IELTS vocabulary
IELTS work vocabulary
Words for jobs, careers, workplaces and employment, a favourite topic in every part of the Speaking test.
Each entry has the typical band it's useful for, a plain meaning, an example sentence and the words it most often goes with. Learn the collocations along with the word: that's what makes vocabulary sound natural.
Band 6 words
ambitious adjective
Having a strong desire to achieve success or reach challenging goals.
An ambitious employee may seek further training in order to progress into a leadership role.
Collocations: ambitious employee · ambitious goal · highly ambitious
candidate noun
A person who applies for a job or is considered for a position.
A strong candidate should demonstrate relevant skills as well as a willingness to learn.
Collocations: suitable candidate · job candidate · candidate for a position
career noun
A person's long-term profession or working life.
A stable career can provide financial security, although it may require years of training.
Collocations: career choice · career prospects · pursue a career
colleague noun
A person you work with, especially in a professional job.
A supportive colleague can make it easier for new employees to adapt to the workplace.
Collocations: work with a colleague · close colleague · colleague support
commute noun
A regular journey between home and work.
A lengthy commute can reduce the time people have for exercise and family activities.
Collocations: daily commute · long commute · commute to work
competent adjective · formal
Having the skills and ability needed to do something well.
Employers value competent staff who can solve problems without constant supervision.
Collocations: competent employee · competent at managing · highly competent
contract noun · formal
A formal agreement that sets out the terms of work or a service.
Before accepting the role, I would read the contract carefully to check my responsibilities and working hours.
Collocations: employment contract · sign a contract · contract terms
deadline noun
The latest time or date by which a task must be completed.
Clear deadlines help employees organise their workload and avoid unnecessary stress.
Collocations: meet a deadline · tight deadline · deadline for a project
employee noun
A person who is paid to work for an organisation or another person.
An employee is more likely to remain loyal when the organisation offers fair pay and opportunities for development.
Collocations: full-time employee · employee benefits · employee satisfaction
employer noun
A person or organisation that pays people to work for them.
An employer can improve staff retention by offering flexible schedules and a supportive workplace.
Collocations: prospective employer · employer contribution · employer responsibility
internship noun
A temporary position that gives someone practical experience in a particular field.
An internship can help graduates develop workplace skills and decide whether a career suits them.
Collocations: paid internship · summer internship · complete an internship
job seeker noun
A person who is looking for a job.
A job seeker with strong communication skills may have an advantage in interviews.
Collocations: job seeker support · help a job seeker · unemployed job seeker
occupation noun · formal
A person's regular job or profession.
People's choice of occupation is often influenced by their interests, qualifications and family circumstances.
Collocations: manual occupation · professional occupation · choose an occupation
overtime noun
Time spent working beyond the hours an employee is normally expected to work.
Regular overtime may increase short-term productivity but can eventually damage employees' health.
Collocations: work overtime · paid overtime · overtime hours
part-time adjective
Working or operating for fewer hours than a full-time role.
Part-time employment can help parents balance paid work with caring responsibilities.
Collocations: part-time job · part-time worker · part-time employment
perks noun · informal
Extra benefits provided in addition to someone’s regular pay.
Flexible hours and additional holiday are perks that can make a job more attractive.
Collocations: employee perks · perks of the job · offer perks
profession noun · formal
A type of work that requires specialised education or training.
Entering the medical profession requires years of study as well as strong communication skills.
Collocations: medical profession · legal profession · enter a profession
promotion noun
A move to a more senior or better-paid position at work.
A promotion can reward capable employees, but it should also bring greater responsibility and support.
Collocations: promotion prospects · promotion to management · earn a promotion
qualification noun · formal
An official achievement or skill that shows someone is suitable for a job or activity.
A relevant qualification may help applicants secure an interview, although practical experience is also valuable.
Collocations: professional qualification · relevant qualification · gain a qualification
remote work noun phrase
Work done away from an employer's usual workplace, often from home.
Remote work reduces commuting time, although it can make collaboration more challenging.
Collocations: remote work policy · remote work opportunities · do remote work
resign verb · formal
To formally leave a job by telling an employer.
Some employees resign when they see no opportunities for career progression.
Collocations: resign from a job · resign from a position · resign with immediate effect
supervisor noun · formal
A person whose job is to manage and support other workers.
A good supervisor gives clear guidance while allowing staff enough independence to develop their skills.
Collocations: line supervisor · supervisor role · report to a supervisor
teamwork noun
The ability of people to work well together towards a shared goal.
In my experience, teamwork produces better results when colleagues communicate openly and respect each other's ideas.
Collocations: good teamwork · encourage teamwork · teamwork skills
unpaid adjective
Done without receiving money for the work.
Unpaid internships may help young people gain experience, but they can exclude those who cannot afford to work for free.
Collocations: unpaid work · unpaid internship · remain unpaid
workload noun · formal
The amount of work that a person or organisation has to do.
An excessive workload can lower morale and make it difficult for employees to maintain high standards.
Collocations: heavy workload · manage a workload · workload pressure
workplace noun
A place where people do their jobs.
A respectful workplace can help employees feel valued and perform more effectively.
Collocations: workplace culture · workplace safety · modern workplace
Band 7 words
apprenticeship noun · formal
A period of paid training in which someone learns a skilled job by working with an expert.
An apprenticeship enables young people to gain practical experience while earning a wage.
Collocations: begin an apprenticeship · complete an apprenticeship · apprenticeship programme
blue-collar adjective
Relating to practical or manual work, often in industry or construction.
Blue-collar workers need access to training as technology changes the skills their jobs require.
Collocations: blue-collar worker · blue-collar job · blue-collar workforce
burnout noun · formal
A state of exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, especially at work.
Employers should address excessive working hours before they lead to burnout among staff.
Collocations: experience burnout · prevent burnout · burnout among employees
delegate verb · formal
To give a task or responsibility to another person.
Managers who delegate effectively can focus on planning while helping their teams develop new skills.
Collocations: delegate tasks · delegate responsibility · delegate work to someone
diligent adjective · formal
Working carefully and consistently, with sustained effort.
A diligent employee is more likely to meet deadlines and maintain high standards.
Collocations: diligent employee · diligent approach · diligent in their work
dismiss verb · formal
To officially remove someone from their job.
An employer should not dismiss a worker without following a fair procedure.
Collocations: dismiss an employee · be dismissed from a job · dismiss staff
early retirement noun phrase
Leaving employment permanently before the usual retirement age.
Some people choose early retirement because they want more time for family and personal interests.
Collocations: take early retirement · early retirement age · encourage early retirement
entry-level adjective
Suitable for someone beginning a career or with little experience.
Entry-level positions give graduates an opportunity to gain practical experience.
Collocations: entry-level position · entry-level job · entry-level employee
flexible working noun phrase · formal
Working arrangements that allow employees some choice over when or where they work.
Flexible working can help employees balance professional responsibilities with family life.
Collocations: flexible working arrangements · request flexible working · offer flexible working
freelance adjective
Working independently for different clients rather than as a permanent employee.
Freelance work can offer greater flexibility, but income may be less predictable.
Collocations: freelance work · freelance journalist · freelance writer
initiative noun · formal
The ability to act independently and make decisions without waiting to be told what to do.
Employers often value initiative because it enables staff to solve problems without constant supervision.
Collocations: show initiative · take the initiative · use initiative
job satisfaction noun · formal
The feeling of pleasure and fulfilment that someone gets from their work.
Job satisfaction often depends not only on salary but also on autonomy and positive relationships with colleagues.
Collocations: high job satisfaction · improve job satisfaction · job satisfaction levels
job security noun phrase
The likelihood that someone will keep their job.
Job security can improve workers’ wellbeing and encourage them to plan for the future.
Collocations: job security is important · job security concerns · provide job security
leadership noun
The ability to guide, motivate and take responsibility for a group.
Strong leadership can help a company adapt to change while maintaining staff morale.
Collocations: effective leadership · leadership skills · provide leadership
manual labour noun phrase · formal
Work that mainly involves physical effort rather than mental or office-based tasks.
Mechanisation has reduced the amount of manual labour required in some industries.
Collocations: manual labour jobs · perform manual labour · manual labour force
minimum wage noun · formal
The lowest hourly or monthly pay that employers are legally allowed to offer.
Raising the minimum wage may improve living standards, although businesses could face higher costs.
Collocations: minimum wage increase · earn the minimum wage · minimum wage policy
negotiate verb · formal
To discuss something with another person or group to reach an agreement.
Employees may negotiate flexible hours when their personal responsibilities change.
Collocations: negotiate a contract · negotiate a salary · negotiate with employers
probation noun · formal
A trial period when a new employee's suitability for a job is assessed.
During probation, new employees can receive feedback before their permanent position is confirmed.
Collocations: probation period · on probation · complete probation
recruitment noun · formal
The process of finding and choosing people for jobs.
Online platforms have made recruitment faster, although employers still need to assess applicants carefully.
Collocations: recruitment process · staff recruitment · recruitment agency
redundancy noun · formal
The loss of a job because an employer no longer needs that role.
Redundancy can cause financial hardship, so governments should provide effective retraining and employment support.
Collocations: face redundancy · compulsory redundancy · redundancy pay
self-employed adjective
Working for yourself rather than for an employer.
Being self-employed gives people control over their schedules, although they must manage their own finances.
Collocations: self-employed worker · be self-employed · self-employed professional
shift work noun
A work schedule in which employees work at different times, including nights or weekends.
Shift work is essential in hospitals, but it can make it difficult for staff to maintain regular routines.
Collocations: do shift work · shift work schedule · shift work patterns
skill set noun
The range of abilities that someone has, especially those useful for a particular job.
A broad skill set can make workers more adaptable when industries undergo rapid technological change.
Collocations: develop a skill set · transferable skill set · specialised skill set
skilled worker noun
A person with specialised training or experience for a particular type of work.
A shortage of skilled workers can delay construction projects and increase costs.
Collocations: skilled worker shortage · highly skilled worker · train skilled workers
trade union noun · formal
An organisation that represents workers and protects their interests.
A trade union can help employees negotiate safer conditions and fairer pay.
Collocations: join a trade union · trade union representative · trade union membership
vacancy noun · formal
A job that is available for someone to fill.
The company advertised the vacancy online and received applications from a wide range of people.
Collocations: job vacancy · fill a vacancy · current vacancy
white-collar adjective
Relating to office-based or professional work rather than manual work.
Many white-collar jobs now allow employees to work remotely for part of the week.
Collocations: white-collar worker · white-collar job · white-collar profession
work-life balance noun
The amount of time and attention a person gives to work and their personal life.
A healthy work-life balance can improve employees' wellbeing and reduce staff turnover.
Collocations: healthy work-life balance · maintain a work-life balance · work-life balance policies
Band 8+ words
employability noun · academic
The skills and qualities that make someone suitable for work.
Lifelong learning can improve employability in industries affected by rapid technological change.
Collocations: improve employability · employability skills · enhance employability
gig economy noun · academic
A labour market where people do short-term jobs or tasks, often arranged through digital platforms.
The gig economy offers workers flexibility, but many have limited access to paid leave and job security.
Collocations: gig economy workers · growth of the gig economy · gig economy platforms
headhunt verb · informal
To approach someone and try to persuade them to take a job.
Companies sometimes headhunt experienced managers when they need specialist expertise quickly.
Collocations: headhunt senior staff · headhunt experienced candidates · be headhunted by a company
productivity gains plural noun phrase · academic
Improvements that allow more work to be completed with the same resources.
Digital tools can produce productivity gains by reducing the time spent on routine tasks.
Collocations: productivity gains from technology · achieve productivity gains · significant productivity gains
vocation noun · formal
A job or career that someone feels especially suited to or strongly wants to do.
Although teaching can be demanding, many people regard it as a vocation rather than simply a source of income.
Collocations: sense of vocation · follow a vocation · vocation in teaching
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