Work and jobs

When you need it

You need this vocabulary to introduce yourself in a professional setting, to read job advertisements, to write an application and to get through an interview. It also comes up in everyday conversation, because after a person's name the most common question in English is about what they do. At B1 you should be able to describe your job or the job you want, your conditions and your plans, in clear and simple sentences.

Core words

People at work. The key contrast is between job, a countable noun for a particular position, and work, an uncountable noun for the activity and the place: I have a new job, but I have a lot of work and I go to work at eight.

Getting and leaving a job.

Pay and conditions.

A CV (British) is the document that lists your education and experience; in American English it is usually a résumé.

Useful phrases

• What do you do? The normal question about someone's job. What is your profession? sounds like an official form.
• I work as a ... Your role: I work as a nurse.
• I work for / in / at ... The company, the field, the place: I work for a small firm. I work in marketing. I work at the hospital.
• be in charge of To be responsible for: She is in charge of a team of six.
• work from home Also work remotely: I work from home on Fridays.
• full-time / part-time He has a part-time job in a café.
• take a day off I'm taking a day off on Monday.
• be self-employed Working for yourself: My sister is self-employed; she's a translator.
• earn a living He earns a living by teaching music.
• meet a deadline To finish in time: We worked late to meet the deadline.

Common mistakes

• ✗I'm looking for a work. / I have many works today.

  ✓ I'm looking for a job. / I have a lot of work today.

  In English only job is countable; work never takes a and has no plural in this sense. Ukrainian робота covers both meanings, so one English word seems enough. Russian работа covers both meanings, so one English word seems enough. German Arbeit covers both meanings too, Ich suche eine Arbeit and Ich habe viel Arbeit, so one English word seems enough.

• ✗I work like a teacher.

  ✓ I work as a teacher.

  English needs as, because like a teacher means similar to a teacher, not in the role of a teacher. Працюю вчителем uses a case ending, so there is no word to translate, and like fills the gap. Работаю учителем uses a case ending, so there is no word to translate, and like fills the gap. German says Ich arbeite als Lehrer, and als is as here, so this one is easy for you. Here only wie would be like.

• ✗My sister is engineer.

  ✓ My sister is an engineer.

  A singular job normally takes a or an in English. Ukrainian has no article at all: Моя сестра — інженерка. Russian has no article at all: Моя сестра — инженер. German names a job without an article, Meine Schwester ist Ingenieurin, and this is exactly where German speakers drop it in English.

• ✗I work here since three years.

  ✓ I have worked here for three years.

  English uses the present perfect with for for a period; see present perfect. Ukrainian uses the present, працюю тут три роки, and that is the sentence learners translate. Russian uses the present, работаю здесь три года, and that is the sentence learners translate. Ich arbeite seit drei Jahren hier gives you both mistakes at once: the present tense and since. Seit with a length of time is for.

• ✗My salary is 15 euros per hour.

  ✓ My wage is 15 euros an hour. / I earn 15 euros an hour.

  English salary is fixed yearly pay, while hourly or weekly pay is a wage. Ukrainian зарплата covers every kind of pay, so salary seems to fit everywhere. Russian зарплата covers every kind of pay, so salary seems to fit everywhere. German makes the same split: Gehalt is salary and Lohn is wage, so use them the way you would in German.

Try it