Careers require much more of a time commitment in terms of education and training (either in school or on the job). The longer you are in a specific career, the more likely you are to have greater responsibilities (and higher pay!).
Pros
A career will make your momhappy. People who have careers have studied for their positions, and are considered higher up on the food chain because they have specialized skills that are hard to come by. And, of course, they generally have higher salaries.