30 Work

A Jobs, career and work

to carry
out work to supervise
a fulfilling job a high- work
powered job1
a demanding to
job complete to work
to apply work WORK closely with
JOB
a steady for a job
job to wreck/ruin
available to to take
a permanent on work someone’s
to offer start work to embark
someone job career
on a career2
a job at the height/peak to have a
of your career career in
Note we say have a job, NOT have a work. CAREER (medicine)
her career
1
an important job lasted … a brilliant
2
to start a career career
3
to climb the
a career starts to become very successful career ladder
a promising a career
career takes off3

B Job adverts

Do you have a good knowledge of the fashion industry?

Do you have experience in sales?
Are you a good team player1?
Are you looking for a stimulating 1
a person who co-operates well
working environment?
with other people
Would you like to be an integral part of 2
good rewards for work – not just
a close team?
salary but also perhaps a company
We can offer you job satisfaction and
car, good holiday entitlement, etc.
generous benefits2. 3
the job must be offered to
Vacancy must be filled3 within
three weeks. someone and accepted
For details, phone 08965 439820.

C Things you might do at work

Bella has a job as a PA. Basically her role is to take charge of her boss, who is not a very
organised person, and make sure nothing goes wrong. She makes appointments for her boss
and she makes sure he keeps his appointments. She spends a lot of time answering the phone
and fielding telephone calls1 on his behalf. When her boss has to travel, she makes the
reservations for him. When her boss has to give a presentation, she makes all the preparations
that are required, including making photocopies of any papers that he needs. She arranges
meetings for him and she takes the minutes2 at the meetings. Bella is a very well-organised
person. She keeps a record of everything she does at work and sets herself targets. She does
her best to achieve her goals. Every morning she makes a list of everything she needs to do.
Today the first thing on her list is ‘Hand in my notice’3! But she’s not going to take early
retirement. She’s got a new job where she will be the boss and will have her own PA.
1
dealing with all the calls she can handle herself and only putting the most urgent ones through
to her boss
2
keeps the official record of a meeting
3
resign, inform her boss she’s planning to stop working for him

64 English Collocations in Use Intermediate

31 Business
A Going into business
Interviewer: When did you first go into business?
Jeffries: I set up a small business selling office equipment in 2001. Then in 2003, I went into
partnership with my old friend, Ethan Smith. We made a loss for the first two years,
but then things got better and we’ve made a profit for most years ever since. But
there have been bad times, too.
Interviewer: In what way?
Jeffries: Well, during the economic recession, a lot of small businesses were going under1,
and I thought our business would fold2. All around us, small firms were going
bankrupt3. But in 2010 we won a contract, despite stiff competition, to supply the
local government offices. That was an important moment for us. We took on staff and
expanded. We were proud that we had created jobs for local people at a time when
unemployment was high. Our sales figures improved steadily and soon we had an
annual turnover4 of more than eighteen million pounds.
Interviewer: So what’s the secret of your success?
Jeffries: Well, we’re quite cautious. For instance, we always carry out5 market research before
 launching a new product. But we also firmly believe in customer service, especially
after-sales service. But at the end of the day, running a successful business is a
combination of hard work, luck and intuition.
Interviewer: Finally, there are rumours that you may float the company6 on the stock market.
Jeffries: At the moment we have no intention of going public7. People shouldn’t believe
everything they read online!
1 5
failing financially   t he formal equivalent would be conduct market
2
close because of failure   research
3 6
unable to pay debts, so the company’s property is and 7 start selling shares in a business or company
sold by order of a court of law   for the first time
4
amount of business a company does in a year   

B More business collocations

Owing to the economic crisis, many small firms ceased trading. [closed their business]
There is cut-throat competition in the music industry these days. [very severe competition]
Market forces have caused many factories to close as businesses move overseas. [forces not influenced
by government that decide price levels in an economy]
Our local bakery has gone out of business. Most people buy their bread at the supermarket
these days.
Business is booming for Internet-based travel companies as most people book travel online.
[business is doing extremely well]
She resigned and went to work for a rival company.
We did/struck a deal with the vendor of the house and got a 15% discount on the price.
It’s quite difficult sometimes to balance the budget because of increased costs.
Our company have put in a bid for the new leisure centre contract. [offered to do the work for a
particular amount of money]

Common mistakes
Remember, the collocation is do business, NOT make business: We’re doing a lot of business in Asia
these days.

66 English Collocations in Use Intermediate