Table of Contents
What is a job?
A work that you do to earn money which will support your basic needs is called as Job. There are three types of jobs as below
- Full-time Job
- Part-time Job
- Short-term Job
For the job that you do, you might need some basic skills, but not necessarily any advance level of them. You may also get monthly pay cheques (salary), or even payments based on total hours worked in the job.
You need to be responsible enough towards your day to day duties towards your job. The organisation for which you work defines your role and responsibilities.
It is not necessary that the job will always lead you to the great career path. For example, you are an Electrical Engineer / Mechanical engineer /Electronics engineer or Instrumentation Engineer. And you choose to work as a machine operator on the assembly line or a Quality Engineer. These jobs will not add much value from career perspective and you become easily replaceable resource for the company. In-case if you choose to stick in such kind of job for longer period of time then your risk taking capabilities drastically reduces and job insecurities increases.
What is a career?
A career is a long-term professional journey you may determine based on your liking and passion. Many time it happens that people select their career which might not be based on their educational qualification, but still they succeed in the same because of their passion towards the same.
Career is the path that you take upon to fulfil your long term professional goals and ambitions. Certain level of education or training is required to achieve these goals. Individuals pursuing careers often get certain benefits such as stock options, retirement plans, pensions and bonuses along with the salary. Making own career also gives benefits beyond money, such as personal pride, work satisfaction and self-worth.
A career might last for your entire life of the being. Career always leads to the personal and professional growth for the individual
How to turn a job into a career
If you aim to have a great career in the area of your passion, it cannot be achieved in short period but you need to work hard toward meeting that long-term goal. Below are some of the strategies which may help you.
Continue learning and developing
Always aim to enhance your skills and knowledge in the area you want to build your career. For example after completing just engineering, you can opt for the advanced career courses in Software Engineering, Mechanical Design, Industrial Automation (PLC Programming, HMI, SCADA) If you know what career path you want to pursue, you need to figure out what expertise and experience you need to get there. Once you are aware of the requirements, seek to develop your qualifications whether through practice in your current job or formal training, online courses and education. When trying to determine which skills will benefit your career most, look to successful professionals in the same industry. Ask yourself what their strengths, talents or accomplishments are. Reach out to individuals with similar careers, and ask for their advice.
Get a mentor
If possible, seek out a mentor or two with who is experienced in the industry you are seeking to make career in. In India if you approach the professional institutes like ‘iAutomation Training Hub’ they will support you advising you professionally. While working with a mentor, you may plan specific questions to ask or topics to discuss, like career development. Consider your mentor’s path and whether a similar one could work for you.
Expand your network
Network is very important in professional success. You can increase your network by attending different workshops, conferences, seminars and social events in your field. You can expand your network to have more resources for sharing experiences, learning, gaining advice and gaining job recommendations.