A full time job is a job in which an employee works the maximum number of legal hours, typically 40 in the work week, although this standard varies around the world. With a full time job often comes greater responsibility, along with access to benefits which are designed to keep employees healthy and happy. Typically, a job advertisement will indicate whether or not a position is full time, since the number of available hours in a position is a major issue for many job applicants. A full-time job may also be referred to as full time employment, or FTE.

One of the primary advantages to a full time job is that it often comes with routine benefits such as healthcare, vacation time, sick pay, and payments into pension funds. In addition, there is the possibility of overtime pay in most full time jobs, since employees are already working the maximum allowable hours. However, the flip side of this coin is that full time jobs can be very demanding, and the hours are usually strict and rigid. As a result, employees must be committed to their work.

Often, a full time position is one of more authority, since the company is willing to invest training and energy into someone who is working full hours. It is possible to work one's way up to a full time position in a company, as often happens when people start as part time employees or temps. Once the employee proves that he or she is a valuable asset, a request for more hours is more negotiable.

Compensation for a full time job may be offered in the form of salary. A salary is a set compensation, rather than an hourly wage. It has the advantage of being dependable and steady, but it can be disadvantageous for the employee, as he or she may end up working a great deal of overtime, since salary contracts do not include special compensation for extra hours. Of course, on the other hand, an employee receives the same salary when he or she works less than 40 hours, with some salaried employees being paid through vacation and sick time as well.

If you are applying for a job which is offering you full time benefits and hours, take time to sit down and read through the benefits package carefully. The best time to negotiate is when an offer has been made for you but you haven't accepted it yet. You may be able to request additional salary or other benefits, especially if you are looking at multiple full time job offers which you can use for leverage.