Work and Careers in English
Do more with this exercise
Learn the words you need to find a job, talk about your pay and plan your career. Read each word and its example, then do the exercises. These words are for B1 learners: you can use them in an interview, in an email or when you talk about your work life.
Finding a job
vacancya job that is free and that a company wants to fill
There is a vacancy for a driver at our company.
applyto ask for a job in a letter or a form
I want to apply for a job at a bank.
CVa paper that lists your studies, jobs and skills
Send your CV to this email address.
interviewa meeting where a company asks you questions about a job
I have a job interview on Monday.
qualificationa certificate or exam that shows you can do a job
She has a qualification in teaching.
experiencethe things you learn from doing a job for some time
He has two years of experience as a cook.
Pay and contracts
salarythe money you get every month for your job
Her salary is good, so she can save money.
raisemore money for the same job
My boss gave me a raise last month.
contracta paper that says the rules of your job and your pay
I signed a contract for one year.
full-timefor the whole working week, about 40 hours
He has a full-time job, so he works every day.
part-timefor only some hours or days of the week
She has a part-time job and works three days a week.
overtimeextra hours of work after your normal hours
We have worked a lot of overtime this month.
Steps in a career
careerall the jobs that a person does in their working life
She has had a long career in teaching.
promotiona move to a better job in the same company
He has worked hard, so he wants a promotion.
traininglessons that teach you how to do a job
New workers do two weeks of training.
resignto leave your job because you decide to
She decided to resign because she wanted a new start.
retireto stop working because you are old
My uncle will retire when he is 65.
unemployedwithout a job, but looking for one
He has been unemployed for three months.
At the workplace
employera person or company that gives people work and pays them
My employer is a small company in London.
employeea person who works for a company and is paid
The company has 200 employees.
deadlinethe last day or time to finish something
The deadline for the project is Friday.
meetinga time when people come together to talk about work
We have a meeting every Monday morning.
projecta big piece of work with a plan and an end date
I have been working on this project since June.
taskone piece of work that you must do
My first task is to answer the emails.
Describing work and workers
stressfulmaking you feel worried and tired
My job is stressful when we have a deadline.
rewardinggiving you a good feeling because the work is useful
Teaching is a rewarding job because you help people.
flexibleeasy to change to fit what you need
I have flexible hours, so I can start at 8 or 10.
reliablethat you can trust to do what you say
A reliable worker comes on time every day.
ambitiouswanting to do very well and get a better job
She is very ambitious and wants to be a director.
workloadthe amount of work that you have to do
I have a heavy workload this week.
Audio uses a synthetic voice.
Practice exercises
Match the Work Words
Match each word with its meaning.
Choose a word on the left, then its match on the right.
Choose the Correct Word
Choose the correct answer for each sentence.
7.The shop has a ___ for a new cashier. Please apply.
8.I have a job ___ at 10 o'clock. I hope they give me the job.
9.She has worked as a nurse for six years. She has a lot of ___.
10.He works 40 hours a week. He has a ___ job.
11.My manager is very ___. He always does what he says.
12.Tom wants to be a director one day. He is very ___.
13.I am 28 and I did not like my job, so I decided to ___.
Fill in the Blank
Type the missing word.
Talking about your work life in English
When you look for a job, you first read the vacancies and then you apply. You send your CV and, if the company likes it, they ask you to come to an interview. In the interview, they ask about your qualifications and your experience.
Many people talk about pay. Your salary is the money you get every month, and some people get a raise after a year. Your contract says whether the job is full-time or part-time. If you work extra hours, that is overtime.
Use the present perfect to talk about your work life up to now. I have worked here for five years. She has been unemployed since May. I have been working on this project since June. These sentences use for and since, and they show how long a situation has continued.
A good career has many steps. You do some training, you work hard, and maybe you get a promotion. Later you may resign to find a new job, and at the end of your career you retire. Think about your own career and write three sentences with these words.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between salary and wage?
A salary is a fixed amount of money that you get every month. A wage is money that you get for each hour or each week. Both words mean pay for your work, and people often use pay for both.
What is the difference between a job and a career?
A job is the work you do now for a company. A career is all the jobs you have had in your working life. You can say I have a new job, but I have had a long career in teaching.
What is the difference between resign and retire?
You resign when you leave a job because you decide to, at any age. You retire when you are old and stop working forever. A person can resign and then find a new job, but a person who retires stops working.
Do I say CV or resume?
In British English, people say CV. In American English, people say resume. They are the same paper: it lists your studies, your jobs and your skills.
Answer key
1. salary
Answer: the money you get every month
Your salary is the money you get every month for your job.
2. deadline
Answer: the last day to finish something
A deadline is the last day or time to finish a piece of work.
3. interview
Answer: a meeting with questions about a job
In an interview, a company asks you questions about a job.
4. promotion
Answer: a move to a better job
A promotion is a move to a better job in the same company.
5. retire
Answer: stop working because you are old
People retire when they are old and stop working.
6. overtime
Answer: extra hours of work
Overtime is extra hours of work after your normal hours.
7. The shop has a ___ for a new cashier. Please apply.
Answer: vacancy
A vacancy is a job that is free. A deadline is a last day, and a salary is money.
8. I have a job ___ at 10 o'clock. I hope they give me the job.
Answer: interview
In a job interview, a company asks you questions. A promotion is a move to a better job.
9. She has worked as a nurse for six years. She has a lot of ___.
Answer: experience
After six years in a job, you have a lot of experience.
10. He works 40 hours a week. He has a ___ job.
Answer: full-time
A full-time job is for the whole week, about 40 hours. Unemployed does not describe a job.
11. My manager is very ___. He always does what he says.
Answer: reliable
A reliable person does what they say, so you can trust them.
12. Tom wants to be a director one day. He is very ___.
Answer: ambitious
An ambitious person wants to do very well and get a better job.
13. I am 28 and I did not like my job, so I decided to ___.
Answer: resign
Resign means to leave your job because you decide to. Retire is for older people who stop working, not for a 28-year-old.
14. I saw a good job ad, so I want to ___ for the job.
Answer: apply
We apply for a job: apply for.
15. She has worked here for ten years, so she wants a ___ to manager.
Answer: promotion
A move to a better job in the same company is a promotion.
16. We must finish the report by Friday. That is the ___.
Answer: deadline
The last day to finish something is the deadline.
17. He has not had a job since March. He is ___.
Answer: unemployed
A person without a job, who is looking for one, is unemployed.
18. I have worked in this office ___ 2019.
Answer: since
Use since with a point in time (2019) and the present perfect: I have worked here since 2019.
19. Her ___ is high, so she can buy a nice flat.
Answer: salary
The money you get for your job is your salary, your pay, your wage or your income.
20. My grandfather is 67. He wants to ___ next year and stop working.
Answer: retire
People retire when they are old and stop working.