- Are you unsure whether to say you “do,” “make,” or “build” a career?
- Do you want to sound more professional during job interviews and networking events?
- Have you ever struggled to find the right adjective to describe your professional journey?
Mastering career collocations is essential for anyone looking to achieve professional fluency. Instead of using generic verbs, learning which words naturally “cluster” around “career” helps you express complex professional ideas with precision and confidence, significantly reducing the mental effort required to speak or write in English.
Essential Collocations using CAREER as a Noun
In most professional contexts, “career” is used as a noun to describe the progress and actions of a person throughout their working life. We can categorize these collocations by how they interact with other parts of speech.
Verbs Used with Career (Action Collocations)
These collocations describe the different stages of professional growth, from starting out to reaching the top.
- Launch a career: To start a career for the first time. (e.g., “She moved to New York to launch a career in fashion.”)
- Pursue a career: To follow or work toward a specific professional path. (e.g., “Many students choose to pursue a career in technology.”)
- Build a career: To create a solid professional foundation over time. (e.g., “He spent twenty years building a career in local government.”)
- Advance one’s career: To move forward or get promoted. (e.g., “Taking this certification will help you advance your career.”)
- Ruin/Wreck a career: To destroy one’s professional reputation. (e.g., “A single scandal can ruin a career in politics.”)
- Pivot one’s career: To change direction into a new field. (e.g., “After the pandemic, he decided to pivot his career toward healthcare.”)
Adjectives Used with Career (Descriptive Collocations)
Use these to describe the nature or quality of someone’s professional life.
- Promising career: A career that shows signs of future success. (e.g., “The young pianist has a very promising career ahead of her.”)
- Rewarding career: A career that provides a sense of satisfaction or meaning. (e.g., “Nursing is often described as a rewarding career.”)
- Distinguished career: A career marked by great success and respect. (e.g., “The professor retired after a distinguished career in linguistics.”)
- Stagnant career: A career that is not progressing or moving forward. (e.g., “If you feel you have a stagnant career, it might be time for a change.”)
Career + Noun (Compound Collocations)
These are fixed expressions where “career” acts as a modifier for another noun.
- Career path: The sequence of jobs that lead to your short- and long-term goals. (e.g., “There is no single career path to becoming a CEO.”)
- Career ladder: The metaphorical series of levels in a profession. (e.g., “She is climbing the career ladder very quickly.”)
- Career move: An action or job change intended to improve your professional status. (e.g., “Accepting the overseas post was a smart career move.”)
- Career break: A period of time when you do not work, often to travel or care for family. (e.g., “He took a two-year career break to raise his children.”)
Common Collocations with CAREER as a Verb
While less common in a business context, “career” is also a verb. In this form, it means to move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way in a specific direction. It is frequently used in British English and literary contexts.
Verbs and Adverbs of Movement
- Career down: To move rapidly down a slope or path. (e.g., “The vehicle began careering down the hill when the brakes failed.”)
- Career out of control: To move fast without any guidance. (e.g., “The cyclist careered out of control and hit the fence.”)
- Career across: To move rapidly across an area. (e.g., “The ball careered across the road and into the garden.”)
The Master Summary Table
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Launch a career | Verb + Noun | To start a professional journey |
| Career path | Noun + Noun | The direction of one’s work life |
| Promising career | Adjective + Noun | A future likely to be successful |
| Climb the career ladder | Phrase | To get promoted through the ranks |
| Career out of control | Verb + Prepositional Phrase | To move fast and wildly (non-professional) |
| Mid-career | Adjective + Noun | In the middle of one’s working life |
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
| I want to make a career in IT. | I want to pursue a career in IT. |
| The car was speeding his career. (Mistaking Noun for Verb) | The car was careering down the street. |
| He is at a career road. | He is at a career crossroads. |
| I am doing a career break. | I am taking a career break. |
“After five years in finance, Sarah realized she wasn’t happy. She decided to take a career break to evaluate her career path. Although she had already built a successful career, she felt the need to pivot her career toward environmental advocacy. It was a bold career move, but she knew that advancing her career in a field she loved was more important than just climbing the career ladder for the sake of a title.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Career Collocations
Is it “at” a career or “in” a career?
We generally use “in” when referring to the field or the state of being within a career (e.g., “She is successful in her career“). We use “at” when referring to a specific point or stage (e.g., “He is at a career crossroads“).
What is the difference between “career” and “job”?
A “job” is a specific role or position you hold to earn money (short-term). A “career” is the total series of jobs and experiences you have over your lifetime (long-term). You can have many jobs within one career.
Can I say “make a career”?
While “make a career” is sometimes used, it usually requires the preposition “out of.” For example: “He managed to make a career out of his hobby.” In most other cases, “build,” “pursue,” or “launch” is more natural.
What does “career-ending” mean?
This is a compound adjective used to describe an event, injury, or mistake so severe that a person can never work in that profession again. It is common in sports (e.g., “a career-ending injury“).
How do I use “career” as a verb in a professional email?
Actually, you shouldn’t. Using “career” as a verb implies movement that is fast and “out of control.” In a professional email, this would sound like something is crashing or failing. Use it only when describing physical movement, like a car or a runaway bicycle.
Fantastic article! Learning collocations like this makes such a huge difference to natural-sounding English. Keep up the great work, Translateen!
Is there any difference in how these collocations are used between American English and British English, or are they quite universal?
That's an insightful question, Wei! For the specific career collocations discussed (launch, pursue, build a career), their usage is largely universal across both American and British English. While there can be subtle preferences or slight variations in other lexical areas, these professional collocations are widely understood and used in the same context in both major varieties of English. So you can use them with confidence!
Could you give one more example for 'build a career' in a different context, perhaps not related to fashion or technology? Just to solidify my understanding.
Certainly, Isabella! 'Build a career' highlights the progressive development of one's professional life. Here's an example outside those fields: 'He spent years traveling and learning different languages, slowly building a career as a freelance translator.' It shows that a career is often constructed over time through various experiences and efforts.
It's tough remembering all these specific collocations, but I can see why it's important for fluency. I'll try to practice them more actively by making my own sentences.
This is great! When would I use 'embark on a career' instead of 'launch a career'? Do they mean exactly the same thing?
That's a fantastic question, Chloe! While very similar, 'embark on a career' often carries a slightly more profound or adventurous nuance than 'launch a career.' 'Embark' implies starting a journey, often one that is significant, potentially long, and perhaps challenging, much like embarking on a voyage. 'Launch' simply means to start, whereas 'embark' hints at the commitment to the journey ahead. For example, 'She embarked on a career as a humanitarian aid worker' emphasizes the challenging nature of the path.
Are there any informal or slang ways people refer to their professional paths? Or are career collocations mostly formal?
That's an interesting point, Omar! 'Career' itself is quite a formal term, and most of its direct collocations tend to maintain that professional tone. When people speak informally about their professional paths, they often use terms related to 'work' or 'jobs,' like 'getting into the game,' 'hustle,' or 'climbing the ladder.' However, these are generally more about the *process* of working or advancing, rather than direct informal synonyms for 'career' itself.
Wow, this makes so much sense! I will definitely try to use 'launch' and 'pursue' more often now. It really does make you sound more professional and precise.
Regarding 'build a career,' I've also heard 'carve out a career.' Is there a subtle difference in connotation, perhaps implying more struggle or unique effort when using 'carve out'?
You're spot on, Lars! 'Carve out a career' definitely carries that connotation. It suggests creating a niche or a path for oneself, often against obstacles or in a challenging environment. It implies determination and significant personal effort to establish a unique professional standing. 'Build' is more general, while 'carve out' highlights the individual's struggle and unique creation.
In Japanese, we often use specific verbs for different types of work or life paths, so understanding these English collocations helps a lot. 'Build a career' really resonates with the idea of long-term effort and gradual progress.
Great article! What about the difference between 'career' and 'job'? Sometimes I feel like I use them interchangeably, but I know there's a distinction.
You've hit on a very important distinction, Ahmed! A 'job' is typically a specific position or role you hold to earn money. A 'career,' on the other hand, refers to the entire professional journey and progression throughout your working life, often implying a series of related jobs or roles leading towards a long-term goal. One might have many 'jobs' within a single 'career'.