25 Job Interview Phrasal Verbs
work.
Firstly, let’s put these phrasal verbs into
two different categories: transitive and
intransitive.
What’s the difference?
A transitive phrasal verb must have an
object. For example:
I followed up my interview with an email. I
think it’s professional to do that.
Follow up is your phrasal verb, my
interview is your object. It would be
impossible to only say: I followed up.
An intransitive phrasal verb doesn’t need
an object. For example:
I hope the blue text will make my CV stand
out.
Stand out is your phrasal verb. There is no
object. You can perfectly say: It stands out.
Transitive Phrasal Verbs
1.call off (transitive)
If you call off something, you cancel an
event/meeting.
On the phone: Sorry Misha, we need to
call off your interview today. We’ve had a
problem with our computers. I’ll call you
later to reschedule.
What do you think is the best way to call
off a meeting with a client at the last
minute?
2.take on (transitive)
Language Connected 25 Job Interview Phrasal Verbs
If you take on something, you accept more
Sometimes if someone is sick, you might
need to take on more work. How do you
feel about that?
I’ve decided to take on more hours at
work because I need the money.
3.follow up (transitive)
If you follow up something, you contact a
client/person again to give them more
information.
After every meeting with a new client, you
need to follow up that meeting with a
thank-you email.
Thank you for this meeting today
everyone. We’ll follow this up next week
in another meeting.
4.try out (transitive)
If you try out something, you test
something to see if it works.
We need someone to try out new
marketing strategies.
All employees use the app Toggl, but we
want to try out something different. Do
you have any suggestions?
5.go over (transitive)
If you go over something, you review it in
detail.
So Anna, I went over you CV and it looks
very impressive.
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 Every morning we have a staff meeting
and go over the day’s duties.
6.look up (transitive)
If you look up something, you look for
information online, on a computer, or in a
book.
Ben, we looked up your LinkedIn profile
and saw that you worked in Seville 5 years
ago. Please tell us about that experience.
It’s important that all employees look up
their clients’ businesses before calling
them.
7.get on with (transitive)
If you get on with someone, you have a
good relationship with them.
It’s important that all colleagues get on
with each other. A good team spirit is
vital.
I don’t really get on with my flatmates.
They never speak to me and always play
loud music.
8.get on with (2) (transitive)
If you get on with something, you are
managing it well.
How are you getting on with your
English?
I think everyone is getting on with this
new project quite well so far.
9.carry out (transitive)
If you carry out something, you finish a
specific task.
Language Connected 25 Job Interview Phrasal Verbs
It’s important that all members of staff
carry out 3 new reports each week.
This assignment must be carried out
before the end of the week.
10.look over (transitive)
If you look over something, you look at
something to review it.
Thank you for your email. I have looked
over your CV and we cannot invite you to
an interview as you don’t have the relevant
experience.
Have you looked over the paper I gave
you? What do you think?
11.check up on (transitive)
If you check up on someone/something, you
check to see if someone/something is
working or not working.
As a manager, what do you think is the
best way to check up on someone?
It’s so annoying, my boss checks up on
me every 30 minutes.
12.put up with (transitive)
If you put up with something, you accept
something bad and continue working.
In our business we put up with a lot of
difficult customers. It’s important that you
always remain calm.
Sometimes I need to work overtime, but I
just put up with it.
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 13.depend on (transitive)
If something/someone depends on
something/someone, it needs it to function.
We heavily depend on our business
partnerships to make this company work.
In your opinion, is it more important to
depend on yourself or your boss?
14.belong to (transitive)
If something belongs to you, it is your
possession.
This company belonged to my father. Now
it belongs to me.
It’s important that you can use Excel
because we need to know which invoices
belong to which client.
Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
15.stand out (intransitive)
If something stands out, it attracts more
attention than other things.
We received many CVs, but yours really
stood out. You have a lot of experience!
I agree with you Tom, Maria really stood
out compared to all of the other
candidates.
16.open up (intransitive)
If you open up to someone, you talk about
your personal/private life.
What’s my greatest weakness? Well, I
don’t really open up to people easily. I
Language Connected 25 Job Interview Phrasal Verbs
need to know someone for a few months
before I do.
I opened up to one of my colleagues the
other day about how stressed I am. She
was very supportive.
17.drag on (intransitive)
If something drags on, it takes longer than
necessary.
The meeting dragged on 30 minutes
longer than it should have.
If I listen to music at work, I feel like time
doesn’t drag on. It passes much quicker.
18.dress up (intransitive)
If you dress up, you wear clothes that are
more formal than normal.
It’s important to dress up when we have
important clients visiting our offices.
In our company, you don’t need to dress
up. Jeans and a t-shirt are fine.
19.dress down (intransitive)
If you dress down, you wear clothes that
are less formal than normal.
Every Friday you can dress down. It’s
something fun to do and the staff can feel
more relaxed at work.
I felt pretty ill today so I dressed down
when I went to work. Jeans are more
comfortable than my work skirt.
20.show up (intransitive)
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 If you show up, you arrive somewhere.

All employees must show up 15 minutes 24.clock in /out (intransitive)

early before the start of any meeting.
If you clock in/out, you document when you
If you were a manager, what would you do arrive/leave your job using a special
if someone showed up late very day? machine.

21.take over (intransitive) All employees are given a special card

to clock in every morning.
If you take over something, you start doing
something that someone else was doing. Please don't forgot to clock out at the end
of every day.
Recently, a new CEO has taken over this
company so there are a few new changes.

If one of your colleagues were sick, would 25.call in (intransitive)

you be happy to take over their work for a
day? If you call in, you contact your work to tell
them something.

This position is a home-based position, but

22.listen up (used as an imperative) you need to call in every day to speak to
(intransitive) your manager.

If you listen up, you stop what you are I called in to tell my boss that I had a fever
doing to listen to someone. and couldn’t go to work.

Listen up everyone! We need to have an

emergency staff meeting in 30 minutes.
See you all in the meeting room.

Right, listen up. There is going to be a fire

alarm test today so don’t panic when you
hear the alarm.

23.sign in /out (intransitive)

If you sign in/out, you document when you

arrive/leave your job in a notebook.

All employees must sign in at the front

desk every day before 9 AM.

Oh no, I forgot to sign out yesterday. I

have to tell my boss.

Language Connected 25 Job Interview Phrasal Verbs www.languageconnected.co.uk