Job Hunting Vocabulary: Key Terms and Polite Phrases

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

Before You Read

Think about these questions or discuss them with a partner.

Have you ever looked for a job, an internship, or a part-time position? Where did you look, and what did you have to send?
What English words or phrases do you already know for applications and job interviews?
How might job hunting differ by country, age, or industry?

Introduction

Job hunting has its own dialect. Advertisements ask for people who can “hit the ground running.” Recruiters promise to “keep your details on file.” An interviewer who says “we’ll be in touch” may mean it, or may simply be ending the conversation. Much of this language is polite code, and reading it correctly is part of the search itself.

The words also change with geography. What applicants in Britain and much of the English-speaking world call a CV, most employers in the United States and Canada call a résumé, and in the United States a CV usually means a long academic record. Losing a job because a company is cutting costs is being laid off in American English and made redundant in British English. Neither means the same as being fired.

Then there is tone. The same request can sound confident or pushy, polite or vague, depending on a few words. “How much will you pay me?” and “Could you tell me the salary range for this role?” ask for the same information, but the second is far safer in a formal interview. This unit gathers fifteen key terms, grouped by the four stages of a job hunt, with notes on words that are easy to confuse and a bank of phrases for common situations, from asking a contact for a referral to turning down an offer without burning a bridge.

Vocabulary

Each word has a frequency score, a rank, and a tag. The score shows how common the word is in modern English: higher means more common, and each full point means roughly ten times more common. The rank is the word’s position on a list of about 321,000 English word forms, from most to least common. The tag shows where you are most likely to meet the word: Current, Formal, Literary, or Dated. The words are grouped by the stage of a job hunt where you are most likely to meet them. The labels are information, not instructions. Deciding which words are worth your time is up to you. How to read the scores, ranks, and tags.

Stage 1: Searching

vacancy (noun): a job that is available because nobody is doing it yet or the last person has left.
Frequency: 3.65 | Rank: 12,045 | Current. Also an empty room in a hotel (“No vacancies”).
Nuance: Vacancy is more common in British and international job ads; American ads more often say opening or position. Role is now common everywhere: “We have an exciting role in our sales team.”
Translations: Chinese: 空缺职位 | Japanese: 欠員 | Korean: 공석 | Hindi: रिक्ति | Arabic: وظيفة شاغرة | Russian: вакансия | Spanish: vacante | French: poste vacant | Nepali: रिक्त पद | Uzbek: boʻsh ish oʻrni | Bengali: শূন্য পদ

The bank has three vacancies in its Lisbon office.
The hotel sign said “No vacancies,” so we drove on.

referral (noun): a recommendation from someone, often a current employee, who puts your name forward for a job.
Frequency: 3.60 | Rank: 12,940 | Current. Also used in medicine: a referral to a specialist.
Nuance: Do not confuse it with a reference. A referral gets you noticed before or as you apply. A reference, usually a past manager or teacher, speaks for you later, when the employer contacts them. Some companies pay staff a bonus for referrals that lead to a hire.
Translations: Chinese: 内部推荐 | Japanese: 紹介 | Korean: 추천 | Hindi: सिफ़ारिश | Arabic: ترشيح | Russian: рекомендация | Spanish: recomendación | French: recommandation | Nepali: सिफारिस | Uzbek: tavsiya | Bengali: সুপারিশ

She got the interview through a referral from a former classmate.
My doctor gave me a referral to a skin specialist.

transferable skills (noun phrase): abilities such as communication, organization, or problem solving that are useful in many different jobs, not only the one where you learned them.
Frequency: no score (phrase) | Current
Nuance: Most useful when you change careers or look for a first job. A café job builds customer service and teamwork; running a student club builds planning and budgeting. Name the skill and give the evidence.
Translations: Chinese: 可迁移技能 | Japanese: ポータブルスキル | Korean: 전이 가능한 역량 | Hindi: हस्तांतरणीय कौशल | Arabic: مهارات قابلة للنقل | Russian: универсальные навыки | Spanish: habilidades transferibles | French: compétences transférables | Nepali: हस्तान्तरणयोग्य सीप | Uzbek: universal koʻnikmalar | Bengali: স্থানান্তরযোগ্য দক্ষতা

Teaching gave him transferable skills such as public speaking and planning.
Running a family shop taught her transferable skills she now uses in a hospital.

Stage 2: Applying

tailor (verb): to change something, such as a CV or cover letter, so that it suits a particular job or reader.
Frequency: 3.61 | Rank: 12,764 | Current. The score also covers the noun (a person who makes clothes).
Nuance: Usually followed by to: tailor your CV, cover letter, or answers to the job. Sending one general CV to every employer is the opposite.
Translations: Chinese: 量身定制 | Japanese: 合わせる | Korean: 맞춤화하다 | Hindi: अनुरूप बनाना | Arabic: يُكيّف | Russian: адаптировать | Spanish: adaptar | French: adapter | Nepali: अनुकूल बनाउनु | Uzbek: moslashtirmoq | Bengali: মানানসই করা

Tailor your CV to each job by matching it to the skills in the advertisement.
The gym tailors its classes to older members.

track record (noun phrase): the record of what a person or organization has achieved in the past, used to judge how well they will do in future.
Frequency: no score (phrase) | Current
Nuance: Usually means evidence of success: a proven track record of meeting sales targets. Back it up with numbers or examples. A poor track record is possible but rare in job ads.
Translations: Chinese: 过往业绩 | Japanese: 実績 | Korean: 실적 | Hindi: पिछला रिकॉर्ड | Arabic: سجلّ الإنجازات | Russian: послужной список | Spanish: trayectoria | French: parcours | Nepali: विगतको रेकर्ड | Uzbek: yutuqlar tarixi | Bengali: অতীত সাফল্যের রেকর্ড

Applicants need a proven track record in project management.
The airline has an excellent safety track record.

shortlist (verb): to choose a small number of the best applicants from a larger group for the next stage, such as an interview.
Frequency: 3.07 | Rank: 26,420 | Current. Also a noun: be on the shortlist.
Nuance: Often passive: “I’ve been shortlisted for the role.” Being shortlisted means you are still in the process, not that you have the job.
Translations: Chinese: 列入候选名单 | Japanese: 候補者を絞り込む | Korean: 최종 후보로 선정하다 | Hindi: शॉर्टलिस्ट करना | Arabic: يُدرج في القائمة المختصرة | Russian: включить в шорт-лист | Spanish: preseleccionar | French: présélectionner | Nepali: छोटो सूचीमा राख्नु | Uzbek: saralab olmoq | Bengali: সংক্ষিপ্ত তালিকাভুক্ত করা

Only six of the 200 applicants were shortlisted for interviews.
The novel was shortlisted for a major literary prize.

career gap (noun phrase): a period of months or years between jobs, for example for study, caring for family, health, travel, or a long job search.
Frequency: no score (phrase) | Current. Also employment gap, or a gap in your CV.
Nuance: Gaps are common. A short, honest explanation that says what you did during the time usually works better than hiding it. You do not have to share private details.
Translations: Chinese: 职业空窗期 | Japanese: 職歴のブランク | Korean: 경력 공백 | Hindi: करियर में अंतराल | Arabic: انقطاع عن العمل | Russian: перерыв в карьере | Spanish: vacío laboral | French: trou dans le CV | Nepali: करियरमा अन्तराल | Uzbek: ishdagi tanaffus | Bengali: কর্মজীবনে বিরতি

She explained her two-year career gap by describing the courses she took.
After a career gap, he took a short course to update his skills.

overqualified (adjective): having more experience, education, or skill than a job needs, so that an employer may worry you will be bored, expensive, or leave soon.
Frequency: 2.25 | Rank: 70,702 | Current
Nuance: Usually the employer’s worry, not yours. If you suspect it, explain why you want this role now: a new field, a better balance, or a long-term commitment.
Translations: Chinese: 资历过高 | Japanese: オーバースペックの | Korean: 자격 과잉의 | Hindi: आवश्यकता से अधिक योग्य | Arabic: مؤهّل أكثر من اللازم | Russian: слишком квалифицированный | Spanish: sobrecualificado | French: surqualifié | Nepali: आवश्यकताभन्दा बढी योग्य | Uzbek: haddan ortiq malakali | Bengali: অতিরিক্ত যোগ্য

With a PhD, he was told he was overqualified for the lab assistant job.
She felt overqualified for the role but took it to enter a new industry.

Stage 3: Interviewing

competency (noun): a skill or ability needed to do a job well, especially one that an employer lists and tests, such as teamwork or leadership.
Frequency: 3.27 | Rank: 20,356 | Formal. Competence is used in a similar sense; competencies is the usual plural in job ads.
Nuance: In a competency-based interview, questions begin “Tell me about a time when…” Many candidates answer with the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
Translations: Chinese: 胜任力 | Japanese: コンピテンシー | Korean: 역량 | Hindi: दक्षता | Arabic: كفاءة | Russian: компетенция | Spanish: competencia | French: compétence | Nepali: क्षमता | Uzbek: kompetensiya | Bengali: যোগ্যতা

The interview tested three competencies: teamwork, leadership, and problem solving.
Basic digital competency is expected in most office jobs.

culture fit (noun phrase): how well a person’s values, working style, and attitudes match those of an organization and its team.
Frequency: no score (phrase) | Current
Nuance: A real factor, but a vague one. Critics say it can hide a preference for people who are similar to the existing team, and some employers now talk about “culture add” instead.
Translations: Chinese: 文化契合度 | Japanese: カルチャーフィット | Korean: 조직 문화 적합성 | Hindi: सांस्कृतिक अनुकूलता | Arabic: التوافق الثقافي | Russian: соответствие корпоративной культуре | Spanish: encaje cultural | French: adéquation culturelle | Nepali: सांस्कृतिक मेल | Uzbek: madaniy moslik | Bengali: সাংস্কৃতিক সামঞ্জস্য

The final interview was mostly about culture fit, not technical skills.
He left the start-up after a year because it was never a good culture fit.

follow up (phrasal verb): to contact someone again to find out what has happened or to add to an earlier message, for example after an interview.
Frequency: no score (phrase) | Current. The noun and adjective are written follow-up: a follow-up email.
Nuance: Polite forms: “I wanted to follow up on my application for…” or “I’m just following up on our conversation last week.” A short thank-you email soon after an interview is common practice in many countries.
Translations: Chinese: 跟进 | Japanese: フォローアップする | Korean: 후속 연락을 하다 | Hindi: फ़ॉलो-अप करना | Arabic: يُتابع | Russian: напомнить о себе | Spanish: hacer seguimiento | French: relancer | Nepali: फलो-अप गर्नु | Uzbek: qayta bogʻlanmoq | Bengali: ফলো-আপ করা

If you haven’t heard back in a week, follow up with a short email.
The doctor asked me to come back in a month to follow up.

ghost (verb): to suddenly stop all communication with someone without explanation; in hiring, used of employers who never reply and of candidates who disappear.
Frequency: 4.42 | Rank: 3,479 | Current. The score is mostly the noun (a spirit). The verb is informal.
Nuance: Informal but now common in news about hiring. It goes both ways: employers ghost candidates, and candidates ghost employers by missing interviews or never starting a job.
Translations: Chinese: 玩消失 | Japanese: ゴースティングする | Korean: 잠수 타다 | Hindi: अचानक संपर्क तोड़ना | Arabic: يختفي دون تفسير | Russian: исчезнуть без объяснений | Spanish: hacer ghosting | French: ghoster | Nepali: अचानक सम्पर्क तोड्नु | Uzbek: bedarak gʻoyib boʻlmoq | Bengali: হঠাৎ যোগাযোগ বন্ধ করা

After three interviews, the company ghosted him.
She felt hurt when a friend ghosted her after an argument.

Stage 4: Offers and Leaving

counteroffer (noun): an offer made in reply to another offer: either a candidate’s request for better terms, or a current employer’s offer to keep a worker who has resigned.
Frequency: 1.88 | Rank: 109,062 | Current. Also spelled counter-offer, especially in British English.
Nuance: Two uses in hiring: you can make a counteroffer to a new employer, and your current employer can make you a counteroffer to stay. Many recruiters advise thinking hard before accepting the second kind.
Translations: Chinese: 还价 | Japanese: カウンターオファー | Korean: 역제안 | Hindi: प्रति-प्रस्ताव | Arabic: عرض مضاد | Russian: встречное предложение | Spanish: contraoferta | French: contre-offre | Nepali: प्रतिप्रस्ताव | Uzbek: qarshi taklif | Bengali: পাল্টা প্রস্তাব

She made a counteroffer asking for more holiday instead of a higher salary.
The seller rejected our price and came back with a counteroffer.

notice period (noun phrase): the time a worker must keep working after saying they will leave, or that an employer must give before ending a job, usually set by a contract or the law.
Frequency: no score (phrase) | Current. American English more often says “two weeks’ notice.”
Nuance: Its length varies widely by country, contract, and seniority, from days to several months. You give or hand in your notice, and then you work (or serve) your notice period.
Translations: Chinese: 离职通知期 | Japanese: 退職予告期間 | Korean: 퇴직 예고 기간 | Hindi: नोटिस अवधि | Arabic: فترة الإشعار | Russian: срок уведомления | Spanish: periodo de preaviso | French: préavis | Nepali: सूचना अवधि | Uzbek: ogohlantirish muddati | Bengali: নোটিশ পিরিয়ড

My notice period is one month, so I can start in March.
Check the notice period in your rental contract before you move out.

probation (noun): a trial period at the start of a new job when the employer checks your work and the job can usually be ended more easily.
Frequency: 3.79 | Rank: 9,735 | Current. The score also covers the legal sense (supervision instead of prison).
Nuance: Also probation period or probationary period. Its length and rules depend on the country and the contract. You are on probation, and then you pass or complete it.
Translations: Chinese: 试用期 | Japanese: 試用期間 | Korean: 수습 기간 | Hindi: परिवीक्षा अवधि | Arabic: فترة التجربة | Russian: испытательный срок | Spanish: período de prueba | French: période d’essai | Nepali: परीक्षणकाल | Uzbek: sinov muddati | Bengali: পরীক্ষামূলক কাল

She passed her probation and became a permanent member of staff.
The new manager is on probation until June.

Nuance Notes: Easy to Confuse

CV or résumé? In Britain and much of the English-speaking world, a CV is the short document (usually one or two pages) you send with an application. In the United States and Canada, that document is usually called a résumé (also written resume), and a CV usually means a long academic record of degrees, publications, and teaching. If an advertisement asks for one, use its word.

Reference or referral? A referral comes early: someone, often an employee, puts your name forward. A reference comes later: a past manager or teacher who tells the employer about your work. You give references; you ask for a referral.

Fired, let go, laid off, or made redundant? Fired (formal: dismissed; informal British: sacked) usually suggests a reason connected with you, such as performance or conduct. Laid off (American) and made redundant (British) mean the job itself was cut. In British English, a lay-off usually means a temporary stop without pay or work, not the end of the job. Let go is a softer phrase that can mean either. In an interview, “my role was made redundant” puts the focus on the position, not the person.

Apply for or apply to? You apply for a job, a position, or a role, and apply to a company, a university, or an organization: “I applied to Siemens for a graduate engineer role.”

Job, position, role, or opening? Job is the general word. Position is more formal. Role stresses responsibilities and is now very common in recruitment. Opening and vacancy mean the job is available now.

Salary, wage, or package? A salary is a fixed amount paid monthly or yearly; a wage is usually paid by the hour, day, or week. A package (or compensation package) is the salary plus benefits such as insurance, leave, and bonuses. Remuneration is the formal word for all of it.

Recruiter or headhunter? A recruiter fills jobs, either inside one company (in-house) or for an agency that serves many employers. A headhunter is a recruiter who approaches people who are not looking for a job, often for senior roles.

Resign, quit, or hand in your notice? Resign is neutral and formal. Quit is informal and can sound sudden. Hand in your notice (British) and give notice describe the act of telling your employer that you are leaving.

What does “we’ll keep your CV on file” mean? Phrases like “we’ll keep your details on file” and “we’ve decided to move forward with other candidates” are usually polite rejections. “We’ll be in touch” can mean anything, which is why a polite follow-up is worth sending.

Say It Right: Phrases for Common Situations

The phrases in the first column are polite and professional. The ones in the last column are not wrong English, but they can sound too blunt, too casual, or too vague in a job search.

Stage 1: Searching

Situation	Say this	Avoid
Asking a contact about their company	Would you have fifteen minutes for a quick chat about what it’s like to work there? It asks for information, not a favor they may not be able to give.	Can you get me a job at your company?
Asking a contact for a referral	Would you feel comfortable referring me for the analyst role? It gives the other person an easy way to say no.	Please refer me.

Stage 2: Applying

Situation	Say this	Avoid
Opening a cover letter	I am writing to apply for the Project Coordinator position advertised on your website. It names the role and the source at once, in the expected register.	Hi! I saw your ad and I really want this job.
Explaining a career gap	I took a year out to care for a family member, and during that time I completed a course in data analysis. It says what you did, not only what you did not do.	I didn’t work for a year.

Stage 3: Interviewing

Situation	Say this	Avoid
You did not understand a question	Sorry, could you rephrase the question, please? It shows you are listening and want to answer well.	What?
You need a moment to think	That’s a good question. Let me think for a moment. A short pause sounds thoughtful when you say that you are pausing.	(a long silence) or “I don’t know.”
Asking about pay	Could you tell me the salary range for this role? A range is a normal, neutral request; the blunt version can sound like your only interest.	How much will you pay me?
The interviewer asks if you have questions	What would success look like in the first six months? Having no questions can suggest a lack of interest.	No, I don’t have any questions.
Following up after an interview	I wanted to follow up on my interview last Tuesday and ask whether there is any update. Past tense and an indirect question make the message softer.	Why haven’t you replied?

Stage 4: Offers and Leaving

Situation	Say this	Avoid
Asking for time to decide	Thank you for the offer. Would it be possible to give you my answer by Friday? It gives a clear date, so the employer can plan.	I’ll think about it.
Negotiating the salary	I’m very interested in the role. Is there any flexibility on the starting salary? It shows interest first and asks an open question.	That’s too low. I want more.
Turning down an offer	After careful consideration, I’ve decided to decline the offer. I hope our paths cross again. It keeps the relationship open for the future.	No thanks, I found something better.
Resigning	Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation. My last day will be 31 May. It is clear, formal, and gives the date your notice ends.	I quit.

Word Partners

Collocations. Match the two halves to make common phrases. Then use three of the phrases in sentences of your own.

1. advertise a	a. probation
2. tailor your CV	b. track record
3. a proven	c. notice period
4. explain a	d. for an interview
5. be shortlisted	e. vacancy
6. make a	f. career gap
7. work your	g. to each job
8. pass your	h. counteroffer

Answers

advertise a vacancy (e)
tailor your CV to each job (g)
a proven track record (b)
explain a career gap (f)
be shortlisted for an interview (d)
make a counteroffer (h)
work your notice period (c)
pass your probation (a)

Word families. Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in brackets.

Several nursing positions at the hospital are still __________. (vacancy)
Could you __________ me to the hiring manager? (referral)
The training program is __________ to each new employee’s needs. (tailor)
She is highly __________ in three programming languages. (competency)
New staff are hired on a __________ basis for the first six months. (probation)
I’ll send a quick __________ email on Monday. (follow up)

Answers

vacant
refer
tailored
competent
probationary
follow-up / follow up

Activity Page

Five activities: Vocabulary, Right Phrase (choose what to say in a situation), Nuance Check, Word Usage, 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.

Model Messages and Typing: Four Model Messages

Four short messages that use the lesson vocabulary and the polite phrases above: asking a contact for a referral, applying, following up after an interview, and replying to an offer. Use them as models, for reading aloud and shadowing, and for typing practice.

Hi Maya, I hope you’re well. I saw that your team has a vacancy for a junior data analyst. It looks like a good match for the transferable skills I built as a teacher. Would you have fifteen minutes this week for a quick chat about the work? If you think I’d be a good culture fit, would you feel comfortable giving me a referral? Either way, thank you for your time.

Dear Ms. Okafor, I am writing to apply for the Project Coordinator position advertised on your website. I have taken care to tailor this application to the skills in your advertisement. In my current role, I have built a strong track record of delivering events on time and within budget. My CV shows a career gap in 2024, when I took a year out to care for a family member. During that year, I completed a course in project management.

Dear Mr. Haddad, thank you again for meeting me last Tuesday. I wanted to follow up on my interview for the analyst role and ask whether there is any update. I enjoyed the competency questions, especially the one about leading a team under pressure. I was pleased to make the shortlist, and I remain very interested in the position. I look forward to hearing from you.

Dear Ms. Tanaka, thank you very much for the offer. I’m very interested in the role. Is there any flexibility on the starting salary? My notice period is one month, so I could start on 1 March. I understand that the first six months are a probation period, which suits me well. My current employer may make a counteroffer, but I have decided that this is the right move for me. Would it be possible to give you my final answer by Friday?

How to practice

Read each message silently once and notice the softening phrases (would, could, I wanted to, Is there any flexibility).
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, as if you were leaving a voice message.
Change the names, the role, and the dates so the message fits a job you would like, and say it again.
Type it on the typing page below and check your speed and accuracy.

Open the typing practice in a new tab

What Would You Say?

Write or say what you would say in each situation. Use the vocabulary and the phrases from this lesson. Then compare with the model answers.

A friend’s company has a vacancy that interests you. Ask your friend for more information.
You want a former teacher or manager to be a reference. Write the first two sentences of your message.
An interviewer says, “Tell me about yourself.” Answer in three or four sentences for a job you would like.
Your job was cut when your company closed a department. An interviewer asks why you left your last job.
Your CV shows an eight-month career gap. Explain it in two sentences.
An interviewer asks a question you did not fully understand.
It has been ten days since your final interview, and you have heard nothing. Write a short follow-up email.
You receive an offer, but the salary is lower than you hoped. Respond.
After you resign, your manager makes you a counteroffer, but you plan to leave. Decline politely.

Model answers

Model: “I saw that your team has a vacancy for a marketing assistant. Would you have fifteen minutes this week to tell me what the work is like?” Look for a request for information, not for a job.
Model: “I hope you are well. I am applying for a junior accountant role at Nordwell, and I was wondering whether you would be willing to act as a reference.” Look for a polite question (I was wondering whether, would you be willing).
Open answer. A strong answer gives present role or studies, one or two relevant achievements or transferable skills, and why this job is the next step. It does not retell a whole life story.
Model: “My role was made redundant when the company closed its design department.” Look for redundant or laid off, not fired, and a neutral tone with no complaint about the employer.
Model: “I took eight months out to care for a family member. During that time I completed an online course in bookkeeping and kept up with changes in the field.” Accept any honest, brief reason plus what the person did.
Model: “Sorry, could you rephrase the question, please?” or “Just to check, do you mean…?”
Model: “Dear Ms. Lee, Thank you again for meeting me on 14 March. I wanted to follow up on my interview for the analyst role and ask whether there is any update. I remain very interested in the position. Best regards, …” Look for follow up, a past-tense softener, and continued interest.
Model: “Thank you for the offer. I’m very interested in the role. Is there any flexibility on the starting salary?” Accept a polite counter-request that shows interest first.
Model: “Thank you for the counteroffer. I really appreciate it, but I’ve decided that the new role is the right step for me, and I’d like my resignation to stand.” Look for thanks, a clear decision, and no criticism of the company.

AI Interview Practice Prompt

I am practicing English for job hunting at CEFR C1 level. I have studied words such as vacancy, referral, career gap, competency, culture fit, follow up, counteroffer, and notice period, and phrases for asking about salary, following up, and declining offers politely. Please act as an interviewer for a job I will name. Ask me one question at a time, including at least one competency question that begins “Tell me about a time when…” and one about why I left my last job or a gap in my CV. After each answer, suggest one phrase that would sound more natural or professional, then ask the next question.

AI Vocabulary Prompt

I want to practice job-hunting vocabulary at CEFR C1 level. Please quiz me on the following words one at a time, using realistic job-search situations, and correct my answers: vacancy, referral, transferable skills, tailor, track record, shortlist, career gap, overqualified, competency, culture fit, follow up, ghost, counteroffer, notice period, probation.

Discussion Questions

Have you ever applied for a job, a part-time position, or a place on a course? How did it go?
Where do people in your country usually find out about job vacancies?
What transferable skills have you gained from school, hobbies, or part-time work?
Would you feel comfortable asking a friend for a referral? Why or why not?
Is tailoring your CV for every application worth the time? Why?
Which interview question would you find hardest to answer, and why?
Have you ever been ghosted, at work or elsewhere? How did it feel?
Where you live, is it acceptable to ask about salary in a first interview?
Should a career gap count against an applicant? Which reasons for a gap seem acceptable to you?
Would you accept a job you were overqualified for? Under what conditions?
Is culture fit a fair reason to reject a candidate, or can it be a cover for bias?
If your employer made you a counteroffer, what would make you stay?
How much should personal connections matter in hiring?
Should employers be required by law to reply to every applicant? Who would benefit, and who would bear the cost?

Language Focus: Softening Requests and Refusals

What it is: Softening makes a request or a refusal less direct. Common tools are would and could instead of will and can; the past tense for the present (I wanted to, I was wondering); questions about possibility (Would it be possible to…? Is there any flexibility on…?); and phrases that cushion bad news (I’m afraid, Unfortunately, After careful consideration).

Why it matters: In a job search you often ask for things the other person does not have to give: time, information, money, a recommendation. Softened language leaves them room to say no, which makes yes easier and keeps the relationship safe if the answer is no.

Examples from this lesson:

“Would it be possible to give you my answer by Friday?”
“I wanted to follow up on my interview last Tuesday and ask whether there is any update.”
“I’m very interested in the role. Is there any flexibility on the starting salary?”
“Would you feel comfortable referring me for the analyst role?”
“After careful consideration, I’ve decided to decline the offer.”

Part A. Rewrite Rewrite each message so that it sounds polite and professional. Use the word in brackets.

Send me the job description. (could)
I want more money. (flexibility)
Tell me if I got the job. (wondering)
I can’t come on Monday. (afraid)
Give me until next week to decide. (possible)

Model answers

Could you send me the job description, please?
Is there any flexibility on the salary?
I was wondering whether there is any update on my application.
I’m afraid I’m not available on Monday. Would Tuesday work instead?
Would it be possible to give you my answer next week?

Part B. Finish the message Finish each sentence so that it fits the situation in brackets.

(Asking a former manager to be a reference) I was wondering if you would …
(A recruiter calls while you are on a train) I’m afraid …
(Asking about working from home) Would it be possible …
(Writing to someone you met at a careers fair) I wanted to …
(Turning down a second interview) Unfortunately, …

Model answers

I was wondering if you would be willing to act as a reference for me.
I’m afraid I can’t talk right now. Could I call you back in an hour?
Would it be possible to work from home one or two days a week?
I wanted to thank you for your advice about the logistics industry.
Unfortunately, I have accepted another offer, so I will not be able to attend.

Online Resources

How to Ace Competency-Based Interview Questions (British Council English Online). Explains “Tell me about a time when…” questions and the STAR method, with advice written for English learners.
How To Explain a Career Gap in an Interview (Indeed). Short, practical advice and sample answers for explaining time between jobs honestly and briefly.
Curriculum vitae (Wikipedia). How the meaning of CV and résumé changes between North America and other English-speaking countries.
Laid Off vs. Fired: What Are the Differences? (Monster). An American guide to the difference between losing a job through layoffs and being fired.
Essential English Words and Phrases for a Job Interview (EF English Live). Common interview questions in English and useful ways to talk about your strengths and goals.