Job Vocabulary: Job Hunt Idioms, Collocations, Word Forms

Level: B1 to C1. Not aimed at one level. The lists mix everyday words with terms you will meet in job ads and interviews; frequency scores show which words are common.

Printable: Student activity handout (PDF) | Teacher’s key (PDF)

Jobs: More Than a Way to Pay the Rent

Few questions follow us through life like “So, what do you do?” A job is more than a source of income. It shapes our days, connects us with other people, and often becomes part of how we see ourselves. For young adults, the first real job can feel like the door to an independent life, which is why finding one matters so much and can feel so stressful.

The job hunt has its own rhythm. You read job postings, polish your CV, and send off applications, sometimes dozens before anyone replies. A recruiter may call, or a friend may know someone who is hiring. If you are shortlisted, there is the job interview and, with luck, a job offer. Many people accept an entry-level job or an internship just to get a foot in the door. Then a new kind of learning begins: you learn the ropes, and you may be thrown in at the deep end.

This page explores the idea of a job and the language we use to talk about finding, doing, and leaving one. You will find word forms, common mistakes, collocations, preposition patterns, expressions from “put out feelers” to “move on to greener pastures,” synonyms and related words, quotations, interactive activities, discussion questions, and a practice text for shadow reading and typing.

Word Family

Common mistakes

Apply for a job, apply to an organization. Say I applied for a job at a bank or I applied to three banks, not I applied a job.
Have an interview, don’t take one. The candidate has or goes to a job interview, and the employer interviews the candidate. I took a job interview sounds wrong to most English speakers.
Salary or wage? A salary is a fixed amount for a year, usually paid monthly. A wage is usually paid by the hour or the week: an annual salary, an hourly wage.
CV or résumé? In the US and Canada, a résumé is the short summary used for most jobs, and a CV is a longer academic record. In most other countries, CV is the normal word.
-er pays, -ee is paid. The employer hires and pays; the employee works for pay. The same pattern appears in interviewer and interviewee, trainer and trainee.

Collocations

Collocations are words that often go together. For a longer list, see job on OZDIC, a free collocation dictionary.

Verb + job

These follow a job from getting it to leaving it.

Adjective + job

These describe the kind of job.

Job + noun: the search

Job + noun: the role

Applying

The documents, people, and pay you meet in a typical application.

Preposition Patterns

These patterns show the prepositions that go with applying for a job (apply to, interview for) and with the job itself (on the job, report to).

be shortlisted for (a job) (mainly British): to be chosen as one of a small group of candidates for a job.
Six people were shortlisted for the job.
Translations: 进入…的候选名单 | …の最終候補に残る | …의 최종 후보에 오르다 | … के लिए चुने गए उम्मीदवारों में होना | يُدرَج في القائمة القصيرة لـ … | попасть в шорт-лист на … | quedar preseleccionado para … | être présélectionné pour …

Expressions: From Job Hunt to Moving On

These idioms and phrases follow a job from the search to the day you leave.

Searching

Looking for openings

it’s not what you know, it’s who you know: personal connections can matter more than skills when you look for a job.
My uncle always says it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
Translations: 关键不在于你会什么, 而在于你认识谁 | 何を知っているかより誰を知っているかだ | 무엇을 아느냐보다 누구를 아느냐가 중요하다 | मायने यह रखता है कि आप किसे जानते हैं, न कि क्या जानते हैं | المهمّ ليس ما تعرفه بل من تعرفه | важно не что ты знаешь, а кого ты знаешь | no importa lo que sabes, sino a quién conoces | ce n’est pas ce que tu sais, c’est qui tu connais

Getting in

Starting a new job

hit the ground running: to start something new with energy and work well from the first day.
After two internships, she hit the ground running in her first job.
Translations: 一上手就进入状态 | 初日から力を発揮する | 처음부터 바로 능력을 발휘하다 | पहले दिन से ही पूरी तेज़ी से काम शुरू करना | يبدأ بقوة منذ اليوم الأول | сразу включиться в работу | empezar a pleno rendimiento | être opérationnel dès le départ

be thrown in at the deep end (British; American: thrown in the deep end): to be given a difficult task without help or preparation.
On my first day, I was thrown in at the deep end with a client meeting.
Translations: 一上来就被派去做难事 | いきなり難しい仕事を任される | 준비 없이 어려운 일을 떠맡다 | बिना तैयारी के मुश्किल काम में झोंक दिया जाना | يُلقى به في المهمّة الصعبة مباشرة | оказаться брошенным в воду | ser lanzado al ruedo | être jeté dans le grand bain

On the job

Doing the job well, or as well as you can

make the best of a bad job (British, informal): to do as well as you can in a bad situation.
The office was cold and noisy, but we made the best of a bad job.
Translations: 尽力而为 | 悪い状況で最善を尽くす | 어려운 상황에서 최선을 다하다 | बुरी स्थिति में भी अच्छा करने की कोशिश करना | يتصرّف بأفضل ما يمكن في وضع سيئ | делать всё возможное в плохой ситуации | sacar el mejor partido de una mala situación | faire contre mauvaise fortune bon cœur

Good or bad jobs

Jobs people want, and jobs they don’t

Moving on

Leaving a job, by choice or not

Synonyms and Antonyms

No synonym means exactly the same as job, and job has no true opposite. The synonyms differ in formality and use; the second list shows the state of having no job and the ways a job comes to an end.

Synonyms

gig (noun, informal): a short-term or one-off paid job, often found through an app.
Informal. Gig work and the gig economy mean short, flexible jobs without a long contract. A gig is also a music performance.
Frequency: 3.98 | Rank: 7,338 (for all uses of gig)
He does delivery gigs in the evenings.
Translations: 零工 | 単発の仕事 | 단기 일감 | छोटा-मोटा काम | عمل مؤقت قصير | подработка | trabajo esporádico | petit boulot

Antonyms

layoff (noun, also lay-off): the loss of a job because the employer no longer needs or can pay the worker.
Not the worker’s fault. Verb: be laid off. British English also uses redundancy.
Frequency: 2.79 | Rank: 37,459
The factory announced two hundred layoffs.
Translations: 裁员 | 一時解雇, レイオフ | 정리해고 | छँटनी | تسريح العمّال | сокращение штата | despido colectivo | licenciement économique

Activity Page

Five activities: Expressions, Collocations, Good or Bad News, Error Correction, and Fill in the Blank. Open the activity page in a new tab

Speed Challenge

Answer 12 questions against the clock. Every wrong answer adds 5 seconds, and the lowest score wins. Open the speed challenge in a new tab.

Shadow Reading and Typing: Finding My First Job

This short story uses many of the expressions on this page. Use it for shadow reading (reading aloud along with a model) and for typing practice.

After graduation, I started job hunting right away. I read job postings every morning and applied for anything interesting. I sent my CV and a cover letter to more than thirty companies. Most never replied. My aunt said, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” So I put out feelers with old classmates and teachers.

A month later, a recruiter called me about an entry-level job at a travel company. I was shortlisted for the job and invited to an interview. I was nervous, but I had practiced my answers. Two days later, I got a job offer. The starting salary was low, but I didn’t want to turn down a chance to get my foot in the door.

On my first day, I was thrown in at the deep end. My manager was sick, so I had to answer customer emails alone. I didn’t exactly hit the ground running, but I learned the ropes quickly. After a few weeks, my team leader said I was doing a good job.

That was three years ago. It wasn’t my dream job, and it wasn’t a cushy job either. But it was far from a dead-end job. When I finally handed in my notice to move on to greener pastures, I thanked everyone. You should never burn your bridges.

How to practice

Read the text silently once and check any expressions you are unsure of.
Read it aloud slowly, one sentence at a time. On the typing page, the Listen button reads each line with your device’s voice, so you can listen first and then repeat.
Shadow: read aloud again at a natural speed, trying to keep a steady rhythm without stopping.
Record yourself, listen back, and note one sentence to practice again.
Type it on the typing page below and check your speed and accuracy.

Open the typing practice in a new tab

Quotations

Use these as warm-ups. Read the quotation, then discuss the question.

“In order that people may be happy in their work, these three things are needed: They must be fit for it: They must not do too much of it: and they must have a sense of success in it.”

John Ruskin, Pre-Raphaelitism (1851)

Ruskin, an English art critic, names three conditions for being happy in a job: the right fit, a reasonable amount, and a feeling of success. The punctuation is his.
Warm-up: Which of Ruskin’s three conditions matters most to you when you choose a job?
Translations: 要让人们在工作中感到快乐，需要三件事：他们必须适合这份工作；不能做得太多；还必须从中获得成就感。 | 人が仕事で幸せであるためには、三つのことが必要だ。その仕事に向いていること、やりすぎないこと、そしてそこに成功の手応えを感じられることである。 | 사람들이 일에서 행복하려면 세 가지가 필요하다. 그 일에 맞아야 하고, 일을 너무 많이 해서는 안 되며, 그 일에서 성공했다는 느낌을 가져야 한다. | लोगों को अपने काम में ख़ुश रहने के लिए तीन चीज़ें ज़रूरी हैं: वे उस काम के योग्य हों, वे उसे बहुत ज़्यादा न करें, और उन्हें उसमें सफलता का एहसास हो। | لكي يكون الناس سعداء في عملهم، لا بدّ من ثلاثة أمور: أن يكونوا أهلًا له، وألّا يُكثروا منه، وأن يشعروا بالنجاح فيه. | Чтобы люди были счастливы в своём труде, нужны три вещи: они должны быть к нему пригодны, они не должны делать его слишком много, и они должны чувствовать в нём успех. | Para que las personas sean felices en su trabajo, se necesitan tres cosas: deben ser aptas para él, no deben hacer demasiado y deben sentir que tienen éxito en él. | Pour que les gens soient heureux dans leur travail, trois choses sont nécessaires : ils doivent y être aptes, ils ne doivent pas en faire trop, et ils doivent y éprouver un sentiment de réussite.

“It is about a search, too, for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash.”

Studs Terkel, Working, introduction (1974)

Terkel, an American writer and radio host, interviewed people in many kinds of jobs. Here he says that people want meaning and respect from a job, not only money.
Warm-up: Apart from money, what do you hope to get from a job?
Translations: 它也关乎一种追寻：既为每天的面包，也为每天的意义；既为金钱，也为认可。 | それはまた探求でもある。日々の糧だけでなく日々の意味を、お金だけでなく認められることを求める探求だ。 | 그것은 또한 탐색이기도 하다. 매일의 빵뿐 아니라 매일의 의미를, 돈뿐 아니라 인정을 찾는 탐색이다. | यह एक खोज के बारे में भी है: रोज़ की रोटी के साथ-साथ रोज़ के अर्थ की, और पैसे के साथ-साथ पहचान की। | إنه يتعلّق أيضًا ببحثٍ عن معنى يومي إلى جانب الخبز اليومي، وعن التقدير إلى جانب المال. | Это ещё и поиск смысла на каждый день, а не только хлеба насущного, признания, а не только денег. | También se trata de una búsqueda de sentido diario además del pan de cada día, de reconocimiento además de dinero. | Il s’agit aussi d’une quête de sens au quotidien autant que du pain quotidien, de reconnaissance autant que d’argent.

“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

Theodore Roosevelt, Labor Day speech, Syracuse, New York (September 7, 1903)

The US president told his audience that hard work is a reward in itself, as long as the work is worth doing.
Warm-up: What makes a job worth doing, in your opinion?
Translations: 人生所能给予的最好奖赏，莫过于有机会为值得做的事努力工作。 | 人生が与えてくれる最高の褒美は、やりがいのある仕事に懸命に取り組む機会である。 | 인생이 주는 가장 큰 상은 할 가치가 있는 일을 열심히 할 수 있는 기회다. | जीवन का सबसे बड़ा पुरस्कार है करने लायक़ काम में कड़ी मेहनत करने का अवसर। | إن أفضل جائزة تقدّمها الحياة على الإطلاق هي فرصة العمل بجدّ في عملٍ يستحقّ أن يُنجَز. | Безусловно, лучшая награда, которую даёт жизнь, это возможность упорно трудиться над делом, которое того стоит. | El mejor premio que ofrece la vida es, con mucho, la oportunidad de trabajar duro en algo que valga la pena. | Le plus beau prix que la vie puisse offrir, de loin, c’est la chance de travailler dur à un travail qui en vaut la peine.

Discussion Questions

Your own job hunt

What was your first job, or what would you like your first job to be?
How do young people where you live usually find jobs: online, through family and friends, at job fairs, or in other ways?
What do you think employers look for most in young applicants?
Would you rather work for a large, well-known company or a small start-up? Why?
How important is it for your job to match what you studied?
Is it better to take the first job you are offered, or to wait for the right one?
What would make you say no to a job offer?
How do you feel about job interviews? What do you find hardest about them?
Should a first job be mainly about money, experience, or enjoyment?
How has technology changed the way people look for jobs?
How long should someone stay in a job before they change?
What advice would you give a friend who is looking for their first job?

Using the language of jobs

Have you ever had a job interview? What questions were you asked, or what questions do you expect?
What should a strong CV or cover letter include? What should it leave out?
Do you agree that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know? Is that fair?
Are internships a good way to get your foot in the door, even when they are unpaid?
When did you last have to learn the ropes of something new? How long did it take?
Have you ever been thrown in at the deep end? What happened?
What is the difference between a cushy job and a dream job?
How can someone avoid getting stuck in a dead-end job?
Which matters more to you: job security or job satisfaction?
What odd jobs or summer jobs have you done, or would you like to do?
Is job-hopping a smart career move, or a warning sign for employers?
Would you prefer a steady job or a life of short gigs? Why?
Why is it a bad idea to burn your bridges when you leave a job?
How do you know when it is time to hand in your notice and move on to greener pastures?

AI Practice Prompt

Copy this prompt into an AI chat tool to practice.

I am an English learner studying the word “job” and the language of looking for work. Ask me one question at a time. Mix multiple-choice, true or false, and short sentence-writing tasks. Use these words and phrases: jobseeker, job-hopping, apply for a job, land a job, turn down a job, hold down a job, entry-level job, job posting, job offer, job security, CV, cover letter, internship, be shortlisted for, between jobs, put out feelers, get your foot in the door, hit the ground running, learn the ropes, be up to the job, dead-end job, hand in your notice, burn your bridges. If I make a mistake, explain it briefly in [your language] and give a correct example in English. After ten questions, tell me which items I should review.

Online Resources

Global Employment Trends for Youth 2024: In figures (International Labour Organization). Key numbers on young people and jobs around the world, including how many are out of work and how many are neither working nor studying.
What’s the Difference Between a Résumé and a CV? (Britannica). A short explanation of the two documents and where in the world each one is used.
The STAR method (National Careers Service (UK)). A simple way to answer interview questions with real examples: Situation, Task, Action, Result.