Use of English: Finding Employment

Read the text below and decide which option best fits each space.

FINDING EMPLOYMENT

My first (1)            [occupation, job, work, employment]was as a sales (2)           [employee, attendant, officer, assistant]at a large department store. I wanted to work part-time, because I was still studying (3)     [in, on, at, for]university and I was only (4)             [excellent, able, proud, experienced]to work a few nights a week.

I came (5)        [across, into, on, round]the advertisement in the local newspaper. I remember the interview as though (6)       [it, I, that, there]were yesterday. The personnel manager sat behind a large desk. He asked me various questions which surprised me because all I wanted was to work in sales. An hour later, I was told that I had got the job and was given a contract to go (7)       [on, over, ahead, with]. I was to be trained for ten days before I took my post. Also, as a member of (8)       [staff, crew, team, party]I was entitled to some benefits, including discounts.

When I eventually started, I was responsible (9)      [of, at, with, for]the toy section. I really enjoyed it there and I loved demonstrating the different toys. I was surprised at how friendly my (10)            [assistants, staff, colleagues, employees]were, too. They made working there fun even when we had to (11)           [control, deal with, manage, cooperate]customers who (12)      [came, went, got, were]on our nerves. On the whole, working there was a great experience which I will never forget.

Complete the sentences with the correct words

• Employment (noun/ uncountable) - the fact of someone being paid to work for a company or organization; typically refers to the general state of being employed, rather than a specific job or occupation

• Job (noun/ countable) - the regular paid work that a person does for an employer

• Occupation (noun/ countable / more formal) - a person's regular activity or work, especially one for which they are paid; used especially on official forms or for writing about the jobs people do

• Profession (noun/ countable / more formal) - a paid occupation, especially one that requires long training and a formal qualification, often one that is respected because it involves a high level of education

• Work (noun/ uncountable) - an activity involving physical or mental effort done in order to achieve a purpose or earn a living

Complete the sentences with the correct words

• Assistant (noun/ countable) - someone whose job is to help someone else of higher rank do their job; someone who works in a shop, selling goods to customers and giving advice about the goods sold in the shop

• Attendant (noun/ countable) - someone whose job is to be in a place and help visitors or customers

• Clerk (noun/ countable) - a person who works in an office, dealing with records or performing general office duties; a person who works with a judge and helps the judge make decisions; a hotel employee who deals with guests when they arrive

• Colleague (noun/ countable) - one of a group of people who work together

• Employee (noun/ countable) - someone who is paid to work for someone else

• Employer (noun/ countable) - a person, company, or organization that employes people

• Officer (noun/ countable) - a person in the armed forces who has a position of authority; a member of the police force; someone who is in a position in an organization or the government