Job vs. Career

• A job is typically defined as something you do for a paycheck, while a career is more about life fulfillment, something that you enjoy doing and something that allows you to provide for yourself and your family long term. A job usually has a lower ceiling for advancement than a career, and a job typically doesn't require an extensive education, while a career normally requires college experience or technical training.
  
  

Salary vs. Hourly

• Jobs tend to pay an hourly wage, while a career usually pays salary either at the beginning or as you advance. Salary is consistent, while hourly pay depends on how much you work. For example, if you're paid $52,000 a year, then you'll get paid each and every pay period, even if your company closes down for a week. If you're paid hourly, then you must work to get paid, so if your store or company closes down for a day, then you don't get paid. Salary pay typically comes with paid benefits as well, such as sick days and vacation days, while hourly pay sometimes does not.
  
  

Pay Rate

• Because jobs don't require as much training or provide the advancement opportunities a career does, your potential earnings for a job are far less than if you chose a career. For example, if you deliver newspapers, your chances of advancement are far less than someone who went into a medical career or science career, and your pay will reflect that over the short term and long term.
  
  

Security

• Since careers require more education, experience and better workers than a job requires, career-minded companies often find it more difficult to replace their workers. For example, a market analyst is far more difficult to replace than a fast food employee. While layoffs occur more frequently in career-type positions, regular jobs tend to close down more often and have a higher turnover rate than career-focused companies do.
  
  

Happiness

• You're more likely to find happiness in a career than a job. Since a career is something that you train for and seek out, your enjoyment level will be higher than if you were stuck in a dead end job you didn't enjoy. Careers offer more advancement opportunities and pay raises, which in turn can make you feel successful and increase your happiness level and decrease your stress level.