Chapter 1 – Defining Public Service

1.2 Job vs. Career

A job is work you do mainly to earn money, often without a long-term plan for advancement in that field. It may be short-term, part-time, or something you do while preparing for other opportunities. A career is a series of connected jobs in the same field or line of work that build on each other over time. Careers usually involve setting long-term goals, developing skills, and gaining experience to grow in your chosen profession.

For example, someone might take a job as a clerk in a city office to earn income. If that person continues working in government, moves into new roles with more responsibility, and builds expertise in public administration, they are building a career in public service.

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Public Service Careers by Clayton Wukich, Ph.D. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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