to work overtime = to do more than the usual hours required by the contract
We aren't paid when we work overtime, we can take time off in lieu.
We had to work overtime to get the project finished on time.
to work shifts = to work in teams at different times of the day and night
In today's twenty-four hour society, more and more people work shifts.
We get paid more when we work shifts to compensate for the irregular times.
shift work = when groups of workers work at different times of the day and night
The irregular rhythm of shift work can be very hard on family life.
Production keeps going non-stop so we have a lot of people who do shift work.
to be on the night shift = to work with a group during the night, often from ten pm to six am
It's very hard on the night shift because I can't sleep very well during the day.
Some people prefer to be on the night shift because they are at home when the children come home from school.
flexitime = a system where people can vary the start and end times
As we work flexitime, I take the children to school and arrive at nine thirty.
With flexitime, as long as I have done my seven hours, I can leave at four thirty.
a roster = a list of who's working when and where
The weekly roster is put up on the board so that you can see who is working.
Look on the roster to see what job you are doing.
to have time off = to take vacation or leave
I'd like to have some time off next month. I need a break.
If you want to have time off, you have to fill out a request form and give it to your line manager.
to take a day off= to have an authorised absence from work for a day
I had two days off last week so I have a lot of work to catch up on.
I'd like a day off next week to deal with some family matters. Friday if that is convenient.
full-time = work a whole working week
At the moment I only work two days a week but I would like to work full-time.
After the birth of my son, I didn't want to go back full-time so do three days a week now.
part-time = to work a part of the day or week
When I was a student, I had a part-time job in a bar.
We are looking for a part-time receptionist to work mornings.
to be punctual = to start or arrive at the specified time
She's very punctual, always here on time.
Please be punctual. I don’t want to have to wait for late arrivals.
home working = to work from home rather than going into the office
Home working misses the social element of going to work.
Modern technology means that home working has become a real possibility for many people.
time sheet = a record of the numbers of hours worked by an employee
Fill out this time sheet every day and hand it to your manager on Fridays.
We no longer have time sheets as this is done automatically by the electronic ID badges.
unsocial hours = hours outside of the normal working week
Although the hours are rather unsocial, I don’t want a nine to five job.
Lots of professions work very unsocial hours and don't necessarily get compensated for it.
to take a break= to stop work for a short time to relax
You can buy tea or coffee when you take a break.
Sometimes it's a good idea to take a break and come back to a job refreshed.
to clock in/out = to record the start or finish time of work on a special machine
The staff clock in when they arrive and clock out as they leave.
Flexitime means that everyone has to clock in and out to keep a check on the hours worked.
public holidays = national holidays that are not generally worked
Your holiday entitlement does not include public holidays like Christmas Day.
If a public holiday is on a Thursday, many people take the Friday off and have a long weekend.
hourly rate = the salary that is paid per hour of work
We are paid a considerably higher hourly rate for Sundays or evening work.
The part-time employees are paid an hourly rate but the permanent staff are paid a fixed salary.
fixed hours = the working hours of an employee do not change or cannot be varied
The admin staff work fixed hours; nine to five, five days a week.
As a freelancer, I don't have any fixed hours but work when the work is there.
Applying for a job 1
Learn the vocabulary to talk about getting or changing jobs in English:
If there is 'a vacancy', there is a job available because a new post has been created or a person has left.
Larry's move to London has created a vacancy in Marketing if you are interested.
We don’t have any vacancies at the moment but we will keep your CV on file.
When a post becomes vacant, the company 'advertises the post' in the press.
Although the post was advertised last month, we promoted someone internally.
We advertised the post in the national press last week and have received lots of applications.
If you 'apply for a job', you send in a CV or letter because you want the job.
Ten people have applied for the job just from advertising it internally.
I've applied for that job in Glasgow even though I'm don’t really have enough experience.
When you want a new job, you send 'letters of application' to the company concerned.
I've written letters of application for four different jobs but had no reply yet.
We have received letters of application from a wide range of candidates.
The candidates who apply for the job are also known as the 'applicants'.
The number of applicants is very high. There are a lot of people with the right qualifications and experience.
We do a pre-selection of the applicants based on their previous experience.
A company can use a 'recruitment agency' to fill their vacancies
We use a recruitment agency to advertise the post and do a pre-selection.
There are several recruitment agencies who specialize in our sector so we can find highly qualified candidates quickly.
A 'job description' details all the duties, responsibilities and personal qualities necessary for a specific job.
We have written new job descriptions for all the jobs in our department.
I don't think making the coffee is in my job description!
Your 'qualifications' are your academic or professional diplomas.
For a post at this level, we consider experience to be more important than academic qualifications.
For this post, we give full training. The only qualification necessary is a high school diploma.
'Experience' is the knowledge acquired through time already spent in work, in different jobs.
I have a lot of experience managing a small team and would now like to manage a bigger one.
The best candidates are those who have previous experience in the food industry.
'Salary and benefits' are what you are paid and the extras you receive in return for the work you do.
Although the starting salary is not very high, the benefits include health insurance.
We pay very competitive salaries and provide some of the best benefits in the sector.
Applying for a job 2
Let's continue learning vocabulary to talk about getting or changing jobs in English:
Applying for a job may mean filling out an 'application form' giving your personal details.
If you are interested in the job, could you fill out this application form, please?
I have completed the application form for that job and sent it back to the personnel department.
The application form includes your 'contact details'; your home address, your phone number and your email address.
We have your contact details so we will be in touch soon.
If you give me your contact details, I'll call you to set up an interview.
It also includes your 'employment history' where you list the previous positions you have held with the name of the company, job title and dates of employment.
I have already held similar positions as you can see from my employment history.
There are gaps in her employment history. I would like to know what she was doing during these periods.
A list of previous positions held needs to highlight the 'relevant experience' showing why the candidate is suitable for the job.
As you can see from my CV, I have all the relevant experience you require.
This candidate doesn't have the relevant experience in our sector but is very well qualified in every other aspect.
A 'job description' is drawn up for candidates giving all the relevant information about the job detailing responsibilities as well as location and salary.
I don't think that my job description includes all the task I am currently doing.
We are currently writing job descriptions for the new jobs being created in the sales team.
After the final interviews, a formal 'job offer' is made to the best candidate.
We hope to make a formal job offer as soon as we have had replies from your referees.
I turned down the job offer I received from them because the salary wasn't as good as my present one.
The job offer will include information regarding salary and 'holiday entitlement'. (British English)
The holiday entitlement is only 20 days a year but that doesn't include public holidays.
Although the holiday entitlement is very generous, holidays have to be taken at certain times of the year.
The job offer will also give a 'starting date' for the job.
I have to work out my notice in my present job so can we put back the starting date?
Originally they wanted me to start next week but as I was available, I suggested an earlier starting date.
The job offer will also specify a 'probation period' at the end of which a new recruit can be dismissed if they are not suitable for the position.
They let him go at the end of the probation period.
She is still on her probation period. We have another two weeks to make a final decision.
Hire and Fire
If you 'hire' someone, you employ them.
We hired him on a six month contract.
I hear that they are not hiring people at the moment because of budget problems.
If you 'fire' somebody, you dismiss them from their job, usually because of something they did.
I had to fire Sally because she kept on making mistakes.
If you don't improve, they may decide to fire you.
If you 'make somebody redundant', you dismiss them from their job for economic reasons.
They are closing down the factory and making 500 people redundant.
I was made redundant from my last job.
If you 'recruit' people, you persuade them to work for you.
We need to recruit more young engineers.
It's difficult to recruit people because our pay is so low.
If you 'headhunt' someone for a job, you approach them because you think they are well-qualified for the job and offer them the job.
We need to look at the people doing similar jobs in other companies and headhunt the best one.
He was headhunted at great expense but the job didn't work out and he left.
If you 'hand in (or give in) your notice', you tell your employer that you are going to leave the company.
She handed in her notice this morning and is leaving at the end of the month.
He gave in his notice and they told him he could leave straight away.
If a company 'gives someone notice', they tell them that they are going to lose their jobs.
The company only gave me three days' notice that I was being made redundant.
We have to give her two months' notice that we are letting her go.
If an employer 'sacks' someone, they fire them.
They sacked me without notice after ten years with the company.
I hear they intend to sack him because of his bullying.
If you 'get the sack'or are 'given the sack', you are fired.
He was given the sack because he kept arriving late.
If I keep making mistakes, I'm going to get the sack.
'Severance pay' is money paid to workers when they are made redundant.
The redundant workers were given 26 weeks' severance pay.
After ten years, I got three days' notice and no severance pay.
If you take legal action against your employer for 'unfair dismissal', you claim that they dismissed you for no good reason.
He is suing them for unfair dismissal as he says he was only ever late once.
Dismiss me and I'll take you to court for unfair dismissal. I've done nothing to deserve this.
If you take legal action against your employer for 'constructive dismissal', you claim that you were forced to leave your job because of the actions/behavior of your employer.
She is making a claim for constructive dismissal because she claims her immediate boss bullied her.
I'm sure you have the grounds for a complaint of constructive dismissal.
Pay
'Pay' is money that you get from your employer, either as a wage or as a salary.
What are the pay and conditions for the job?
Pay rates in the industry are very poor.
'Back pay' is money owed to you by your employer for work done in the past which has not yet been paid.
I'm still owed 3 months back pay for the overtime I did before Christmas.
The company cannot afford to give you the back pay it owes you.
A 'pay cut' is a reduction in the amount of pay you are given.
We are asking you all to accept a pay cut of 10% to keep the company going.
He has the stark choice of accepting a pay cut or losing his job.
A 'pay rise' is an increase in pay.
We are looking for a pay rise in line with inflation.
I'm going to ask my boss for a pay rise.
A 'pay rate' is the amount per hour (or some other period) that you pay.
The pay rate is $12 an hour.
The industry cannot attract good quality workers because of the low pay rates.
'Net pay' is the amount earned after deductions (usually for social security and pensions and perhaps for tax.)
The gross pay is $12 an hour but net pay is only $9.50 an hour.
He said he is only earning $5 an hour but that is his net pay, not his gross.
'Equal pay' means that men and women get the same pay for doing the same job.
The women workers are asking for equal pay with the men.
In this country, if you don't give the women equal pay, you could go to jail.
An 'itemized pay statement'contains a detailed breakdown of the pay you have earned and the deductions taken from it.
The bank want me to give them my itemized pay statements for the last six months.
The law states that employees must receive itemized pay statements.
'Performance-related pay' is where the amount you are paid depends on the quality/quantity of your work.
Since we introduced performance-related pay, production has doubled.
They may need the incentive of performance-related pay.
A 'pay scale' is a range of different pay rates which people will receive depending on various factors (e.g. their grade in the company, their qualifications, their years in the company.)
We have six grades on our pay scale. You will start on the bottom one.
Perhaps we need to change our pay scale to take account of the loyalty people have shown us?
Salary
A 'salary' is the money you are paid, usually monthly, for doing a job, usually non-manual.
I get a good salary but I need more money.
What sort of salary are they offering?
A'competitive salary' is a good one for that particular job.
We are offering a very competitive salary so we should get good applicants.
We are not recruiting the best people because our salaries are not very competitive.
A person who gets a salary is a 'salaried employee'.
We've reduced the number of salaried employees by 50% and replaced them by temporary workers.
It is much easier to get a loan if you are a salaried employee.
If you need money, you can ask for 'a salary advance'.
Can I have a salary advance? I'm broke.
I asked my boss for a salary advance but he refused to give me one.
If you 'undertake a salary review', you look at all the salaries to decide which need changing.
The committee are undertaking a salary review and will report back in a few weeks time.
We need to undertake a salary review as our salaries are not very competitive.
'A salary scale' is the range of salaries available.
When you start, you will be at the bottom of the salary scale but you will not stay there for long.
Our salary scale is not very competitive compared to our competition.
If a salary is good, we can say that it is 'attractive'.
We are offering a very attractive salary for the job.
It is an attractive salary but I will have to work on Saturdays.
Everybody hopes to get a 'salary increase'.
We had no salary increase this year because the company was in trouble.
If you offer me an increase in salary, I will stay.
The 'basic salary' is the salary before any extras such as bonuses.
The basic salary is quite low but there are large incentive bonuses.
I prefer to have a large basic salary as there is more security.
When you start a job, you will receive your 'initial salary'.
The initial salary is quite low but you should get promoted to a better job quite quickly.
If we want to recruit better people, we will have to offer a more competitive initial salary.
Jobs & related verbs
If you'apply for' a job, you ask a company for a job.
I've applied for six jobs in the last week and haven't heard back from any of them.
We were expecting a lot of people to apply for the job but not as many as this
If you 'are out of' a job, you do not have any work. If you are 'put out of a job', you are made redundant.
I'm out of a job at the moment but I'm hopeful I'll get something soon.
My biggest fear is being put of my job. At my age, I would struggle to find another one.
If you are 'sacked from' your job, you lose it for disciplinary, not economic, reasons.
He was sacked from his job for stealing.
I wouldn't employ somebody who had been sacked from a previous job.
If you 'create' a job, you establish a new job which didn't previously exist.
We've created ten new jobs in the Production Department.
I think we need to create a new job specifically to look after this project.
If you 'find somebody'a job, you use your contacts to get them a job.
I'm sure I can find your son a job in our warehouse for the summer.
Can you find me a job in your company?
If you 'give up' a job', you resign from it.
I'm giving up my job and devoting all my time to my song writing.
If you give up your job, you won't find it easy to get another one in this economic climate.
If you 'hold down' a job, you keep it.
I've held down this job for over three years now.
She manages to hold down two jobs.
If you 'hunt for' a job, you actively look for one.
She's been hunting for a job for two months without any success.
You need to hunt for a job more systematically; not just when you feel like it.
If you 'resign from' a job, you give it up. (see number 6!)
He resigned from his post because he couldn't stand the long hours.
I resigned from my previous employer because I thought some of their sales techniques were unethical.
If you 'take up' a job, you start it.
I'm leaving here at the end of the week and I take up a new job with OUP next month.
It's quite difficult taking up a new job and having to learn all the ropes again.
If your job 'is at stake', it is at risk of being lost.
There are 500 jobs at stake if we don't get the contract.
If I make a mess of this, my job will be at stake.
If your job 'is in jeopardy', it is also at risk.
The fall in demand puts all our jobs in jeopardy.
With their jobs in jeopardy, you would have expected the unions to have been more cooperative.
Jobs & related adjectives
An 'absorbing' job is one that is very interesting and claims all your attention.
My job is so absorbing that I sometimes forget to have lunch.
I get bored in my job. I need one that is much more absorbing.
A 'badly-paid' job is one where you receive less income than the average.
The hotel industry has a lot of badly-paid jobs.
My salary may sound high in absolute terms but I am comparatively badly-paid for the job I do.
A 'boring' job is dull and without interest.
I think that being an accountant would be a really boring job.
Would you stay in a boring job if you were really well paid?
A 'casual' job is one which is not regular or fixed.
We offer a lot of casual jobs during the Christmas rush.
The unions want us to have fewer casual jobs and more permanent employees.
A 'challenging' job is one that is very difficult and tests a person's ability.
It is a very challenging job and we need to find somebody who is tough mentally.
I don't find my job very challenging any more and I need a fresh challenge.
A 'dead-end'job is one with no hopes of promotion or advancement.
I was in a dead-end job with no hope of further progress so I left the company.
If people think they are in dead-end jobs, they lose their motivation.
An 'exacting' job is one that requires a lot of care, effort and attention.
Being a surgeon is a very exacting job – you can't afford to lose your concentration.
Research jobs are very exacting – you must get every detail right when you are running tests.
A 'demanding' job requires a lot of effort from you.
I have a very demanding job. I don't have much spare time.
My job is very physically demanding. I get very tired.
A 'part-time'job is one where you do not work 'full-time'.
I only want a part-time job as I have to look after my children.
The company is trying to replace full-time jobs with part-time jobs to save money.
A 'menial' job is one with a low social value.
I can only find menial jobs such as cleaning.
He thinks that making the coffee is a menial job and he won't do it.
A 'prestigious' job is one that gives the person a lot of respect.
Being Prime Minister is a prestigious job but the salary is not all that good.
Running our New York office is the sort of prestigious job I am looking for.
A 'secure' job is one that is safe from redundancy etc.
There are no more secure jobs in this company. Everybody's job is at risk.
I want to make sure that the next job I get is really secure. I'm fed up with all this job insecurity.
Careers
Learn the vocabulary in English to talk about the evolution of your jobs since you began working:
If your 'career has its ups and downs', it has good moments and bad moments.
My career has had its ups and downs but I'm doing very well at the moment.
His career has its ups and downs but he remains as enthusiastic as ever.
If your 'career has blossomed', it has done very well.
She started out as an office junior but since then her career has blossomed .
Since I improved the level of my English, my career has blossomed.
If you have had a 'brilliant career', you have a very good one.
She's had a brilliant career with top jobs in several Wall Street firms.
When you look back on your brilliant career, you must be very proud.
If you have had a 'colorful career', it has been interesting and exciting.
His colorful career has taken him to many exciting locations.
As an accountant, you won't have a very colorful career.
A 'demanding career' is one which takes a lot of effort and/or time.
He has had a very demanding career in finance with little time to spend with his family.
I don't want a very demanding career. I want plenty of time for my hobbies.
A 'distinguished career', is one which is respected for its extremely high standard.
He had a distinguished career in the Ministry of Finance before moving to the private sector.
You haven't had a very distinguished career so far, have you?
If you spend your 'entire career' doing something, that is all you have done.
I have spent my entire career working for the one company.
I don't want to spend my entire career doing nothing but research.
If you have a 'flourishing career', it has grown and developed successfully.
She has had a flourishing career as a designer of children's clothes.
I don't seem to be having much of a flourishing career in this company.
A 'glittering career' is one which causes excitement and admiration.
His glittering career as an actor has brought him wealth and fame.
The boss began her glittering career with the firm as a humble receptionist.
A 'modest career'is one where there are no notable achievements.
He has had a very modest career in our auditing office with no real successes or failures.
You've had a very modest career so far with very little in the way of achievements.
(Notice though that to 'be modest about your career' means that there are notable achievements but that you tend not to talk about them.)
A 'promising career' is one which promises great success in the future.
She has started a very promising career in the City and we are sure she is going to do well.
I seemed to have such a promising career when I was starting out but it has all gone badly wrong.
If you have a 'varied career', you have done lots of different jobs.
I've had a varied career so far, from policeman to actor.
We're looking for a candidate with a varied career as this job requires a range of skills.
Contracts
Learn the vocabulary in English to talk about job contracts:
A 'binding contract' is one which cannot be legally avoided or stopped.
We have a legally binding contract and you must supply us with these services.
You can't walk out on your binding contract just because you have received a better offer elsewhere.
An 'exclusive contract' is one which prevents the person from working with other people.
You have an exclusive contract to work with us and you cannot take on work for anybody else.
I think we should offer her an exclusive contract so that she only works for us.
A 'renewable contract' is one which can be continued after it has finished by a new one. The opposite of this is a 'non-renewable contract'.
To work on this project, we can offer you a non-renewable contract of one year.
The contract is for one year, renewable for a second year if we are satisfied with your work.
A 'temporary contract' is one that is not permanent.
We can give you a temporary contract for six months.
You'll start on a temporary contract and we may then offer you a permanent one.
A 'valid contract' is one that has legal force.
This contract is not valid until it is signed by both parties.
This letter is not a valid contract. I want a proper one.
A 'breach of contract' is when the person does something which breaks the terms of the contract.
If you don't agree to move to Paris, you will be in breach of your contract.
If you refuse to work on Sunday, that is a breach of contract and we will dismiss you.
The 'terms of contract' are the conditions contained within the contract.
Under the terms of your contract, you have to work on some Sundays.
You are asking me to do something which is not in the terms of my contract.
If you'draw up' a contract, you prepare it.
I'll draw up a contract for you and you can sign it tomorrow.
I'll get a new contract drawn up including the new terms and conditions.
If you 'get out of'a contract, you are no longer bound by it.
I'm not happy in my job and need to find a way to get out of my contract.
I think she's being difficult because she wants to get out of her contract with us.
If you 'go through'a contract, you look at it in detail.
We need to spend a few minutes going through your contract.
Make sure you go through your contract carefully before you sign it.
Management
The top people in a company can be called 'senior management'.
We need to get approval for this from senior management. With my qualifications and experience, I should have a job in senior management.
Of course, another term for this is 'top management'.
He rose quickly through the company and had a top management position before he was 30.
The top management of this company have no imagination or drive.
Not surprisingly, the opposite of 'senior management' is 'junior management'.
He was promoted from the shop floor into a junior management position.
I feel I'm ready to move up from this junior management job.
Between 'senior' and 'junior' management is 'middle management'.
It's time I was promoted from junior management to middle management.
He rose rapidly to middle management but was then never offered a senior post.
The group of managers can be called the 'management team'.
We have a strong management team, full of high quality people.
We need to improve our management team to bring new life to the company.
'Aggressive management'means being determined to do well and using strong methods to achieve success.
His aggressive management style has upset a few people.
We need some aggressive management to wake up this sleeping giant.
'Day-to-day management' is concerned with the ordinary and regular issues of a company.
I spend so long on the day-to-day management of my department that I have no time to look at the long-term.
You will deal with the day-to-day management of the company while I work on the strategy.
'Strategic management' is concerned with the long-term of the company.
This company lacks good strategic management and is just drifting.
You need to spend more time on strategic management and less on day-to-day issues.
'General management' is concerned with all aspects of the company, not a specialist area such as Research or Marketing.
You've spent your whole career in Sales and you need some experience of general management.
You need some time in general management to get an overview of the company.
If there is 'inefficient management', a company will not use its resources as well as it should. The opposite of this is 'efficient management'.
The company is riddled with inefficient management. Don't work with them.
If we replaced the inefficient management, we could turn this company around.
'Weak management' lacks the determination to carry out difficult decisions or actions.
This department has suffered from weak management for the last ten years. There is a culture of weak management in this organization.
The opposite of this is 'strong management'. Notice that you can be 'strong' without being 'aggressive' – the first is reactive to events and the second is proactive.
This company needs some strong management to take on the unions.
We need strong management in this company, but not too aggressive.
