All about work in English: structure and useful phrases

Have you ever had to explain what you do for a living in English? The words seem familiar, but when it’s time to put them together — nothing comes out. And let’s not even mention describing your responsibilities, your team, or talking about salary.

That’s exactly why it’s important to know how to confidently talk about your job in English. In this article, we won’t dive into complicated grammar — only the essentials: useful phrases, natural vocabulary, common phrasal verbs, and adjectives that native speakers use every day. With these tools, you’ll be able to easily explain where you work and what you do.

Contents

1. Simple structure for talking about your job in English
2. Useful English phrases for describing work responsibilities
3. Common English phrasal verbs for talking about work
4. Adjectives to describe your job in English
5. Phrases and tips for talking about salary
     5.1. The difference between salary, wages, income, earnings, and compensation

6. How to describe colleagues and your team
7. FAQs

Simple structure for talking about your job in English

To make your job description in English sound logical, natural, and confident, it’s best to follow a clear structure. This approach can help not only in interviews or on your resume, but also in everyday conversations.

1. Job title and company

Start with the basics — say where you work and what your position is. This sets the context. Here are a few useful phrases to start talking about your job in English:

• I work as a [job title] в [company name].
• I’m currently a [position] in [department or field].
• I’ve been working at [company] for [X years/months].

I work as a project coordinator at a logistics company.

Read this article to learn how to talk about professions in English.

2. Main job responsibilities in English

After you’ve mentioned your job title, the next step is to explain what you’re actually responsible for at work. Keep it clear and to the point — no need to go into too much detail. Try to avoid vague phrases like I do everything — instead, focus on 2–3 key areas or processes you manage or take part in.

• I'm responsible for…
• I manage… / I oversee…
• My main duties include…
• I'm in charge of…

I’m responsible for coordinating shipments and making sure deliveries arrive on time.

3. Tools, technologies, and work-related skills in English

Mention the platforms, software, tools, or languages you use in your daily work. This part is especially important if you’re applying for a new position, talking to potential employers, or writing your CV.
I work with…
I use tools such as…
I'm skilled in… / I regularly use…
I work with Excel, and other internal tracking systems.

4. Team and colleagues

Talk about who you work with on a daily basis: do you have a team, do you work independently, or do you collaborate with other departments or specialists? This is also a great way to show your communication skills, ability to work in a team, or leadership experience.

• I work closely with…
• Our team consists of…
• I lead a team of…
• I collaborate with…
• I report to…

I collaborate with drivers, warehouse staff, and the customer service department.

5. Talking about your attitude to work or future plans in English

Finish your story by sharing how you feel about your job or briefly mentioning your professional plans. This adds a personal touch and shows your motivation.

• I enjoy this job because…
• What I like most is…
• In the future, I’d like to…
• This job allows me to…

I enjoy this job because it’s dynamic and I like solving real-world problems. In the future, I’d like to move into operations management.

Let’s look at an example of how to talk about your job in English:

• I work as a digital marketing specialist at an international e-commerce company. 
• I’m responsible for creating and managing online ad campaigns across Google and social media platforms. I regularly analyze performance metrics, optimize ad budgets, and develop content strategies to increase engagement. 
• I work with tools such as Google Ads, Meta Business Suite, and Google Analytics. 
• I closely collaborate with designers, content creators, and the sales team. 
• What I enjoy most about my job is the combination of creativity and data-driven decisions. In the future, I’d like to specialize in performance marketing and lead a team.

Useful English phrases for describing work responsibilities

When talking about your job in English, it’s important not just to mention your job title, but also to explain what exactly you do on a daily basis — what you’re responsible for, which processes you oversee, or what tasks you regularly handle.

Common English phrasal verbs for talking about work

Phrasal verbs are the heart of conversational English. They’re widely used in business communication, work emails, meetings, interviews, and even casual chats between colleagues. If you want to sound natural and confident when talking about your job in English, it’s a good idea to learn at least the most common ones.

• take on — to accept responsibility or work
• carry out — to perform or complete a task or plan
• follow up — to check in after an initial contact or action
• step down — to resign or leave a position of authority
• step up — to take more responsibility or take initiative
• lay off — to dismiss employees due to lack of work or budget
• burn out — to become extremely tired or stressed from overwork
• slack off — to work less hard than usual
• catch up (on) — to do something you didn’t have time for earlier
• fill in (for) — to do someone else’s job temporarily
• take over — to assume control or responsibility
• set up — to arrange, establish, or organize something

Let’s look at some examples of how to use phrasal verbs when talking about your job in English:

• I took on a new project last week.
• She burned out after working every weekend.
• They laid off several workers last month.
• I'm filling in for my colleague while he's on holiday.
• We need to catch up on the monthly reports.
• He stepped down as team leader.

Adjectives to describe your job in English

To make a story about your job in English more lively, clear, and engaging, it’s helpful to use adjectives that reflect the nature of your profession or work environment. They can show whether you enjoy your job, how challenging, dynamic, or creative it is.

• My job is really rewarding.
• It’s a creative and fast-paced environment.
• I’m happy to have a stable and well-paid position.
• Some parts of my job are repetitive and boring.
• It can get really stressful at the end of the month.
• The workload is overwhelming sometimes.

Phrases and tips for talking about salary

Talking about money can feel a bit sensitive, but it’s a completely normal part of professional communication. The key is to know how to speak about salary politely, confidently, and professionally.
Let’s start with the most common terms related to pay:

• Base salary 
• Hourly rate 
• Gross salary / Net salary
• Pay raise
• Annual bonus

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Here are a few tips to help you feel more confident when discussing salary at work in English:

• Use neutral language. Avoid direct statements like I need at least…. It’s better to say: I’m looking for a salary in the range of…
• Don’t focus only on the number. You can also mention bonuses, additional benefits, flexible hours, or other parts of the compensation package.
• Speak in general figures or ranges. If you don’t want to name an exact amount, use words like around, approximately, between X and Y .
• Be confident. Talking about pay isn’t a demand — it’s a normal part of healthy professional communication.

How to say how much you earn in English

• I earn $X per year / month / hour.
• My current salary is around $X.
• I’m in the salary range of $X–$Y.
• I receive additional bonuses and benefits.
• I'm paid hourly / monthly / on a contract basis.

How to discuss your desired salary

• I’m looking for a salary in the range of $X–$Y.
• My expected salary is $X per year.
• I'm open to discussing the compensation package.
• For me, it’s also important to have flexible benefits.
• I’d like to know more about the bonus structure.

The difference between salary, wages, income, earnings, and compensation

In English, there are several words that seem to mean the same thing — payment for work. But in reality, each of them has its own nuance and is used in different contexts when talking about jobs and employment:

• Salary — usually a fixed monthly or yearly payment that does not depend on the number of hours worked. For example: My annual salary is $50,000.
• Wages — payment based on the number of hours or days worked. Commonly used for manual or hourly jobs.
• Income — a general term for all of a person’s earnings. It includes salary, freelance work, rental income, investment profits, etc.
• Earnings also means income, but is mainly used to describe what someone has earned through work or within a specific period (monthly, quarterly, yearly).
• Compensation — a broader term that includes not just salary, but all additional benefits like bonuses, health insurance, paid vacation, phone allowance, stock options, etc. This term is often used in official documents or during job interviews.

How to describe colleagues and your team

When talking about your job in English, it’s important to mention not only your responsibilities, but also your colleagues. This shows that you’re a team player, able to collaborate with others, and that you feel comfortable in a professional environment.

Even if you work remotely or independently, you probably have coworkers, managers, or cross-functional teams you interact with. To make your job description sound more professional in English, use the list of universal phrases provided below:

• I work in a great team.
• My colleagues are supportive and professional.
• I collaborate closely with…
• We work well together.
• I enjoy working with my team.
• I lead a small but highly efficient team.
• We have a very friendly and open atmosphere.
• Our team is very motivated and dynamic.
• Everyone is willing to help each other.

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FAQs

1. When do we use salary and when wages?

• Salary is used when someone receives a fixed regular payment, usually monthly or yearly, regardless of the number of hours worked.
• Wages refer to hourly or daily pay, where income depends directly on the number of hours or days worked.

2. What’s the difference between work and job?

• Job — a specific position or official employment. It is always a countable noun, so you can say a job, two jobs, etc.
• Work — a broader term that refers to general activity, effort, or tasks (like projects, duties, or workflows). It can be used as an uncountable noun or as a verb (to work). It’s usually used without articles and has no plural form.

3. How to politely ask about salary at work in English?

• Is this position open to negotiation?
• Is the salary for this role flexible at all?

These phrases will help you gently find out whether it’s possible to negotiate your salary