Terms and Definitions You Should Know for Career Planning and Development!

What is the difference between a Job and a Career?

A Career is a chosen profession a person pursues and advances over a lifetime as the result of education, industry certifications, and experience.

A Job is a task that one agrees to do in exchange for payment. 

What is the difference between an Employee and an Employer?

An Employer is a person or business that pays others for their services.

An Employee is a person who is paid to work for another.

What is the difference between a Job Application and a Resume?

A Job Application is a form employers use to collect information about you to see if you are a good fit for the position. There are usually four parts of a job application:

1. Personal information
2. Employment information is also called work history.
3. Education and training
4. References.

A Resume is a brief account of a person's education, qualifications, and previous experience, typically sent with a job application.

What is a Cover Letter?

A Cover Letter is a document sent with your resume to provide additional information on your skills and experience; provides detailed information on why you are qualified for the job you are applying for.

What is a Profession?

A Profession is a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and formal qualifications.

• A Professional is someone who has special training, education, or skill to successfully do a job.

What is an Internship?

An internship is a professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work related to a student’s career interests. An internship gives a student the opportunity for career exploration, development, and new skills. Internships are supervised, structured learning experiences in a professional setting that allow you to gain valuable work experience.

• An Intern is a person who works in an occupation or profession to gain practical experience, sometimes with or without pay.

What is an Apprenticeship?

An Apprenticeship is a program or position in which someone learns a trade by working under a certified expert.

• An Apprentice is one bound by legal agreement to work for another for a specific amount of time in return for instruction in a trade, art, or business. 

What is Job-Shadowing?

Job shadowing is a short-term experience that allows a student to follow an experienced worker and see the day-to-day activities of a particular career.