Job v Work

What's the difference between job and work?

Work is a both a verb and a noun (uncountable) whereas job is used as a noun (countable):
  • I don't have much work this week. 
  • He has a lot of work at the moment. He has a lot of works at the moment.
  • She has two jobs. She is a travel agent and she also works as a waitress at weekends.
  • He's a lawyer. He has a well-paid job in a multi-national. He has a well-paid work.
We say go to work, start work and finish work:
  • I go to work by underground. I go to my job by underground.
  • She starts work at eight on Fridays. She starts her job at eight on Fridays.

Job is more specific than work. Job refers to your particular employment position such as a teacher, lawyer, shop assistant and so on.
  • I like my job; I'm a journalist.       My job is a journalist.
  • I'm looking for a new job (= a new position).       I'm looking for new work.
  • John has found a job as an accountant for a clothes company.
  • What's his job? = What does he do?

We use work (v) to talk about the location or who the employer is; not to give a specific description or title.
  • She works for the BBC.
  • James works at a law firm.      His job is for a law firm.
  • Ruth works in Paris.          Her job is in Paris.

Other meanings:

As a verb, work can have the meaning of function:
  • The laptop isn't working again. I wonder what's wrong this time.
  • Do you know how the oven works?

As a noun, job can also have the meaning of a task such as repairing something at home:
  • There are a couple of jobs that need doing around the house; the most urgent is the dripping tap.

Write some of your own examples with job and work.

Comments

José said…


Thank you very much Graham.

José.
Graham said…
You are most welcome, José!
Unknown said…
Work:
-I work in a big company, it is located in Madrid.
-I go to work by train. It takes me three hours.
Job:
-My job is about transport and logistics. I send packages to the clients.
-I found my job with the help of the social media Linkedin.
Graham said…
Hello Alejandro,

I work in/for a big company which is located in Madrid.

My job is about / to do with / related to transport and logistics. I send packages to clients.

I found my job with the help of the social media site - LinkedIn.


So the main difference between work and job is UNC and COUNT.

A job can also have the sense of a task. e.g. I have one or two jobs to finish before I go home. / My boss praised me for doing a good job.