The Difference: a career, a profession and a job

Career -- profession -- job, what's the difference? Dictionary.com defines them as follows:

• Career: an occupation or profession, especially one requiring special training, followed as one's lifework
• Profession: a vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science
• Job: a piece of work, especially a specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation or for an agreed price

So, what do you want to pursue? What are you pursuing? IF given this question in an interview, would you have an answer? If you are in a place where you are wondering what it is you SHOULD be pursuing, I encourage you to ask yourself a few questions:

• Am I task-oriented?
• Am I a lifelong learner who looks forward to decades of continuing education courses?
• Do I want a path that is changing all the time based on new knowledge/science or do I like routine?

There are a LOT of things to consider when you are choosing a major/career (CDS offers assessments to evaluate interests, personality, work values and skills here.), but people don't often consider if they are a fit for a profession, a job or a career (if in fact they are different things). So...think about it.