American English · B1 · Unit 5
My career
My career
By the end you can
- Describe how your working life has gone so far
- Say what you'd like to do next and why
- Understand someone's career story
Words and phrases
| American English | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I started out as | my first job was | I started out as a cashier at a grocery store. |
| I got promoted | I got a higher position at work | After two years, I got promoted to manager. |
| I've been working as | I have worked as (and still do) | I've been working as a web designer for six years. |
| switched careers | changed to a different kind of work | At thirty-five, she switched careers and became a nurse. |
| I quit | I left my job (because I wanted to) | I quit because the hours were too long. |
| the next step | what comes next | For me, the next step is my own business. |
| I got laid off | I lost my job because the company cut jobs | I got laid off when the factory closed. |
| a raise | more pay for the same job (British: a pay rise) | I asked my boss for a raise. |
| work my way up | start at the bottom and slowly get better jobs | I want to work my way up in this company. |
| a career change | a change to a different type of work | A career change at forty isn't easy. |
| I'd like to move into | I'd like to change to (a different area of work) | I'd like to move into management. |
Then talk it through
Catching up with an old colleague about where your careers have taken you. In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.