Profession vs. Career: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Profession is a specific occupation requiring specialized training. Career is the progression and actions in one's working life
Key Differences
Profession is a specific occupation, often requiring specialized education and training, recognized for its expertise and standards. Career, on the other hand, encompasses the entirety of one's working life, including various jobs and roles over time.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
In the context of profession, the focus is on the skills, qualifications, and expertise required for a specific type of job, like medicine or law. Career refers to an individual's journey through the working world, which may include multiple professions or job types.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
Profession often implies a commitment to a particular field and adherence to established standards and ethics, such as in the legal or medical professions. Career is a broader term, describing the personal growth, experiences, and advancements one achieves in the working world.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
The term profession is used to denote a specialized field of work that typically requires a higher level of education or training. Career encompasses the broader spectrum of an individual's employment history and future aspirations.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
Profession usually refers to jobs that have a status of professionalism and a specific skill set, like engineering or teaching. In contrast, career is a more general term that includes one's progression, changes, and overall trajectory in the working world.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A field requiring specialized training and skills.
The progression and experiences in one's working life.
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Dec 09, 2023
Focus
Specialized skills and knowledge in a specific area.
Overall journey and growth in the working world.
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Dec 09, 2023
Duration
Can be lifelong in a specific field.
Encompasses all jobs and roles across one's lifetime.
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Dec 09, 2023
Examples
Lawyer, doctor, accountant.
A person's progression from an intern to a manager.
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Dec 09, 2023
Requirement
Often requires formal education or certification.
More about personal development and experiences.
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Dec 09, 2023
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Profession and Career Definitions
Profession
A career with a focus on specialized knowledge in a particular area.
His profession as a journalist requires a keen sense for news and storytelling.
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Nov 26, 2023
Career
The personal journey and development in one's professional life.
She has built a remarkable career in the field of biotechnology research.
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Nov 26, 2023
Profession
An occupation with a code of ethics and professional conduct.
As a doctor, his profession demands high ethical standards.
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Nov 26, 2023
Career
The progression of one's working life and professional experiences.
Her career in marketing spans over two decades with multiple companies.
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Nov 26, 2023
Profession
A regulated field requiring specialized education and training.
Her profession as a lawyer requires a deep understanding of the law.
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Nov 26, 2023
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Career
The total of all jobs, positions, and professional growth experienced.
His career includes time spent in academia, industry, and consultancy.
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Nov 26, 2023
Profession
A vocation requiring specific skills, often academic.
Her profession as an architect involves both creativity and technical knowledge.
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Nov 26, 2023
Career
The overall trajectory and accomplishments in one's working life.
Her career reflects a steady climb from an intern to a senior executive.
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Nov 26, 2023
Profession
A job that requires formal qualifications and expertise.
Teaching is a profession that demands both academic qualifications and a passion for education.
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Nov 26, 2023
Profession
An occupation or career
"One of the highest compliments a child can pay a parent is to choose his or her profession" (Joan Nathan).
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Oct 19, 2023
Career
The general course or progression of one's working life or one's professional achievements
An officer with a distinguished career.
A teacher in the midst of a long career.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
An occupation, such as law, medicine, or engineering, that requires considerable training and specialized study.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
The body of qualified persons in an occupation or field
Members of the teaching profession.
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Oct 19, 2023
Career
Doing what one does as a permanent occupation or lifework
Career diplomats.
A career criminal.
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Oct 19, 2023
Career
To move forward at high speed, often with minimal control
"that lordly car ... How smoothly it ran. In what style they had come careering along the country roads!" (James Joyce).
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Oct 19, 2023
Career
General course of action or conduct in life, or in a particular part of it.
Washington's career as a soldier
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
(religion) A promise or vow made on entering a religious order.
She died only a few years after her profession.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
The declaration of belief in the principles of a religion; hence, one's faith or religion.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
Any declaration of belief, faith or one's opinion, whether genuine or (as now often implied) pretended.
Despite his continued professions of innocence, the court eventually sentenced him to five years.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
An occupation, trade, craft, or activity in which one has a professed expertise in a particular area; a job, especially one requiring a high level of skill or training.
My father was a barrister by profession.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
(collective) The practitioners of such an occupation collectively.
His conduct is against the established practices of the legal profession.
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Oct 19, 2023
Career
To move rapidly straight ahead, especially in an uncontrolled way.
The car careered down the road, missed the curve, and went through a hedge.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
The act of professing or claiming; open declaration; public avowal or acknowledgment; as, professions of friendship; a profession of faith.
A solemn vow, promise, and profession.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
That which one professed; a declaration; an avowal; a claim; as, his professions are insincere.
The Indians quickly perceive the coincidence or the contradiction between professions and conduct.
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Oct 19, 2023
Career
A race course: the ground run over.
To go back again the same career.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
That of which one professed knowledge; the occupation, if not mechanical, agricultural, or the like, to which one devotes one's self; the business which one professes to understand, and to follow for subsistence; calling; vocation; employment; as, the profession of arms; the profession of a clergyman, lawyer, or physician; the profession of lecturer on chemistry.
Hi tried five or six professions in turn.
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Oct 19, 2023
Career
A running; full speed; a rapid course.
When a horse is running in his full career.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
The collective body of persons engaged in a calling; as, the profession distrust him.
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Oct 19, 2023
Career
General course of action or conduct in life, or in a particular part or calling in life, or in some special undertaking; usually applied to course or conduct which is of a public character; as, Washington's career as a soldier.
An impartial view of his whole career.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
The act of entering, or becoming a member of, a religious order.
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
The body of people in a learned occupation;
The news spread rapidly through the medical community
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
An occupation requiring special education (especially in the liberal arts or sciences)
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
An open avowal (true or false) of some belief or opinion;
A profession of disagreement
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Oct 19, 2023
Career
The general progression of your working or professional life;
The general had had a distinguished career
He had a long career in the law
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Oct 19, 2023
Profession
Affirmation of acceptance of some religion or faith;
A profession of Christianity
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Oct 19, 2023
Career
Move headlong at high speed;
The cars careered down the road
The mob careered through the streets
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Oct 19, 2023
Career
The series of jobs and roles an individual holds over time.
His career started as a software developer, eventually leading to a role as a project manager.
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Nov 26, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can a career include multiple professions?
Yes, a career can involve various professions and job roles over time.
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Dec 09, 2023
Do all jobs qualify as professions?
Not all jobs are considered professions, as professions usually require specialized qualifications.
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Dec 09, 2023
Do professions require certifications?
Many professions, like medicine or law, require specific certifications or licenses.
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Dec 09, 2023
Are professions industry-specific?
Some professions are industry-specific, while others span across various sectors.
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Dec 09, 2023
How does one choose a profession?
Choosing a profession often involves considering interests, skills, and educational paths.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
What is a profession?
A profession is a specific job or occupation requiring specialized training and skills.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 09, 2023
What defines a career?
A career is the series of jobs and experiences that make up a person's working life.
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Dec 09, 2023
Is a profession the same as a career?
No, a profession is a specific occupation, while a career encompasses all work experiences.
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Dec 09, 2023
How important is education in a profession?
Education is often crucial in professions, especially those requiring specific knowledge and skills.
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Dec 09, 2023
Is a career always planned?
Not necessarily, as careers can take unexpected turns and paths.
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Dec 09, 2023
How do trends impact careers?
Career paths can be influenced by industry trends, technology, and market demands.
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Dec 09, 2023
What role does networking play in a career?
Networking is key in a career for opportunities, growth, and professional relationships.
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Dec 09, 2023
How does a career evolve?
A career evolves through various roles, jobs, and experiences in one's professional life.
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Dec 09, 2023
Can internships influence a career?
Internships can be significant in shaping the early stages of a career.
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Dec 09, 2023
Can a career change direction?
Yes, many people change their career paths based on interests, opportunities, or life changes.
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Dec 09, 2023
Is job satisfaction important in a profession?
Job satisfaction is crucial in a profession for long-term commitment and success.
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Dec 09, 2023
Are professions regulated?
Many professions are regulated by professional bodies or standards.
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Dec 09, 2023
Does a career define success?
A career can be a measure of success but varies according to individual goals and values.
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Dec 09, 2023
What is the role of mentorship in a profession?
Mentorship can provide guidance, knowledge, and support in developing within a profession.
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Dec 09, 2023
Can a hobby turn into a profession?
Yes, if one gains expertise and qualifications in that area.
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Dec 09, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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