12 New employment
A Discussing job applicants
Guy: So which of these applicants do you think we should interview?
They all seem to fit the job description quite well to me. It’s quite
a daunting task to narrow the list down to just one person.
Lisa: I agree. So, lets start by taking up references for these ten people.
Guy: OK. So why did you pick these ten out of the fifty who applied?
Lisa: Well, these ten all seem to be people who realise the importance
of working as a team. They’ve all shown that they are capable
of mastering new skills. And they’re all clearly comfortable with
taking on responsibility.
Guy: Did you automatically eliminate the two who’d previously taken industrial action1?
Lisa: One of them – I’d also heard rumours about his involvement in a professional misconduct case.
He was certainly relieved of his duties2 at ARG under mysterious circumstances. But the other
was standing up for a woman who’d been wrongfully dismissed3, even though he knew he
might lose his own job. So he sounded good to me.
Guy: Fair enough. He must have strength of character to risk losing his own livelihood.
Lisa: That’s right. So could we pencil in a meeting for considering the references? And then I’d
better leave you and go and clear my desk4 before I go home.
Guy: Yes, sure. How about Friday at 10?
1 4
gone on strike deal with all the papers on one’s desk (also used
2
(formal) dismissed when someone is clearing their desk because they
3
(formal, legal) unfairly dismissed are leaving their job)
Common mistakes
If workers refuse to work, they go on strike or stage a strike, NOT make a strike.
B Conversation about a new job
Alexa: I hear your brother’s landed a fantastic new job1.
David: Actually it’s not as good as he hoped. He’s got a
terribly heavy workload and that means working
some very unsocial hours. He also complains about
having to do lots of menial tasks around the office,
running errands for his boss.
Alexa: But he’s paid well?
David: Not really. He just about gets a living wage2. And all
the overtime is unpaid.
Alexa: He’ll just have to throw a sickie3 from time to time.
David: Yes, I suggested he did that too, but he says he’s afraid of getting the sack4 if he does. He
feels there might be some prospects for him there eventually, even if he is just being used as
sweated labour5 at the moment.
Alexa: Well, with any luck he’ll eventually find that he can realise his potential6 there.
David: I hope so. But they have a very high turnover of staff and it won’t be easy for him to stay
the course7 .
Alexa: No, but he’s very determined, isn’t he? So let’s hope it all works out.
1 5
(informal) got a new (and usually a good) job workers who are paid very little
2
enough money to live on and work in very bad conditions
3 6
(informal) take a day off work pretending to be sick achieve all that he is capable of
4 7
(informal) being dismissed remain there until he is successful
28 English Collocations in Use Advanced
Exercises
12.1 Find a collocation in A that matches each definition.
1 to make a provisional date for a meeting 6 unfairly sacked
2 an alarmingly difficult task 7 to be deprived of your source of income
3 to become skilled at doing new things 8 behaviour unacceptable for someone in
4 to request statements from referees a particular job
5 to have the skills required for a job
12.2 Complete this paragraph using words from the box in the appropriate form.
be fit land run sweat take
Charlotte was surprised but happy to (1) a job on her local newspaper as soon as
she left university. She was surprised because she didn’t feel that she (2) the job
description, but she was happy because she had always dreamt of working as a journalist. So she
didn’t really mind when she found that she was spending much of her time (3)
errands for the editor. Her brother said she was just being used as (4) labour but
she felt confident that there (5) good prospects for her there. She was sure she
would soon have the chance to (6) on more responsibility.
12.3 Complete each conversation using a collocation from the opposite page to make B agree with
what A says.
1 A: I think that Adam will leave his new job before the year is out.
B: Yes, I agree. I don’t think he’ll either.
2 A: Had you heard that they may fire some members of staff?
B: Yes, I did hear a rumour that some people might .
3 A: Inflation is so high that I don’t seem to earn enough to live on any more.
B: No. I don’t feel I earn myself.
4 A: Has the HR manager been removed from his job?
B: Yes, he was yesterday.
5 A: I hope the workers don’t decide to go on strike.
B: Yes, it would be very unfortunate if they decide to .
6 A: It’s going to be hard to decide which of the job applicants to shortlist.
B: Yes, I don’t know how we are going to .
12.4 Answer these questions about your own work or ask someone else these questions and write
down the answers.
1 What kind of menial tasks does your job involve?
2 Do you think this job will allow you to realise your potential?
3 Do you ever have to work unsocial hours? If so, why? If not, why not?
4 Does there tend to be a high turnover of staff at your workplace?
5 If you do overtime, is it paid or unpaid?
6 Have you ever thrown a sickie? If so, why? If not, why not?
7 Have you ever taken or would you ever consider taking industrial action?
8 In your job is it necessary to work as a team?
9 Do you have a heavy workload?
Over to you
It will probably be particularly useful for you to learn work collocations that relate to your own
professional life. Look on the internet for information in English about the job that you do or are
interested in doing in the future. Make a note of any interesting collocations that you come across.
English Collocations in Use Advanced 29
