is a career, remember that it is the sum of decisions that direct your educational, social, economic, and spiritual aspirations. It’s a lifelong journey that reflects your personality, ambitions and values. Careers are constantly evolving, so it’s essential to be updated by keeping a mindset for constant learning. By following these steps, you can also start to take charge of your future! All the best!