What Is a Career? Definition and Examples

Key takeaways

A career is a job category that you want to pursue long-term for reasons such as financial stability, work-life balance, and personal interests.

• People may switch careers, as reflected by 69 percent of respondents in FlexJobs’ 2025 State of the Workplace Report who said they changed or considered switching to a different career path [1].

• Your career path may be vertical, where you move to a higher or leadership position, or lateral, where you move to the same or a similar position, often at another company or department.

• You can choose the right career path for you by identifying your strengths and passions, considering the benefits of different careers, and eliminating careers you don’t want to pursue.

Explore the full definition of a career and get some tips for your professional life. If you’re ready to start building career skills, enroll in the Macquarie University Adapting: Career Development Specialization. You’ll have the opportunity to learn key personal development skills helpful for navigating your career journey, such as time management, adaptability, business communication, stress management, and more, in as little as two months. Upon completion, you’ll have earned a career credential for your resume.

Career definition

To understand the definition of a career, consider it a job or category of jobs you want to pursue long-term. Choosing the right career can give you a greater sense of purpose and boost your chances for personal happiness and professional success.

Various reasons people choose to pursue certain careers include:

• Good work-life balance

• Interests and passions

• Financial stability 

• Desire to work in a field that allows you to help others 

• Meeting lifelong goals and ambitions 

• Desirable work environments 

• Time required for education and training

• Availability of jobs and resources

How does a career differ from a job?

One way to think of how jobs and careers differ is that a job can turn into a career, but a career typically doesn’t turn into a job. A job involves anything that you receive pay to do. It can be temporary or long-term. You might earn an hourly or yearly salary, and your job can come with or without benefits. On the other hand, your career encompasses a variety of activities carried out to advance professionally, including jobs. 

You can also think of jobs and careers in terms of mindset. For instance, you may think of a job you’re not passionate about simply as a way to meet your basic needs. However, once a job becomes part of a career path, it takes on a new sense of value and meaning.

Read more: What Is a Career Cluster? 14 Types To Know

What is the definition of career pathway?

A career path involves a sequence of steps taken to advance professionally. This sequence of steps might involve education or training, jobs, and experience.

Types of career paths

Generally, career paths are divided into two types: vertical and lateral. The two paths have some overlapping qualities, but they also have distinct features. 

Vertical career path

When envisioning career success, many people think of a vertical career path. This path involves making a series of moves to more advanced or leadership positions with greater responsibility and more pay, also known as moving up the career ladder. You may also need additional training or education. 

These types of moves might include:

• Accepting a more advanced position at another company 

• Staying with your company or department but taking on a management or leadership position with more responsibility

Benefits of a vertical career path include:

• Higher salary

• Ability to acquire new skills and experience

• Opportunity for leadership roles

• Clear path and job options 

Example of a vertical career path beginning with a position as HR Manager: 

• HR manager ↗ HR director ↗ Chief HR officer

Lateral career path

You can progress in your career without moving up. Many people make lateral (also called horizontal) career moves to find a fulfilling job. These might include:

• Accepting the same position at another company

• Staying with a company but moving to an equal position in a different department

• Staying with a company and department but moving to a newly created position that is similar in status to your current position

While lateral moves do not typically come with increased pay or responsibility, they have many benefits. Benefits of a lateral career path include:

• The ability to acquire new skills on the job

• A chance to experience different department roles that may suit you better

• Greater value within a company

• Prepare yourself better for promotions and vertical moves in the future

Example of a horizontal career path beginning with a position as HR Manager: 

• HR manager → Training and development manager → Training and development manager at another company

Is a career for life?

Although many workers maintain a single career until they retire, people can change careers for many reasons, from personal decisions to reasons beyond their control. For example, FlexJobs’ 2025 State of the Workplace Report found that 69 percent of respondents changed or considered moving to different career paths in the past year [1]. Remote work options were the most cited reason for changing careers, followed by better work-life balance, more job fulfilment, and expanding skills [1]. People might change careers for other reasons, like following a new passion, desiring a challenge, and earning more money.

How to choose the right career path for you

Several strategies can help you choose the most satisfying career path for you. To develop your own strategy, take advantage of the following tips.

Identify your strengths.

Knowing where your strengths lie can help ensure your career success. For instance, having great math skills can translate to a career in accounting, auditing, data science, economics, finance, or statistics.

Do what you love.

Many people recommend following your passions when choosing a career path. Consider listing activities you love to do and exploring related career options. For instance, a passion for cooking might result in a culinary career, and a love of travel might lead to a career in tourism or writing. 

To find a career path you’re passionate about, consider your answers to the following questions:

• Would I rather work indoors or outdoors?

• What activities am I most comfortable doing?

• Do I enjoy working with other people, or do I prefer working alone?

• Do I like being a leader or a follower?

• What career choices can I eliminate?

• What is my definition of success?

Consider the benefits.

A variety of benefits can make some career choices more appealing than others. Some of these include:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance

• Flexible work schedules

• Options to work from home

• Family leave following the birth of a baby

• Professional development

Know your deal breakers.

Knowing what you will and will not accept can help narrow your career options. To identify deal breakers, ask yourself questions like:

• Do I want to work in a particular city or geographical location?

• Do I want to work for a large corporation or a small company?

• Does salary matter?

• Is a positive workplace and work culture important?

• Do I care about diversity in the workplace?

How to advance in your career

To grow and develop in your career, it helps to have a plan. Remember, a career plan doesn’t require a fixed set of steps. You can change your plan at any time. To make your plan, consider these strategies for career advancement:

• Create career goals and remain accountable for them by creating a timeline. If necessary, break goals into small chunks for easier attainability. 

• Contact your supervisor and other department heads for information on career advancement opportunities. 

• Get feedback from your supervisor, peers, or employees. Ask them to assess what they think you’re doing right and what you could improve at work. 

• Take advantage of career-related training or educational opportunities.

Navigate your next career move with confidence

Exploring new possibilities? Learn about trending careers and skills by subscribing to our LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat! Or if you want to keep exploring careers and career advice, check out these free resources:

• Take the quiz: Career Test: What Career is Right for Me Quiz? 

• Watch on YouTube: Career Change at 30: Why It's Actually the PERFECT Time (5-Step Guide) 

• Hear from fellow learners: Meet the Automotive Tech Exploring New Careers with Coursera Plus

Accelerate your career growth with a Coursera Plus subscription. When you enroll in either the monthly or annual option, you’ll get access to over 10,000 courses. 

Build job-ready skills with Coursera Plus

Start 7-day free trial

• 
• 
• 
• 

Start 7-day free trial