In addition to the familiar occupational standards that underpin National Vocational Qualifications, the UK has a parallel if less complete system of competence or practice standards that are developed and controlled by professional bodies. While there is a certain amount of overlap between the two types of standard, recent research points to a distinct professional, as opposed to occupational, perspective on work competence. This can be characterised as focusing on ethics, professionalism and key standards rather than the detail of roles and functions; being designed to apply across the profession rather than having a core-and-options structure; and providing confidence in practitioners' abilities to act as a member of the profession rather than in a bounded occupational role. These factors are illustrated by reference to practices in professions with which the author has worked, suggesting that there is a spectrum of approaches from this archetypally professional one to a more utilitarian, occupationally oriented one.