What best describes the difference between an occupation and a profession?

The terms occupation and profession might be used interchangeably but they are not the same. The major occupation vs. profession difference lies in their scope. Occupation is a broader term that encompasses a profession within itself. So all professions are occupations but all occupations are not professions.

Let’s take a closer look at profession vs. occupation here:

Table of Contents

• What is an Occupation?
• What is a Profession?
• Occupation vs. Profession Pros and Cons
• Occupation Pros and Cons
  • Pros of Occupation
  • Cons of Occupation
• Profession Pros and Cons
  • Pros of Profession
  • Cons of Profession
• Occupation vs. Profession Examples
  • Examples of Occupation
  • Examples of Profession
• Bringing out the Similarities between Occupation and Profession for Better Understanding
• 10 Key Points of Difference Between Occupation and Profession
• Comparison Chart
• Comparison Video
• Occupation and Profession FAQs
  • What is the Difference Between Profession and Career?
  • Is Profession a Type of Occupation?
  • What is the Difference Between Profession, Career, Occupation, and Job?
  • What are the Types of Profession?
  • What is the Difference Between Career, Field, and Occupation?
  • What is the Difference Between Profession and Business?
• Conclusion

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What is an Occupation?

An occupation is an activity that one undertakes for earning money or livelihood.

What is a Profession?

A profession is an occupation involving specialized education and training.

Occupation vs. Profession Pros and Cons

Occupation Pros and Cons

Pros of Occupation

• It provides a source of livelihood to people.
• It provides a sense of satisfaction to many.

Cons of Occupation

• It might not bring respect for the person involved.
• It keeps one busy throughout which might not be preferred by many. 
• The compensation received in an occupation is usually less.
• An occupation might take away one’s independence.

Profession Pros and Cons

Pros of Profession

• It improves one’s efficiency levels.
• It brings respect for the person involved.
• It increases the sense of responsibility in people.
• It imparts specialized skills in people.
• A profession involves independent working.
• It helps one make more money.

Cons of Profession

• It involves specialized training.
• One needs to go for higher education that might seem tough to many.

Occupation vs. Profession Examples

Let’s explore some occupation vs. profession examples for a deeper understanding of the two terms:

Examples of Occupation

• Driving
• Trading
• Running a shop
• Clerical job
• Government job

Examples of Profession

• Chartered Accountancy
• Medical
• Engineering
• Law

Bringing out the Similarities between Occupation and Profession for Better Understanding

• Both occupation and profession help to earn money but are two different terms. Any activity undertaken to earn one’s livelihood is an occupation. It does not necessarily involve any special knowledge. On the other hand, an occupation with specialized education and training becomes a profession. Undertaking special knowledge is necessary for a professional. Additionally, occupation is not regulated by any authority whereas a profession has a ruling authority that sets uniform standards for all professionals. At the same time, a profession attracts more societal respect than an occupation for the person involved. The term occupation has a broader scope and encompasses a profession within itself. So all professions are occupations but all occupations are not professions.

  Which best describes the difference between an occupation and a profession quizlet?

  Which of the following best describes the difference between an occupation and a profession? A profession requires a duty to serve. A component that separates occupations from professions is commitment.

  Which word means an occupation or profession?

  Some common synonyms of occupation are business, calling, employment, métier, pursuit, and work. While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

  What is the difference between a profession and an occupation in nursing?

  A profession is something you are and occupation is something you do. The nursing profession continues progressing and headway at a transient pace [1]. Professions are those occupations having a specific mix of qualities by and large thought to be the skill, self-sufficiency, duty, and obligation.

  What is the best definition of a profession?

  profession noun (WORK) any type of work that needs special training or a particular skill, often one that is respected because it involves a high level of education: He left the teaching profession in 1965 to start his own business.