Present Perfect (ever, never, already, yet, since, for)

Learn how to use the present perfect to connect past experiences to the present. This tense is essential in job hunting and interviews, where you need to talk about what you have done, what you have already accomplished, and what you have never tried before.

Job Hunting

A man and a woman discuss the challenges of finding work in a competitive job market. Listen for vocabulary related to job searching and evaluating offers, including salary, benefits, and pension plans, as well as the idioms “bone up on” and “work your fingers to the bone.”

Gerunds and Infinitives (enjoy doing / want to do)

Learn how to use gerunds and infinitives correctly after common verbs. These patterns come up constantly in career conversations: “I enjoy working with people,” “I hope to advance,” “I avoid taking on more than I can handle.” Getting them right makes a strong impression in any interview.

Job Interview

Listen to a challenging interview conversation packed with advanced vocabulary such as top-notch, turmoil, and overwhelming. The candidate discusses his culinary training, work history at tourist destinations, and the personal difficulties he faced during career changes.

Professional Babysitting

A humorous conversation in which a young babysitter pitches her childcare services to a skeptical parent. She takes her work very seriously, bringing up her CPR certification, market rates, and tuition costs, which leads to some funny moments. Good practice for listening to natural, fast-paced dialogue with unexpected twists.

Have a Lot on Your Plate

Learn this high-frequency idiom meaning to have many things to do or to feel overwhelmed by responsibilities. It comes up often in workplace conversations when someone is juggling multiple tasks or dealing with competing demands at work.

First Job Experiences

Randall interviews Aubrey about her first job at a pizza restaurant, where she ignored some early red flags and ended up enjoying the work once things improved. The conversation touches on what first jobs teach you beyond making money, with vocabulary including red flag, on the spot, and duty.

Learn the Ropes

Learn this common idiom meaning to learn the skills needed to do a job or take on a new role. The speaking situations in this lesson focus directly on the workplace, including a scenario about a new server who is struggling to keep up with the demands of his job.

Phrasal Verbs with Multiple Meanings (take off, break down, run into, pass out, bring up)

Learn how the same phrasal verb can mean very different things depending on context. The listening passage in this lesson is set in a remote work environment, making it a natural lead-in to the next activity. For example: “My career really took off” versus “I took off my jacket,” or “The system broke down” versus “She broke down in tears.”

Remote Work Versus Office Life

Randall and Aubrey weigh the pros and cons of working from home versus working in an office. Aubrey discusses how remote work gives her more flexibility and control over her environment, while also acknowledging the challenges of separating work from personal life. Key vocabulary includes productive, flexibility, collaborate, drawback, and dedicated.

Raise the Bar

Learn this idiom meaning to set a higher standard or expectation for performance or quality. Randall illustrates it with the story of a community event coordinator who transformed a series of dull gatherings into full festivals that people actually wanted to attend. A fitting idiom as this path moves into bigger questions about success and achievement.

What is Success?

Randall, Aubrey, and Emily share their personal definitions of success. Aubrey focuses on finding work she doesn’t hate and having the financial stability to save for the future. Emily emphasizes supporting her family and being recognized for her work in the ceramics field. A thoughtful discussion that goes beyond career achievement.

Present or Future Unreal Conditional (If I had… / If I were…)

Learn how to talk about imaginary or hypothetical situations using the unreal conditional. This structure appears naturally in interview settings, for example when an interviewer asks “If you were to join this company, where do you see yourself in five years?” or when discussing what you would do differently given different circumstances.

Cracking the Interview Code

Randall and Aubrey share practical advice on how to prepare for a job interview, covering everything from researching company culture and preparing for common questions to knowing what to wear and what to ask the interviewer. Aubrey draws on her own experience, including the memorable moment she forgot the name of the company she was interviewing with.