A ‣ Getting a job*

“When I left school, I applied for¹ jobs in different companies, and finally, after sending out lots of CVs² and having some interviews³, a small company employed me⁴. I didn’t earn a lot, but the company gave me some training⁵, which was good.”

* finding a job
¹ wrote a letter of application for
² a document which describes your education and the jobs you have done
³ a meeting where someone asks you questions to see if you are suitable for a job
⁴ gave me a job
⁵ help and advice to learn how to do a job or activity

B ‣ Promotion

“I worked hard and soon I was promoted [given a better job with more responsibility]. They also gave me a good pay rise [more money]. It was really good experience [knowledge you get from doing something such as a job], and when my boss left the company a few years later, they gave me an important promotion [a move to a higher job in the company]. ”

C ‣ Resignation*

“By my mid-twenties, I was getting a bit bored, and decided I wanted to work abroad [in another country]. So, I quit my job [told the company I was leaving; syn resign] and started looking for jobs in the UK. After a couple of months I got a job in London. At first I liked it, but … ”

* when you say officially you are leaving a job

D ‣ Unemployment*

“After six months, I got fed up with the job – and I think I was enjoying myself too much to work very hard. Finally, the company sacked me [told me to leave the company; syn gave me the sack], and after that I was unemployed [without a job; syn out of work] for two months. Finally I got a part-time job [working only part of the day or week; opp full-time job] in the kitchen of a restaurant.”

* when people do not have a job

E ‣ Success and retirement*

“I loved the restaurant. I learned how to cook, and two years later I became manager. Three years after that I opened my own restaurant. [belonging to me / it was my restaurant] It was very successful [it did well and made money], and twenty years later, I owned five restaurants, and I was the owner of two hotels. I believe anyone can succeed [be successful] if they work hard enough – and have a little bit of luck. Last year, aged sixty, I retired and went back to Italy.”

* the time when people stop work, often at 60 or 65