Useful Vocabulary
Double click on any word to listen to the pronunciation. (Allow popups).
| accountant(s) | baker(s) | barber(s) |
|---|---|---|
| barman (barmen) | builder(s) | butcher(s) |
| carpenter(s) | cashier(s) | chambermaid(s) |
| chef(s) | cleaner(s) | dentist(s) |
| doctor(s) | electrician(s) | engineer(s) |
| fireman (firemen) | fishmonger(s) | flight attendant(s) |
| hairdresser(s) | judge(s) | lawyer(s) |
| nurse(s) | optician(s) | painter(s) |
| photographer(s) | plumber(s) | policeman (policemen) |
| porter(s) | post[wo]man (post[wo]men) | receptionist(s) |
| reporter(s) | sales assistant(s) | sales representative(s) |
| scientist(s) | secretary (secretaries) | surgeon(s) |
| tailor(s) | teacher(s) | technician(s) |
| vet(s) | waiter(s) | welder(s) |
Pronunciation - Click here
Build Up
To find out what someone's job is, you can ask, "What do you do?"
Work - What do they do? Where do they work?
| Job | What do they do? | Where do they work? |
|---|---|---|
| Accountants | Look after the finances in an organisation. | They work in an office. |
| Bakers | Bake bread. | They work in a bakery. |
| Barbers | Shave men's beards and cut men's hair. | They work in a barbers. |
| Barmen/women | Serve drinks. | They work in a bar, pub or restaurant. |
| Butchers | Prepare and sell meat. | They work in a butchers. |
| Chambermaids | Clean and tidy rooms. | They work in a hotel. |
| Chefs | Prepare and cook food. | They work in a kitchen. |
| Dentists | Look after people's teeth. | They work in a dentists. |
| Doctors | Look after people's health. | They work in a hospital or surgery. |
| Fishmongers | Prepare and sell fish. | They work in a fishmongers. |
| Flight attendants | Look after passengers. | They work in an aeroplane (airplane AmE). |
| Hair dressers | Cut and style people's hair. | They work in a hair salon. |
| Judges | Judge and sentence people. | They work in a law court. |
| Lawyers | Defend and prosecute people. | They work in a law court and in a lawyers office. |
| Nurses | Look after patients . | They work in a hospital or doctor's surgery. |
| Opticians | Look after people's eye sight. | They work in an opticians. |
| Porters | Carry other people's bags and luggage. | They work in a hotel or train station. |
| Receptionists | Meet and greet visitors. | They work in reception. |
| Sales Assistants | Sell goods and look after customers. | They work in a shop. |
| Secretaries | Arrange appointments, type letters and organise meetings. | They work in an office. |
| Surgeons | Operate on people who are sick. | They work in a hospital. |
| Tailors | Design, make, alter or repair garments, | They work in factories and shops. |
| Teachers | Teach people. | They work in a school. |
| Technicians | Organise and repair technical equipment. | They work everywhere! |
| Vets | Look after people's animals. | They work in a veterinary surgery or vets. |
| Waiters/Waitresses | Serve people food and drink. | They work in a restaurant. |
| Welders | Weld metal to make things. | They work in factories and construction. |
Leaving or Losing your job
There are many different ways to express leaving or losing a job.
To Leave Your Job:-
To resign | To quit | To leave your job = to give up a job or position by telling your employer that you are leaving.
To retire = to leave your job or stop working because of old age or ill health.
To Lose Your Job:-
To be dismissed | To be fired | To get fired | To be sacked | To get the sack | To get the chop | To get your P45 | To lose your job = to be asked to leave a job, usually because you have done something wrong or badly, or sometimes as a way of saving the cost of employing you.
To be made redundant = to lose your job because your employer no longer needs you.
Naturally Speaking
These are the most common questions asked in a normal interview with some ideas of how to prepare an answer:-
| Tell me about yourself. |
This does not mean "Give me your life story". It's your chance to give an overall impression of who you are. Research the company to get an idea of the skills and experience they're looking for, work those into your response. Make sure you concentrate on who you are, your work experience, and relate everything to show that you would be a great candidate for the position. |
|---|---|
What were your main responsibilities in your last job? |
Be specific and positive about what you did in your current / previous job. Try to relate them to the job you are being interviewed for. |
What is your biggest accomplishment? |
Give an example that relates to the job you are interviewing for. |
What are your greatest strengths / weaknesses? |
Your ability to work well under pressure, prioritizing skills, problem-solving skills, professional expertise, leadership skills, team spirit. Be prepared to give real life examples. Be honest about a specific weakness, but show what you are doing to overcome it. |
Why do you want to work for this company? |
Be positive. Research the organisation and relate what they offer to your long-term ambitions. |
Why do you want to leavel your current job? |
Never say anything bad about your previous employers. Think about leaving for a positive reason. |
When can you start? |
Straight away. I need to give x weeks notice. |
Do you have any questions? |
Yes. Prepare several questions before the interview. You could ask about career / development / training opportunities. Be sure to ask when they'll make their decision. |
| !Note | There are lots of "typical" interview questions on Monster.co.uk. |
Dialogue
| John has a job interview for a Saturday job | |
|---|---|
| Interviewer: | So, you've applied for the Saturday position, right? |
| John: | Yes, I have. |
| Interviewer: | Can you tell me what made you reply to our advertisement? |
| John: | Well, I was looking for a part-time job to help me through college. And I think that I'd be really good at this kind of work. |
| Interviewer: | Do you know exactly what you would be doing as a shop assistant? |
| John: | Well I imagine I would be helping customers, keeping a check on the supplies in the store, and preparing the shop for business. |
| Interviewer: | That about covers it, you would also be responsible for keeping the front of the store tidy. What sort of student do you regard yourself as . . . did you enjoy studying while you were at school? |
| John: | I suppose I'm a reasonable student. I passed all my exams and I enjoy studying subjects that interest me. |
| Interviewer: | Have you any previous work experience? |
| John: | Yes. I worked part-time at a take-away in the summer holidays. |
| Interviewer: | Now, do you have any questions you'd like to ask me about the position? |
| John: | Yes. Could you tell me what hours I'd have to work? |
| Interviewer: | We open at 9.00, but you would be expected to arrive at 8.30 and we close at 6.00 pm. You would be able to leave then. I think I have asked you everything I wanted to. Thank you for coming along to the interview. |
| John: | Thank you. When will I know if I have been successful? |
| Interviewer: | We'll be making our decision next Monday, we'll give you a call. |
Games and Tests for this Vocabulary Unit
All these games and tests open in a new window.
Crossword
Dictation and Spelling Test
Hangman
Reading and Comprehension
Rumble in the Jumble - Jobs and Work
Vocabulary Test
Word Search