Employment usually means having a job where you work for someone else in exchange for money. When someone has employment, they're employed: they show up regularly to do specific tasks, and their employer pays them for that work. A teacher has employment at a school, a mechanic has employment at an auto shop, and a programmer has employment at a tech company.

Employment is different from doing occasional odd jobs or chores. If you mow your neighbor's lawn once for twenty dollars, that's not employment. But if you work at a lawn care company every Saturday throughout the summer, getting paid regularly, that's employment. The key elements are that the work is ongoing, you have specific duties, and you receive regular payment.

People seek employment for many reasons beyond just earning money. Employment can provide health insurance, help you develop new skills, connect you with interesting colleagues, and give you a sense of purpose and independence. Many adults spend decades in the same line of employment, building expertise and advancing in their careers.

The word can also describe the general situation of people having jobs. When news reports discuss employment rates, they're measuring how many people in a community or country have jobs. High employment means most people who want to work can find jobs, while low employment means many people are struggling to find work. Government leaders and economists pay close attention to employment because when people have good jobs, communities tend to thrive.