The Difference Between a Job and a Career

In the mid-1990s in my medical and public health courses, we were taught that there were certain factions in the government preparing to increase the US retirement age gradually to 75 years in order to preserve Social Security retirement system funds. Currently, there are not enough people working and contributing to SS to pay all the benefits required when all of the Baby Boomers are retired.

Retirement for a certain segment of the US population is already set at 67. Previously, full benefits were given at 65 and partial benefits if retirement occurred at 62. Increasing numbers of older people are returning to work and we see some of them as door greeters at Wal-Mart, Meijer's, and The Andersons. Others do not retire from their career at all and still others own their own businesses and continue to own and direct them

At the same time that retirement age is to rise to 75 years, a certain faction also wanted to deny all people 75 years or older any and all health care. They would not be able to go to a doctor or any health care practitioner at all. So far, this has not happened, and I think it would be difficult to enforce this measure. I don't think it will be enacted or enforced- in the 1930s, there was a senior citizen riot at a hospital in Boston, because of poor treatment and services to seniors, and the seniors won.

Many people believe, or have been taught, that a career and a job are the same thing. However, these two entities are not identical. In fact, a well-planned career usually encompasses several jobs in a logical progression upwards in pay rate, fringes and perks, and responsibilities. In other words, a job can mean survival and a career can mean choice. It is much more enjoyable to have a choice about what one does for a living. A life-long career should not be only a survival mechanism and it should certainly not be punishment.

While not everyone can work at their true, individual, special calling throughout their lives, they can plan toward that goal and take actions and make choices that will enable that goal to be more closely approached and met. Usually, this does not happen by accident.

As children, we watched circus acrobats and wondered how they did those amazing tricks. They could do them because they usually began at a young age and continued to practice for 10 hours a day. Career-planning does not need to start in the crib, but even young children can begin to learn the foundational, effective habits that will make them a success in the workforce and business ownership.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines career as "a field for or pursuit of consecutive progressive achievement especially in public, professional, or business life" and "a profession for which one trains and which is undertaken as a permanent calling."

(Reference, Merriam-Webster online: http://www.meriam-webster.com/dictionary/career)

Any specific job is only one piece of the life long learning and career puzzle. Any job is only a part of a larger, life-long career.

At one time in America, a person could graduate from high school, find a job with a good company and work in that job until they retired, perhaps being promoted and receiving raises in pay during that time. This is rarely possible in today's business environment. In addition, the temporary employee industry has enabled some companies to do way with certain benefits and save money. Increasing numbers of workers are finding that they need to change jobs or companies in order to have health insurance, vacations, etc. Some employers are eliminating retirement benefits altogether.

In many parts of China s my friends who live there tell me, most people work and they may be recruited to, or assigned to, a specific job by the government. After retirement, these individuals are assigned to specific community service jobs that they are required to perform without payment. That has not happened in America.

This is one reason that depression is a particular disease of aging in the US. Losing one's life's work is traumatic, even if the ex-worker looks forward to retirement. If there are no planned activities after retirement and no source of productivity, energy, and sense of purpose, many retirees can feel isolated, unwanted, and useless and hopeless -- depressed.

The life-long career planning course should probably include for many people:

• Chores as a child. This can be with or without an allowance - there are two schools of thought on this and parents must decide what is best for their family.
• Babysitting, lawn mowing and similar jobs in middle school and high school; perhaps membership and participation in 4-H and Junior Achievement types of programs.
• Work Readiness Soft Skills training beginning in 5th grade. However, the young person should not be overwhelmed with too many lessons from the world of work, even though some US states have begun mandate this even as early as Kindergarten. Increasing numbers of schools are going to year-round school as well, which is standard in Asia and parts of Europe. Many Chinese schools reportedly meet form 8am - 5pm and the kids also do the janitorial work - no need for baby sitters and after school programs; school meets half a day on Saturday and some high school students often also attend an after-school school after dinner on weeknights until 10pm. I'm not sure we want to actually do that in America.

I attended a workforce conference in Ohio in the late 1990s in which it was suggested that all areas (at least 13) of Work Readiness should be begun in Kindergarten and that the belief that all people must hold a job long longer should be taught and reinforced throughout K-12.

All youth should be taught proper behavior that would be acceptable on the job. This includes respect, good manners, paying attention, following directions, creative problem solving, etc., leading others by positive motivation, etc. Hands-on learning works best for workforce development, social skills, and all learning areas, including academic.

The Chinese proverb, which has been proved by educational and psychological research and practice, says:

If I do, then I learn.

• Volunteer work, perhaps 1 hour per month beginning in the 5th or 6th grade, or at least once-a-year in a community service project. It should be face-to-face actual helping someone, like serving food at a soup kitchen, taking blankets to a shelter, visiting other children on a hospital burn unit and reading to them, or adopting a family at Thanksgiving or other holiday and providing groceries.
• Sports participation K-12 for teamwork and social skills lessons as well as increased physical health.

I think pre-school and Pre-K ages 3-4 are good times for movement arts and exercise drills that train children in movement and coordination, but I think these activities should not be called Football, Soccer, and Karate. T-Ball seems to put less emphasis on winning and over-the-top competition, but I could be wrong. I still remember the Texas Little League that was shut down early one summer because parents were in fist fights over who was winning and the children were verbally abused. Basketball seems very good for kids as well, since so many people love it, win or lose.

Unless it is a traumatic experience, young children age 6 or will probably not remember their sports participation. Hopefully, they will retain their coordination. One exception to this is the menu of programs offered by The Little Gym (http://www.thelittlegym.com/). Their trainers are educated in early childhood development and physiotherapy-type skills. This is equivalent to some of the training that Chinese children receive in the child care centers in the factories of that country. RN's staff those centers and exercise the children, first passively before they can walk, and then actively. The Little Gym is the professional company to which I refer all my calls for preschool and Pre-K aged martial arts lessons. They offer an actual karate class at many of their locations, but they begin with body movement and body awareness work and progress to kicks and punches.

• Starting in 8th grade, 4-weeks paid internships for students each summer, increasing to 6 or 8 weeks in high school. Many metropolitan and rural areas of the US already have such programs and they can be found through the school or through the local county offices. Students may have to sign up at school for a "year-round program" and this means that they receive work related soft skills training during the school year, not that they must work all year long.
• Grade 13, based on travel experience and such activities as work at the UN, World Health Organization, Hospital Ships. This would be like a one-year mission trip, but it would be a work experience and vacation in which to enjoy traveling and to grow as a person. It would widen personal perspective.
• Some career planning beginning in the 6th grade. Aptitude and interest tests could be given every two years to reveal the special calling of each student and to train each pupil for that calling. Job placement and higher education entry would need to be attached to this program.
• College, vocational school, certificate programs, journeyman trades programs, military service, religious community service (nuns and priests of several faiths, some of who marry),
• Job placement can begin with the student summer internships and job coaches could be provided. Career counselors could enter the picture in the 10th grade to help individual students begin to solidify their employment goals.
• Career counselors and career coaches could advise adults during their working years and help them achieve their career goals.
• Post retirement activities, such as recreation, Elder Hostel, and volunteer activities. This might even include part-time paid work. Of course, some individuals never retire.

And despite all these elements that can be important, not everyone needs all of them, so Career Planning must be an individualized activity. I think that people whould nto be simply put on a conveyorbelt and told "This is the way it will be."

Thanks, Everyone! Please give me your comments.