What is an occupation? (2023)

Why do we get jobs and pursue our individual careers? Is it simply to earn a living and enhance personal and professional development? Each individual has a role to play in society; a way to contribute and make a difference. In addition to keeping us busy, disciplined, and self-sufficient, an occupation contributes to socioeconomic growth and development, thus making a difference in society.

Read on to see what occupation means, its types, and several examples. Additionally, we will explore how the meaning and scope of occupation have changed over time and various ways to track these changes.

1. What is an occupation?

2. Different occupation categories and examples

3. What are the different types of occupation?

4. Occupation, work and career: exploring the differences

5. The changing landscape of the various types of occupation

6. Ride the wave of change with Harappa

What is an occupation?

To understand what occupancy means, we need to go back to basics and explore where the term came from. The dictionary defines occupation as an activity that occupies a person's attention. In professional settings, it refers to one's employment status or role within an organization.

The word occupation can be said to be a general term, used to define someone's role, industry or job where they can display skills that benefit that field. If a person is looking for a job within a specific occupation, it is likely that he will develop a career in that occupation. If an occupation requires certification and licensure, people can practice it as a profession.

In short, our occupation is a pillar of our role and contribution to society. Here are some examples of occupancy:

• Artist

• business analyst

• Worker

• Designer

  (Video) What is an occupation?

• Entrepreneur

• Autonomous worker

• Social assistant

The different types of occupation are usually defined in general terms rather than specific jobs. For example, we say consultant, not senior consultant, when describing our occupation to someone.

Different occupation categories and examples

The various types of occupations are divided into different categories and each category consists of different types of jobs and professions. Here are some examples of common occupation categories and related jobs:

1. Healthcare professionals

• doctors

• nurses

• veterinarians

2. teaching professionals

• school teachers

  (Video) Occupation | Meaning of occupation

• University teachers

• Speakers

3. Engineering Professionals

• Aeronautic engineer

• Mechanical engineer

• Chemical engineer

Therefore, occupations group together different types of jobs that share similar characteristics.

What are the different types of occupation?

Occupancy examples can be broadly classified into three different types. Let's understand each of them in detail:

1. Profession

People often confuse the term "occupation" with "profession." As we have already established, occupation is a person's role in society and it can be a job, a business, a job or a profession. On the other hand, a profession is a type of occupation that requires expertise and specialized knowledge in a particular field. Examples of professions include lawyers, doctors, engineers, and teachers.

There are various characteristics of a profession, including:

• specialized knowledge

Every profession requires intensive training, since this type of knowledge cannot be inherited. People need to acquire the learning and skills they need to thrive in their fields. Often an academic program sets the tone for someone's career journey. For example, those who pursue media studies often end up in journalism.

• reason for the service

The main motive of every profession is to render service. Whether they are doctors, lawyers or engineers, they all work with the intention of giving service and receiving for their work.

• Code of Conduct

Every professional body, such as an institute or organization, has a code of conduct that every professional must follow. This ensures that there are proper checks and balances in place that help professionals maintain consistency in their work culture and behaviour. Standardization helps hold professionals accountable.

2. Job

Employment is a type of occupation where people receive wages or salaries in exchange for their work. Let's look at the defining characteristics of the job:

• Fixed rent

An employee receives his wages or salary at regular intervals. The remuneration to be paid is fixed and paid on a daily or monthly basis. Surcharges, value bonuses, and other types of bonuses are also paid.

• working for others

Employees do not have as much autonomy as self-employed professionals. Employees are not always free to decide what work should be done. They must follow the instructions of the employer or senior management.

• Terms and Conditions

There are certain terms and conditions that employers provide at the time of onboarding employees. These are organizational policies that everyone must adhere to. They include role and responsibilities, amount of salary, and hours of work. Job seekers must agree to the terms and conditions before joining the organization.

3. Business

A business is a type of occupation in which people or organizations produce, sell, and exchange goods and services for money. When done on a regular basis, it leads to growth and profitability. Some examples of business activities include trading, manufacturing, and banking.

The main goal of all types of occupation is to engage in an activity, earn money, and participate in economic growth.

Occupation, work and career: exploring the differences

People often use the terms occupation, job, and career interchangeably. While all of these things are what people do for a living, there is a distinction in their meanings in a broader sense. We have already highlighted the defining characteristics of an occupation. Let's explore the meanings of a job and a career in detail.

1. Work

In its simplest form, a job is the work an individual does for a living. An employer defines the job function and an individual or employee assumes all related tasks and responsibilities. Employees are required to abide by certain terms and conditions determined by the organization. In addition, they must work to achieve the goals and objectives set by their employers or leaders.

A job can be temporary or permanent, full-time or part-time, or even freelance. No matter what type of job it is, employers and employees agree in advance on the number of hours, types of responsibilities, and pay. Also, an individual may have more than one job at the same time. For example, freelancers often undertake multiple projects for multiple organizations.

2. Carrera

A career is a lifetime journey in which an individual can take on a variety of roles or employment opportunities. They develop knowledge and skills and gain experience in a particular industry to earn a living. A career includes education, specialization and training, and work experience. It is long-term and encompasses multiple benefits such as networking, learning, and using knowledge for promotions and evaluations.

People may play multiple roles in a field or industry, or start their career in one domain and move on to more complex domains with greater experience and knowledge. In other words, people can change their careers and become any role they want, as long as it aligns with their overall career goals. For example, someone who starts out as an engineer might become the CEO of an engineering company.

The changing landscape of the various types of occupation

It is no secret that the nature and scope of occupations in India are changing. Evidence also suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting impact on labor markets. With rapid digitization, business models have undergone monumental changes. Remote work has become the new normal and is here to stay.

With the rise of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and temporary work (contract or short-term), people will need to find work in occupations that require complex skills. Employee qualification, retraining, and training and development programs will act as catalysts to enable this change. At the same time, the demand for workers in occupations such as healthcare, teaching, and social work will continue to accelerate, and the workforce must prepare to find work in these types of occupations.

While this wave of change may push decision makers and organizations to hire a new generation of employees, it may not be the wisest business decision. Organizations should think more seriously about upskilling (teaching employees new skills) and upskilling (training employees to do a different job). The biggest advantage is that existing employees already have sufficient knowledge about the organization's mission, vision, values, and goals.

Ride the wave of change with Harappa

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