Cool MateCareer vs My job
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Career
Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun
My job
Top 1,000 (very common)
| Career | My job | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/kəˈrɪə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kəˈrɪr/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //maɪ dʒɒb//🇺🇸 //maɪ dʒɑb// |
| Meaning | The job or profession someone does for a long time. | The work you do to earn money. |
| Example | She decided to change her career after working in finance for ten years. | I love my job because I enjoy helping customers. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | long, brief, short, build, carve, carve out, last something, span something, begin, break, advancement, development, during somebody’s career, throughout somebody’s career, career in, the height of your career, the peak of your career, a change of career, chequered/checkered, colourful/colorful, turbulent, have, start | love my job, hate my job, find my job challenging, quit my job, start my job |
| Antonyms | unemployment, idleness | - |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'career' with 'job' — a job can be temporary while a career is long-term., Using 'career' as a verb — it is only a noun., Forgetting to use 'a' or 'my' before 'career' in sentences. | Using 'my job' for non-employment responsibilities., Confusing 'my job' with 'career' which is more long-term., Saying 'the my job' instead of just 'my job'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'career' when discussing long-term professions or life's work. Avoid using it for temporary jobs or casual work. | Use 'my job' to refer to your employment situation in both formal and informal contexts. Avoid using it in very casual slang settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: Career vs My job
What's the difference between Career and My job?
Career: The job or profession someone does for a long time. My job: The work you do to earn money.
Can you show an example of each?
Career: She decided to change her career after working in finance for ten years. My job: I love my job because I enjoy helping customers.
Can I use Career and My job interchangeably?
Not always. Career and My job are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.