Work vs. job

Question

Hi, could you please advise which one is correct: "find work" or "find a job"? And why? Thank you.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

AnonymousHi, could you please advise which one is correct: "find work" or "find a job"? And why? Thank you.

Both expressions are correct and very commonly used, and they have the same meaning.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you for your response. How about "I lost work/my job" and "I'm looking for work/a job"? I dont'reaaly understand the difference betwen "job" and "work" <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/6.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/6.gif' alt='Emotion: sad'/> .

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymous How about "I lost ~~work/~~my job"

I lost my job. OK.
I lost work. No.

'work' substitutes for 'a job' almost exclusively in the expression "to look for [a job / work]". Otherwise, the two words are not used the same way.

Anonymousdifference between "job" and "work"

"job" is countable. "work" is not countable. "a job" ~ "a task" ~ a specific amount of work; a specific kind of work

I have a job to do. / I have work to do.

"a job" has a more definite beginning and end point. "work" is more amorphous in terms of time.

Her job is to serve coffee to the guests. It's harder work than you might imagine.

CJ

Deadrat · Answer

CalifJim'work' substitutes for 'a job' almost exclusively in the expression "to look for [a job / work]". Otherwise, the two words are not used the same way.

Really? The idiomatic constructions are different -- as you point out, "job" is countable; "work" isn't -- but I find them interchangeable in many locutions:

Employment:
"I have to go to work; I have to go to my job."
"I'm out of work; I'm out of a job."

The location
A: Where's Joe?
B: At the work site; at the job site

The outcome:
"The tequila did its work on my memories of last night."
"The tequila did its job in making me forget last night."

The effort:
"They did extraordinary work to get the ballroom ready for the celebration."
"They did an extraordinary job in getting getting the ballroom ready for the celebration."

An interruption:
"Job action"
"Work stoppage"

CalifJim · Answer

deadrat CalifJim'work' substitutes for 'a job' almost exclusively in the expression "to look for [a job / work]". Otherwise, the two words are not used the same way.Really? The idiomatic constructions are different -- as you point out, "job" is countable; "work" isn't -- but I find them interchangeable in many locutions:Employment: "I have to go to work; I have to go to my job." "I'm out of work; I'm out of a job."The location A: Where's Joe? B: At the work site; at the job siteThe outcome: "The tequila did its work on my memories of last night." "The tequila did its job in making me forget last night."The effort: "They did extraordinary work to get the ballroom ready for the celebration." "They did an extraordinary job in getting getting the ballroom ready for the celebration."An interruption: "Job action" "Work stoppage"

Good work/job!

CJ

Work vs. job

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