100+ Common Words of the Topic Work and Lifestyle for the IELTS exam

1. Vocabulary about job and career

1.1. Vocabulary about recruitment

applicant (n.) – a person who formally requests something, especially a job, or to study at a college or university	Applicants apply in person to our office and we refer candidates to the appropriate department.
candidate (n.) – a person who is competing to get a job or elected position	I had to compete against some very good candidates* to get the job, so I was really pleased.*
employee (n.) – someone who is paid to work for someone else	New employees may be tempted to take on too much responsibility when they first join a firm.
employer (n.) – a person or organization that employs people	Employers in these industries are more likely to employ people with a good working knowledge of the job and what it entails.
employment (n.) – the fact of someone being paid to work for a company or organization	Employment and educational opportunities are the main attraction of urban centres.
unemployment (n.) – the state of being unemployed	The modern welfare system in the UK developed during the late 19th and 20th century and includes the provision of both cash welfare benefits (such as an old-age pension or unemployment benefit) and welfare services not involving money (such as healthcare).
interview (n.) – a meeting in which someone asks you questions to see if you are suitable for a job or course	The unemployed find it difficult to get an interview* if they have not had a job for a long time.*
job (n.) – the regular work that a person does to earn money	There are certain manual jobs such as cleaning and labouring where formal qualifications are less important.
company (n.) – an organization that sells goods or services in order to make money	As a specialist company,* we craft tailor-made holidays to your exact needs and specifications.*
workforce (n.) – the group of people who work in a company, industry, country, etc.	Even in a highly skilled workforce,* some people will be more capable and thus better paid than others.*
experience (n.) – (the process of getting) knowledge or skill from doing, seeing, or feeling things	I have qualifications in business management and I have over ten years of experience working in this industry.
prospect (n.) – the idea of something that will or might happen in the future	Some people believe that students need to be a graduate to get a job with good career prospects.
qualification (n.) – an ability, characteristic, or experience that makes you suitable for a particular job or activity	Trainees are finding that it is the qualifications* they gain through technical courses rather than degree courses that can help make them employable.*
opportunity (n.) – the chance to get a job	I was promoted last year to head of department. I’m in charge of all of our overseas operations now. It’s a golden opportunity* for me.*
objective (n.) – something that you plan to do or achieve	Our main objective* is to improve the company’s productivity.*
apprenticeship (n.) – a period of time working as an apprentice	These courses teach real-life skills and often lead directly to an apprenticeship* and then full-time employment.*
industry (n.) – the companies and activities involved in the process of producing goods for sale, especially in a factory or special area	The minister’s stance on deregulation is bound to be biased – he’s got a considerable financial interest in the industry.

1.2. Vocabulary about workplace

boss (n.) – the person who is in charge of an organization and who tells others what to do	Eventually, I realised I would have to address the problem sooner or later, so I raised the issue with my boss.
clerk (n.) – a person who works in an office, dealing with records or performing general office duties	Shopkeepers and small tradesmen made up around 30 percent of the local workforce, while clerks* represented around 15 percent.*
client (n.) – a customer or someone who receives services	The company requires clients to pay substantial fees in advance.
colleague (n.) – one of a group of people who work together	In the corporate world, the best sources of business are your former colleagues.
staff (n.) – the group of people who work for an organization	I get to stay in luxurious hotels around the world for next to nothing and I get on really well with all the other staff.
supervisor (n.) – a person whose job is to supervise someone or something	I would like to apply for the position of office supervisor.
technician (n.) – a worker trained with special skills, especially in science or engineering	I just need to schedule a time for the technician* to go to your apartment and do the installation.*
commuter (n.) – someone who regularly travels between work and home	The number of commuters* to London has dropped by 100,000.*
earnings (n.) – the amount of money that someone is paid for working	The level of earnings* increased with each educational level.*
holiday rep (n.) – short for holiday representative: someone who works for a travel company giving help and advice to people who are on holiday in a particular place	He has worked as a teacher, a bookseller, an editor, a copywriter, a journalist and a holiday rep.
insight (n.) – (the ability to have) a clear, deep, and sometimes sudden understanding of a complicated problem or situation	People are looking for experiences that will transform them in some way – give them new insights.
management (n.) – the group of people responsible for controlling and organizing a company	The management* agreed to employ five more members of staff.*
meeting (n.) – a planned occasion when people come together, either in person or online (= using the internet), to discuss something	The owners had a meeting* with all of the staff to discuss the takeover.*
niche (n.) – a job or position that is very suitable for someone, especially one that they like	It is estimated that men account for 1 percent of the luxury cosmetics markets, a niche* which saw a 50 percent increase in sales in 2003-2004.*
office (n.) – a room or part of a building in which people work, especially sitting at tables with computers, phones, etc., usually as a part of a business or other organization	We decided to set up an office* near the airport as many of our biggest clients were based there.*
overtime (n.) – (time spent working) after the usual time needed or expected in a job	My wages aren’t great, but I often get to do a lot of overtime, so I can earn more money that way.
pay (n.) – the money you receive for doing a job	I managed to get a job as a shelf stacker in the local supermarket. It’s unskilled work and very monotonous, but the pay is quite good.
perk (n.) – an advantage or something extra, such as money or goods, that you are given because of your job	My job is a very demanding job and I have to do shift work, which I find exhausting, but perks* are great.*
salary (n.) – a fixed amount of money agreed every year as pay for an employee, usually paid directly into his or her bank account every month	Britons are becoming more concerned about their quality of life and are willing to prioritize tranquility over status and salary.
wages (n.) – the money earned by an employee, esp. when paid for the hours worked	Community colleges are also now attracting more and more students who already have a degree but want to learn a skill or a trade that will help them earn better wages.
percentage (n.) – an amount of something, often expressed as a number out of 100	Part-time employees may apply for this benefit but will pay a higher percentage* of the premium.*
shiftwork (n.) – a system in which different groups of workers work somewhere at different times of the day and night	I do shiftwork* so I often have to sleep during the day.*
takeover (n.) – a situation in which a company gets control of another company by buying enough of its shares	The company has decided not to go through with the takeover* of its smaller rival.*
workplace (n.) – a building or room where people perform their jobs, or these places generally	Indeed numerous surveys have shown that most working adults today perceive the workplace* to be a more challenging environment than in previous generations.*
blue-collar (adj.) – blue-collar workers do work needing strength or physical skill rather than office work	In the past, we used to talk about blue-collar* and white-collar jobs ro differentiate between manual labour and working in an office.*
manual work (n.) – physical work done by humans	I work as a laborer on a construction site. It’s manual work, so it’s very physical, which keeps me nice and fit.
product (n.) – something that is made to be sold, usually something that is produced by an industrial process or, less commonly, something that is grown or obtained through farming	Companies offering products* with healthy ingredients have set the trend in recent years.*

1.3. Vocabulary about career and career development

career (n.) – the job or series of jobs that you do during your working life, especially if you continue to get better jobs and earn more money	I’ve always wanted a career* in marketing, so I studied as a graphic designer and when I graduated I got a job with a marketing company.*
career ladder (n.) – a series of jobs from the lower paid with less responsibility to the highest paid with the most responsibility within a company or particular profession	The academic education provided at the faculty allows the graduates to climb the career ladder* in various fields.*
occupation (n.) – a person’s job	My occupation* is a receptionist at a five-star hotel.*
profession (n.) – any type of work that needs special training or a particular skill, often one that is respected because it involves a high level of education	Education is important in teaching the theoretical side of any profession.
vocation (n.) – a type of work that you feel you are suited to doing and to which you should give all your time and energy, or the feeling that a type of work suits you in this way	Young people no longer see their work life as one vocation grandparents did in the way their
dead-end job (n.) – a job in which there is no chance of progressing to a better, more important job	Despite having a degree in journalism, he got stuck in a dead-end job* at an insurance company.*
job satisfaction (n.) – the feeling of pleasure and achievement that you experience in your job when you know that your work is worth doing, or the degree to which your work gives you this feeling	Many young people today value job satisfaction* over a big salary.*
fulfilment (n.) – the fact of doing something that is necessary or something that someone has wanted or promised to do	For many, work plays an important role in our everyday life and gives us a strong sense of personal fulfilment.
ambition (n.) – a strong wish to achieve something	Her ambition* and dogged determination ensured that she rose to the top of her profession.*
attraction (n.) – something that makes people want to go to a place or do a particular thing	Employment and educational opportunities are the main attraction* of urban centres.*
competition (n.) – a situation in which someone is trying to win something or be more successful than someone else	The number of unemployed seems to increase each year and the competition* for each job is also increasing.*
controversy (n.) – sự tranh luận, tranh cãi	There has been a good deal of controversy* around the issue of outsourcing labor.*
credibility (n.) – the fact that someone can be believed or trusted	To gain credibility, many cosmetic companies have persuaded dermatologists and pharmacists to endorse their brands.
income (n.) – a company’s profit in a particular period of time	For the prior year, they reported a net income* of $1.1 million.*
priority (n.) – something that is very important and must be dealt with before other things	If we do not make earning an adequate salary a top priority, we might not be able to afford to buy the things we need.
pursuit (n.) – an activity that you spend time doing, usually when you are not working	She moved to the US in pursuit* of a movie career.*
retirement (n.) – the act of leaving your job and stopping working, usually because you are old	If children develop a strong work ethic from an early age, then this should ensure that they have enough money when they reach retirement.
risk-taker (n.) – someone who often takes risks	They are risk-takers* who either make a lot of money or lose a lot.*

2. Vocabulary about lifestyle

activity (n.) – something that is done for enjoyment, especially an organized event	Fishing, generally considered more of an outdoor recreational activity,* for example, is a form of self-expression like quilting or stamp collecting.*
lifestyle (n.) – someone’s way of living; the things that a person or particular group of people usually do	Other parents choose professions for their children that they believe will enable a comfortable lifestyle.
aspect (n.) – one part of a situation, problem, subject, etc.	The results are shedding light on many aspects* of daily life among early peoples.*
disappointment (n.) – the feeling of being disappointed	I think it’s a waste of time to make plans like that. Life can be full of disappointments.
goal (n.) – an aim or purpose	Many people set themselves goals* such as buying a new house or car and so we measure our success by the material things we own.*
hobby (n.) – an activity that someone does for pleasure when they are not working	Leisure activity isn’t just for fun, says a University of Florida psychologist who has developed a scale that classifies hobbies* based on needs they satisfy in people.*
outlook (n.) – a person’s way of understanding and thinking about something	I have a very positive outlook* on life. I think it’s important to treat every day as special and live life to the full.*
personality (n.) – the type of person you are, shown by the way you behave, feel, and think	Stamp collecting is a form of self-expression because it gives people the opportunity to express some aspect of their personality.
pressure (n.) – a difficult situation that makes you feel worried or unhappy	We put extra pressure* on ourselves by trying to be as successful in our work life as in our personal life.*
sense (n.) – a general feeling or understanding	Participating in soccer satisfies our desire for a sense* of ‘belonging’.*
spare time (n.) – time when you are not working or do not have anything you must do	You feel constantly pressed for time, and spare time* becomes this luxury you can’t afford anymore!*

The topic of Work and Lifestyle is one of the most common topics in the IELTS exam. Therefore, make sure to master the common vocabulary of this topic to excel in the IELTS exam. In addition, azVocab has also compiled common vocabulary for other topics, which you can explore in the category: Common words for IELTS.

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