Objective: To learn some useful words and expressions for describing your job.
Think about it!
When was the last time you had to explain your job to someone? How did you describe it? What are some of the best jobs
you've ever had? What are some of the most difficult jobs you've ever done? If you weren't working where you are now,
where would you like to be working? Why? What do you like or dislike about your job?
PRACTICAL ENGLISH
HOWTO DESCRIBE YOUR OB!
Time
• I've been working at the
company for six months.
• I worked there for two
years between 2004 and
2006.
• I left after just three
months.
Hiring (employing people)
• They took me on about
six months ago.
• They've appointed a new
salesperson.
• They contracted her for
the post of marketing
manager.
Travel
• I get to work by bus. /
I go to work by car.
• The journey takes about
20 minutes.
• I get in early to avoid the
rush hour traffic.
Tasks
• I have to attend
meetings. / I often get
asked to do overtime.
• I take bookings over
the phone. / I handle
customer complaints.
• I have to write up
reports once a week.
Positions I responsibility
• I'm the managing director. /
She's the president.
• He 's in charge of the
design team .
• I'm the head of the sales
team.
• She's responsible for
quality control.
Firing (teI6ng people to leave)
• He got fired for
industrial espionage.
• She was sacked for
inappropriate conduct.
• They gave him the boot
for incompetence.
• The company had to cut
back on its workforce.
• They got rid of half the
Do you want to improve your speaking ability and flue ncy? Sign up for Skype/Telephone classes in our shop at: www.learnhotenglish.com 13
9 TRACK8: ENGLISHMAN & ENGLISHWOMAN
department.
• The company laid off
everyone in the Berlin
office.
Contract I hours
• There's a two-month
trial period.
• I've got an indefinite
contract.
• I'm a self-employed
builder.
• I' m a freelance designer.
• She's on a full-time
contract. / I'm on a part-
time contract.
• They're all on zero-hours
contracts. Listen to two people describing their jobs.
• I get 25 days pa id Complete the text with the correct words_
holiday a year.
• I work from 9 to 5pm .
The car rental manager
• I work the morning I work in the office of a car rental websites, and (7) - - - -
shift. / She does the company at an international I also pitch ideas to publishers
late-night shift. airport. I'm the (1) _ _ __ in the hope of getting a contract
of the branch, so I'm in charge to write an article. I do freelance
of the other employees. My work for various publishers, and
GLOSSARY
overtime n
workload varies throughout sometimes get assignments
extra time that you work outside you r the year as we have peak times where they send me to a (8)
normal hours
a booking during the (2) _ _ __ _____ and I have to
when a customer makes a " booking", when lots of people want report on it. The work is perfect for
they telephone and reserve a tab le at a
restaurant, a room in a hotel, etc. to rent a car and then quiet me as I'm an extrovert and I enjoy
to handle n
if you "ha ndle" a problem, you try to find a
periods when we don't rent out speaking to people from all walks
solution to it so many (3) .I oflife. I also like being my own
a complaint
if a customer has a "co mplaint " they say
I
work a 9-5 shift for most of the boss and the (9) _ _ __
that they aren 't happy with the service, etc. time but I have to do overtime it gives me. Some of my tasks
to cut back p
to reduce
h
sometimes and work two include interviewing people (hotel
to get rid of '<fi
if Cl company "gets rid or' workers, they tell
weekends a month. Some of my owners, restaurant managers,
those workers to leave their jo bs duties include taking bookings tour guides, etc.), doing online
a trial period
a time pe riod (often 3 months) in which
over the (4) _ _ __ research, taking photos, checking
the worker is tested. If t hey're successful, making photocopies, keeping out tourist (10) _ _ __
they're offered a contract
an indefinite contract the office tidy, filing things away, visiting museums, eating at
a contract with no f1xed time limit
self-employed ad)
handling any client questions restaurants, reviewing hotels ...
a "self·employed" worker works for many or (5) , working it's the ideal job. And best of all,
companies and charges each time they
provide a service to resolve overdue car rentals I can work whenever and wherever
freelance ad) and training new staff. I'm also I want. Alii need is my laptop. 0
a "freelance" worker works for many
companies and charges each time they responsible for ensuring the cars
provide a service
a full-time contract "
are clean, full of petrol and ready Speaking
a contract to work a full timetable. usually for the next customer.
8 hours a day, 40 hours a week Now talk about it!
a zero· hours contract
a contract with no guarantee of the The travel writer What do you do? What are you
number of hours you will work - the
company calls you when there's work I work as a self·employed travel in charge of? What are your
to do responsibilities? What time do
writer. I earn money by selling
itshift you get to work? How many
a period of time that you work: the my (6) to various people work under you? What
morning shift (from 8am until 2pm. for
example) travel-related publications are you responsible for?
(magazines mostly), agencies,