I have worked as a driver / I have worked as a driver for 5 years

[Kolridg]

One of the rules of the English language says that if period of time is specified for an action expressed in the present perfect tense like in sentence b) then this action is supposed to continue in present moment.

a) I have worked as a driver. (In the past I worked as a driver)
b) I have worked as a driver for 5 years. (I have been working as a driver for 5 years and continue now)

For me is a mystery why period of time referring to the past adds sense of continuing action. Is there any explanation of this, or I should just take it as a rule without trying to understand it?

 

[teechar]

a) I have worked as a driver. (In the past I worked as a driver)
b) I have worked as a driver for 5 years. (I have been working as a driver for 5 years and continue now)

These are actually two different uses of the present perfect. The first (sentence "a") is about a past experience. The second is about some action that started in the past but that continues into the present.

Sentence "a" says that the person has worked (for a period) as a driver sometime in their life. They do not work as a driver any more. If they did, then the present simple would be the right tense.

Sentence "b" says that the person started to work as a driver five years ago and that they may or may not still be working as a driver.

 

[Tarheel]

If I want to indicate that I am still doing it I would say:

I have been working as a driver for five years.