English vocabulary by topic
Work & Career Vocabulary
Describe your responsibilities, apply for a position and explain the career you would like to build. This guide focuses on people and their working lives: finding a job, managing a workload, developing skills and changing roles. The business page covers company finances, customers and commercial decisions.
20 words and phrases · A2–C1 teaching levels · 5 quiz questions
How to use this vocabulary naturally
Use apply for a job, meet a deadline and gain experience as complete phrases. A job is a particular paid role, work is the activity, and a career is the longer path through your working life.
Vocabulary by level
Levels are approximate teaching guides for the meanings shown, not official CEFR word classifications. Start where you feel comfortable and practise each word in your own sentence.
A2 — Everyday essentials
job
A2noun
a particular paid position
Example: My first job was in a small bookshop.
work
A2uncountable noun
the tasks or activity you do as part of a job
Example: I finish work at five on most days.
office
A2noun
a place where administrative or professional work is done
Example: Our office is above the library.
manager
A2noun
a person responsible for a team or part of an organisation
Example: My manager helped me prepare for the presentation.
apply
A2verb
to formally ask to be considered for a position
Example: I plan to apply for a library assistant job.
B1 — Build your range
colleague
B1noun
a person you work with
Example: A colleague showed me how the booking system works.
employer
B1noun
a person or organisation that pays people to work
Example: The employer provides training for new staff.
employee
B1noun
a person paid to work for an employer
Example: Each employee received a copy of the timetable.
interview
B1noun
a formal meeting to assess a job applicant
Example: My interview included a short practical task.
salary
B1noun
a regular amount of money paid for a job
Example: The advert lists the salary and working hours.
deadline
B1noun
the latest time something must be completed
Example: We met the deadline by sharing the research.
experience
B1uncountable noun
knowledge or skill gained by doing something
Example: The placement gave me experience in customer service.
B2 — More precise language
promotion
B2noun
a move to a more senior position
Example: She earned a promotion after mentoring three new colleagues.
workload
B2noun
the amount of work a person is expected to do
Example: We discussed how to manage the extra workload.
recruit
B2verb
to find and employ people for work
Example: The museum wants to recruit two education assistants.
resign
B2verb
to formally leave a job by choice
Example: He decided to resign and return to full-time study.
transferable skills
B2plural noun phrase
abilities useful in different jobs or situations
Example: Organising events helped me develop transferable skills.
work-life balance
B2noun phrase
the relationship between time and energy for work and personal life
Example: Flexible hours improved her work-life balance.
C1 — Extend your expression
autonomy
C1uncountable noun
freedom to make decisions about your own work
Example: The role offers autonomy over how I organise my day.
career progression
C1noun phrase
development towards more skilled or responsible work
Example: The interview included a discussion of career progression.
Common mistakes and better choices
Check: I am looking for a work.
Use: I am looking for a job.
Job is countable; work is usually uncountable in this meaning.
Check: She applied a teaching job.
Use: She applied for a teaching job.
Apply for introduces the position; apply to can introduce the organisation.
Check: I have many experience in sales.
Use: I have a lot of experience in sales.
Experience meaning professional knowledge is uncountable. Experiences are separate events.
IELTS speaking examples
These original practice prompts are not official test questions or scored answers. Adapt the language to your own experience. The Part 2 extract is an opening to expand into a longer response.
Part 1
What do you like about your work or studies?
I like working with supportive colleagues and learning practical skills. My workload can be heavy near a deadline, but I usually have enough autonomy to organise the tasks in a sensible order.
Practise: Connect responsibilities to a balanced personal opinion.
Part 2 — sample opening
Describe a job you would like to do.
I would like to work as a museum education officer. I enjoy explaining ideas, and my experience helping at school events has given me useful transferable skills. Before applying for that kind of job, I would like to gain more experience working with visitors.
Practise: Continue with the responsibilities, preparation and reasons the role appeals to you.
Part 3
What makes a job attractive apart from its salary?
Career progression matters because people want to keep developing. A reasonable workload and a healthy work-life balance are also important. A higher salary may not compensate for a role that leaves no time for family or rest.
Practise: Compare several factors instead of treating salary as the only consideration.
Check your understanding
Five-question vocabulary quiz
Choose one answer for each question. Your first choice is scored; read the explanation before moving on.
0 of 5 answered · 0 correct