Jobs& Career Paths
Collocations with 'work' & describing careers
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Warm-up · Section 1
5 minGet talking
Describe your job (or dream job) in 30 seconds — without using the verb 'be'.
What did you want to be at 10? What do you do now? Compare with your partner.
Name the best and worst job you've ever had. One sentence each.
Grammar focus · Section 2
8–10 minCollocations: work / job / career
These three words are not interchangeable.
→ I work for a small design studio.
→ I work as a junior developer.
→ I'm working on a really interesting project at the moment.
→ She's just landed a new job in marketing.
More detail
WORK = uncountable, the activity ('I have a lot of work to do.'). JOB = countable, the role ('I have a great job.'). CAREER = your long-term path ('My career in design.'). Common collocations: WORK FOR a company, WORK AS a teacher, WORK IN marketing/finance/IT, WORK ON a project. APPLY FOR a job. GET / LAND a job. QUIT / LEAVE a job. CHANGE careers. BUILD a career. WORK FROM HOME. BE OUT OF WORK. Prepositions are fixed — memorise the chunk.
Question 1.I work ____ Google.
Question 2.She works ____ a nurse.
Question 3.He works ____ finance.
Question 4.I'm working ____ a new project.
Question 5.She's just ____ a job at a startup.
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
Don't just read these — say one out loud, then use it about your life.
to climb the ladder
get promoted gradually
"She's quickly climbing the ladder."
Are you climbing the ladder? How fast?
a dead-end job
job with no progress
"I quit because it was a dead-end job."
Have you ever had a dead-end job?
a stepping stone
useful temporary role
"This job is a stepping stone to my dream role."
Has any job been a stepping stone for you?
to be in your element
doing what you're best at
"She's in her element teaching kids."
When are you in your element?
burnout
exhaustion from overwork
"I quit because of burnout."
Have you ever experienced burnout?
work-life balance
split between job & life
"I prioritise work-life balance."
Rate your work-life balance 1–10.
to call the shots
be in charge
"In my new role, I get to call the shots."
Where do you call the shots?
to put in the hours
work hard for long periods
"She put in the hours and got promoted."
Are you putting in the hours right now?
Discuss with a partner
- →Tell your career story in 60 seconds using 4 collocations.
- →Burnout vs work-life balance — which battle are you in?
Finish the sentence about you
- I'm currently working as / for / in / on… …
- This role is a stepping stone to… …
- I'm really in my element when I… …
60-second write
Write a 60-word career bio using 4 collocations and 2 idioms.
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minStress on the content word in collocations
- • I WORK for a STARTup.
- • She works AS a deSIGNer.
- • He's IN MARketing.
- • I'm WORKing on a BIG proJECT.
How to say it
Prepositions in collocations are unstressed. 'I WORK for GOOgle.' 'She works AS a NURSE.' 'In MARketing.' The preposition is a quick connector — the company, role or field carries the stress.
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minFive jobs, one career
I've had five jobs in ten years. I started as an intern at a tiny advertising agency — minimum wage, but I learned everything. After two years, I landed my first proper role at a bigger agency. It was a stepping stone, but the hours were brutal — I came close to burnout. I quit and worked as a freelancer for a year. Honestly, I was in my element: I called the shots, chose my projects, and rebuilt my work-life balance. Then I joined a startup as creative lead — that's where I really started climbing the ladder. Two years ago I co-founded my own studio. Looking back, the dead-end jobs taught me as much as the good ones. Five jobs, one career, and I'm finally working on things I actually care about.
Question 1.How did the writer's first job pay?
Question 2.Why did the writer quit the second job?
Question 3.What does the writer do now?
Q1.Freelancing gave the writer better balance.
Q2.The writer regrets the dead-end jobs.
Q3.The writer has had ten jobs.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minTwo friends compare career paths
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Nico:So, what are you up to work-wise these days?
Eva:I'm working for a small consultancy as a junior analyst. It's a stepping stone.
Nico:Where do you want to end up?
Eva:In data science eventually. I'm putting in the hours to get there. You?
Nico:I quit my old job last year — total burnout. Now I work as a freelance designer.
Eva:How's the work-life balance?
Nico:Way better. I call the shots, and I'm finally in my element.
Eva:Honestly, that sounds amazing.
Question 1.Eva's current role?
Question 2.Why did Nico quit?
Question 3.Nico now works…
Exam skills · Section 7
5 minCambridge PET — Speaking Part 1 & Writing Part 2 (article)
Task
Describe your current job or studies, your past path and where you want to go — 1 minute.
Strategy
Hit collocations explicitly: 'I work FOR…', 'as a…', 'in…', 'on…'. Add at least 2 career idioms (stepping stone, burnout, in my element). Use Present Perfect for journey ('I've worked here for…') and going to for future plans.
Example
I work for a small startup as a junior marketing assistant. I've been there for a year. It's been a real stepping stone — I'm building skills I couldn't get elsewhere. I'm putting in the hours, and I'm going to apply for promotion in the spring. Long-term, I want to work in brand strategy.
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.I work ____ a tech company.
Question 2.She works ____ a teacher.
Question 3.He's ____ ____ a new project.
Question 4.I'm finally in my ____.
Question 5.It was a real ____ ____.
Q1.Use 'work for / as': 'BBC / journalist' →
Q2.Use 'work in / on': 'finance / pricing project' →
Q3.Career idiom: 'I / climb / ladder / since 2021' →
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write a 120-word LinkedIn-style 'About me' using 5 collocations (work for/as/in/on, apply for) and 3 career idioms.
Show model answer
I'm currently working for a small design studio as a senior product designer. Before this, I worked in advertising for four years — it was a stepping stone that taught me everything about brand storytelling. I'm now mostly working on digital products for the health sector. Honestly, I'm in my element when I'm balancing strategy and craft. Recently I've started mentoring two junior designers, which has reminded me how much I love sharing what I've learned. I'm careful about burnout these days — work-life balance matters more to me than climbing the ladder fast. Long-term, I'd love to co-found a small studio with people I trust. Right now, I'm putting in the hours, building the network and enjoying the work I'm actually doing.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
CAREER CHAT · Pairs. Each partner gives a 90-second career story using at least 5 collocations and 2 idioms. Listener asks 3 follow-up questions (PS for past, GT/PC for future). Swap.
Useful phrases
- • I work for / as / in / on…
- • I'm putting in the hours.
- • This is a stepping stone.
- • I'm climbing the ladder.
- • Honestly, I'm in my element.
- • I'm protecting my work-life balance.
- ASo what do you do these days?
- B_______________
- ALong hours?
- B_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Drill collocation chunks until they're automatic. ~28 min total
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Write your 'About me' bio in 120 words using 5+ collocations.
Record a 90-second voice note answering: 'Tell me about your career so far'.
Read 3 LinkedIn profiles; note 6 collocations used.
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- work for + company, as + role, in + field, on + project.
- job (countable) vs work (uncountable) vs career (long-term).
- Career verbs: apply for, land, quit, change, build.
- Idioms add register: stepping stone, climb the ladder, in my element, burnout.
- Prepositions are fixed — memorise the whole chunk.