Essential Vocabulary for Career Success and Personal Growth

Applications and Education

• Apply: To make an application or request.
• Applicant: The person or candidate eligible to apply or request something.
• Claim: To demand, require something.
• Drop out: To stop attending school or a course.
• Get promoted, get a promotion: To advance in rank, dignity, position, etc.
• Eventually: Finally, at some later time.
• Career: Having a career, professional.
• Degree: University studies.
• Vocational training: Relating to applied educational courses concerned with skills needed for an occupation, trade, or profession.
• Grades: Marks.
• To graduate: A person who has received a degree or diploma on completing a course of study at a university, college, or school.
• Wage: Salary.

Workplace and Personal Qualities

• To blame: To say someone is responsible for something.
• Sponsored: Supported by people who pay the cost.
• High flier: Someone with an important and well-paid job.
• Overwhelmed: Not strong enough to tolerate something.
• Work overtime: Time spent working that is before or after one's regularly scheduled working hours.

Positive Qualities

• Cautious: Prudent, wary.
• Perceptive: Having or showing keenness of insight, understanding, or intuition.
• Focused: Concentrated.
• Hard-working: Performing or carrying on work with great effort or energy.
• Analytical: Skilled in using analysis.
• Decisive: Being resolute and determined when making decisions.
• Determined: Resolute.
• Trustworthy: Reliable.
• Punctual: Being on time.
• Obedient: Complying with authority.

Negative Qualities

• Unreliable: Not to be relied or depended on.
• Critical: Inclined to judge severely.
• Inexperienced: Lacking knowledge, skill, or wisdom gained from experience.
• Dishonest: Untrustworthy, fraudulent.
• Disorganized: Functioning without adequate order. Uncoordinated, careless, or undisciplined.
• Irresponsible: Not capable of or qualified for responsibility.
• Unenthusiastic: Not greatly interested in or deeply involved.
• Irrational: Lacking sound judgment or logic.

Strengths and Weaknesses

• Strengths: Strong or valuable qualities or characteristics.
• Weaknesses: Slight faults or defects.

Common Phrases

• To inquire about: To ask, to seek information.
• Get by: To have enough of something to survive.
• Turn down: To refuse.
• Take up: To accept.
• Take on: To employ.
• Get ahead: To make fast progress.