A teacher-to-be 'works as a' o 'works like' a teacher before finishing their studies?

[cuviense]

Hi everybody,

I would like to ask how it works when a student hasn't finished their studies yet, and, have some working experience in their field.
For example:
I will finish my studies this year, and I can already play the guitar reasonably well. Last year I worked as a music teacher for two months or Last year I worked like a music teacher for two months?
I have heard that 'as' is used when you are speaking about your profession, and 'like' when you are comparing your work to a profession which is not your real profession... In this case, the person is not a teacher yet... but a student or teacher-to-be...

Thanks a lot

 

[BLUEGLAZE]

I worked as a music teacher. I was there doing teacher's work.
I worked like a music teacher. All the work I did was just like a music teacher but I didn't have the job.

 

[cuviense]

Does it have to do then with having a contract? Or is the choice based on the worker's role? And what about traineeships or internships?
Thanks again

 

[RM1(SS)]

Were you actually a music teacher? Then you were working as a music teacher.

 

[velisarius]

You couldn't use "like" in this context.

He cooks like a professional chef - he cooks as well as a professional chef (but he isn't one).
He works as a professional chef - he has a job where he is employed as a chef (we don't know whether he is a trained chef, but he is doing the work and being paid for it).

 

[cuviense]

Ok, that is a lot clearer now. Thanks to all of you