30 Work

A Jobs, career and work

to carry
out work to supervise
a fulfilling job a high- work
powered job1
a demanding to
job complete to work
to apply work WORK closely with
JOB
a steady for a job
job to wreck/ruin
available to to take
a permanent on work someone’s
to offer start work to embark
job career
someone on a career2
a job at the height/peak to have a
of your career career in
Note we say have a job, NOT have a work.
her career
CAREER (medicine)
1
an important job lasted … a brilliant
2
to start a career career
3
to climb the
a career starts to become very successful career ladder
a promising a career
career takes off3

B Job adverts

Do you have a good knowledge of the fashion industry?

Do you have experience in sales?
Are you a good team player1?
Are you looking for a stimulating 1
a person who co-operates well
working environment?
with other people
Would you like to be an integral part of 2
good rewards for work – not just
a close team?
salary but also perhaps a company
We can offer you job satisfaction and
car, good holiday entitlement, etc.
generous benefits2. 3
the job must be offered to
Vacancy must be filled3 within
three weeks. someone and accepted
For details, phone 08965 439820.

C Things you might do at work

Bella has a job as a PA. Basically her role is to take charge of her boss, who is not a very
organised person, and make sure nothing goes wrong. She makes appointments for her boss
and she makes sure he keeps his appointments. She spends a lot of time answering the phone
and fielding telephone calls1 on his behalf. When her boss has to travel, she makes the
reservations for him. When her boss has to give a presentation, she makes all the preparations
that are required, including making photocopies of any papers that he needs. She arranges
meetings for him and she takes the minutes2 at the meetings. Bella is a very well-organised
person. She keeps a record of everything she does at work and sets herself targets. She does
her best to achieve her goals. Every morning she makes a list of everything she needs to do.
Today the first thing on her list is ‘Hand in my notice’3! But she’s not going to take early
retirement. She’s got a new job where she will be the boss and will have her own PA.
1
dealing with all the calls she can handle herself and only putting the most urgent ones through
to her boss
2
keeps the official record of a meeting
3
resign, inform her boss she’s planning to stop working for him

64 English Collocations in Use Intermediate

 Exercises
30.1 Complete the sentences with work, job or career.
work
1 I took on too much .............................................. last month and couldn’t finish it all.
career
2 At the peak of her .............................................. she was managing a sales force of 200 people.
career
3 Daniel Robertson’s .............................................. in education lasted almost four decades.
job
4 I have a very demanding ............................................... , but I enjoy it, nonetheless.
work
5 At the moment we are carrying out .............................................. on the design of the new stadium.
6 The scandal ruined his ..............................................
career and he never worked in the stock market again.
job
7 I’m going to apply for a .............................................. in a supermarket.
career
8 She had a long and brilliant .............................................. in show business. At 20, she got her first
job
steady .............................................. in a small regional theatre, but it was in 1980 that her ..............................................
career
really took off when she was offered a part in a TV series.
30.2 Look at this job advert, then look at the shortlist of candidates below. Rank them in order of
suitability for the job, from 1 (most suitable) to 3 (least suitable), and give your reasons.

The Carlsson Group: Marketing Manager

The Carlsson Group is looking for a Marketing Manager with relevant
qualifications and at least five years’ experience in sales and
marketing. A competitive salary and generous benefits are available
for the right candidate. You must have a good knowledge of current
markets, be available to start work at short notice, and must be a good
team player. This is a high-powered and fulfilling job for anyone
wishing to embark on a career in senior management. The company
wishes to fill the vacancy immediately.

applicant 1–3 reasons

Kevin Marsh, 21, just left university with a degree in
Management. Likes working in teams, wants a
satisfying job. Unemployed at the moment.

Katharina Bauer, 35, worked in international

Marketing for seven years. Degree in Business, used
to working under stress and meeting deadlines.
One month’s notice required in present job.
Nuala Riley, 28, six years’ experience as editor for a
large publisher. Extremely adaptable, excellent relations
with colleagues. Three months’ notice required.

30.3 Match the beginning of each sentence on the left with its ending on the right.
1 She has set a presentation to my colleagues. 5
2 We’re making the minutes at the meeting. 4
3 I always keep my phone calls while I took time off. 7
4 Kate will take some difficult targets for us all. 1
5 I have to give his goals in his career. 6
6 He never achieved my appointments. 3
7 He fielded preparations for the sales conference. 2

30.4 What do the collocations in bold in the text below mean? Use a dictionary to help you.
Kika started out in a dead-end job in a jam factory but she ended up with a glittering career
on the stage, a career spanning five decades. She is quoted as saying ‘Stage acting may not be
a particularly lucrative job but it has to be one of the most rewarding jobs in the world.’
English Collocations in Use Intermediate 65
31 Business
A Going into business
Interviewer: When did you first go into business?
Jeffries: I set up a small business selling office equipment in 2001. Then in 2003, I went into
partnership with my old friend, Ethan Smith. We made a loss for the first two years,
but then things got better and we’ve made a profit for most years ever since. But
there have been bad times, too.
Interviewer: In what way?
Jeffries: Well, during the economic recession, a lot of small businesses were going under1,
and I thought our business would fold2. All around us, small firms were going
bankrupt3. But in 2010 we won a contract, despite stiff competition, to supply the
local government offices. That was an important moment for us. We took on staff and
expanded. We were proud that we had created jobs for local people at a time when
unemployment was high. Our sales figures improved steadily and soon we had an
annual turnover4 of more than eighteen million pounds.
Interviewer: So what’s the secret of your success?
Jeffries: Well, we’re quite cautious. For instance, we always carry out5 market research before
launching a new product. But we also firmly believe in customer service, especially
after-sales service. But at the end of the day, running a successful business is a
combination of hard work, luck and intuition.
Interviewer: Finally, there are rumours that you may float the company6 on the stock market.
Jeffries: At the moment we have no intention of going public7. People shouldn’t believe
everything they read online!
1 5
failing financially the formal equivalent would be conduct market
2
close because of failure research
3 6
unable to pay debts, so the company’s property is and 7 start selling shares in a business or company
sold by order of a court of law for the first time
4
amount of business a company does in a year

B More business collocations

Owing to the economic crisis, many small firms ceased trading. [closed their business]
There is cut-throat competition in the music industry these days. [very severe competition]
Market forces have caused many factories to close as businesses move overseas. [forces not influenced
by government that decide price levels in an economy]
Our local bakery has gone out of business. Most people buy their bread at the supermarket
these days.
Business is booming for Internet-based travel companies as most people book travel online.
[business is doing extremely well]
She resigned and went to work for a rival company.
We did/struck a deal with the vendor of the house and got a 15% discount on the price.
It’s quite difficult sometimes to balance the budget because of increased costs.
Our company have put in a bid for the new leisure centre contract. [offered to do the work for a
particular amount of money]

Common mistakes
Remember, the collocation is do business, NOT make business: We’re doing a lot of business in Asia
these days.

66 English Collocations in Use Intermediate

 Exercises
31.1 Look at A. Complete these collocations.
go
1 to ..............................................
float a company on the stock market 6 to .............................................. into partnership
2 to ..............................................
launch a new product 7 to ..............................................
carry out market research
3 make
to .............................................. a profit 8 to ..............................................
go public
4 to ..............................................
go bankrupt 9 set
to .............................................. up a business
5 go
to .............................................. into business 10 make
to .............................................. a loss
31.2 Match the newspaper headlines 1–6 with the topics of the stories a–f.
1 BUSINESS GOES UNDER d a a company wins a promising new
2 STIFF COMPETITION FOR LOCAL FIRM b contract
3 BUSINESS BOOMING IN THE AREA f b a rival company is causing problems
4 JACKSON’S STRIKE SUCCESSFUL DEAL WITH JAPAN c a firm is going to sell shares for the
a

5 ICE CREAM COMPANY TO BE FLOATED c first time

6 PAPER COMPANY EXPECTED TO FOLD e d a company has ceased trading
e a company may go out of business
f local companies’ sales figures are looking
good

31.3 Choose the correct collocation

1 Competition to earn / win / achieve the contract was strong / stiff / hard.
2 You need a wide range of skills to run / work / go a successful business.
3 How long have you been doing / making / getting business with China for?
4 The annual takeover / overtake / turnover of their company is growing rapidly.
5 It’s my job to weigh / add / balance the budget.
6 They’ve put in a very competitive offer / bid / deal so they hope to get the job.
31.4 Fill the gaps in this local magazine article.

Jan Vickers now (1) .............................

runs a successful bicycle company in the town. He set it
(2) .............................
up ten years ago to cater for students and he has done extremely well.
He (3) .............................
does a lot of rental business with the tourist trade at local hotels. In his
figures
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made

for his second year showed an upturn and he has never looked back since. Indeed you could
say that (6) .............................
his buisiness is currently booming as he has just (7) .............................
won
an
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competition
but Jan (9) .............................
put in a bid which was more attractive than anything that
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rival done
create
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secrets
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Over to you
Choose an article from the magazine Management Today, available online at
www.managementtoday.co.uk Make a note of any interesting collocations you find.

English Collocations in Use Intermediate 67