Work & Career

Professional vocabulary for the workplace

Introduction

The modern workplace demands a robust vocabulary for professional success. Whether you're describing your job responsibilities, discussing projects, or networking with colleagues, these words are essential.

This chapter focuses on high-frequency vocabulary used in professional settings. From job titles to workplace activities, you'll learn the words that help you communicate effectively in any career context.

Themes

All Vocabulary (NGSL) in This Chapter (55)

• work Activity involving effort; employment; to function properly
• company A commercial business; the state of being with another person; a group of people
• report A formal account of an event or situation; to give information about something
• business Commercial activity; a company or organisation engaged in trade
• service Work done for others; a system providing a public need
• job A paid position of regular employment; a task or piece of work
• lead To guide or direct; to be in first position
• present Existing now; being in a place; a gift; to show or give formally
• office A place of business; a position of authority or responsibility
• team A group of people working together
• produce To make or create something; to show or present
• staff The employees of an organisation; a long stick or rod
• customer A person who buys goods or services from a shop or business
• project A planned piece of work; to estimate or forecast; to throw forward
• industry Economic activity concerned with producing goods or services; hard work
• leader A person who guides or directs others; someone in charge
• fire Flames and heat from burning; to dismiss from a job; to shoot a weapon
• employee A person who works for a company or organisation in return for payment
• manage To be in charge of; to succeed in doing something difficult; to cope
• represent To speak or act on behalf of someone; to symbolise something
• manager A person responsible for controlling or administering an organisation or grou...
• worker A person who does a particular job, especially manual or industrial labour
• management The process of controlling or administering things or people; the people resp...
• department A division of a large organisation or government dealing with a specific area
• organize To arrange or plan systematically; to put things in order
• network A system of interconnected people or things
• task A piece of work that needs to be done
• career A profession or occupation pursued over a long period
• officer A person holding a position of authority, especially in the military or police
• professional Relating to a paid occupation; done to a high standard
• colleague A person you work with, especially in a professional setting
• engineer A person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or structures
• union The act of joining together; a trade organisation; a political alliance
• promote To raise to a higher position; to encourage; to publicise
• employ To give someone a job; to make use of something
• manufacture To make products on a large scale using machinery
• representative A person who speaks or acts on behalf of others; typical of a group
• leadership The position or ability of leading people; the leaders of a group
• hire To employ someone; to rent something for temporary use
• factory A building where goods are manufactured using machinery
• employment The state of having paid work; the use of something for a purpose
• chairman The person who presides over a meeting, committee, or organisation
• guard To watch over and protect; a person employed to protect
• presentation The act of showing or explaining something to an audience; how something is d...
• mission An important task or assignment; the purpose or goal of an organisation
• employer A person or organisation that pays people to work for them
• producer A person who oversees the creation of films, music, or other creative works; ...
• accompany To go somewhere with someone; to happen at the same time as something else
• salary A fixed regular payment made by an employer to an employee
• boss A person who is in charge of workers or an organisation
• manufacturer A company or person that makes goods for sale
• reporter A person who collects and reports news for newspapers, television, or radio
• unemployment The state of being without a job
• representation Acting on behalf of someone; how something is depicted
• framework A basic structure underlying a system or concept