Probably, more than once you have been asked when you are out of your country what you do or what your profession is in English, either when you are introduced somewhere or you meet someone new, right? This is one of the topics par excellence when it comes to talking about business in English, and with which it is likely that at some point you will come across.
Knowing how to talk about professions in English is a very good way to start a conversation with someone, since the topic is always present. In addition, this way you will know how to address yourself correctly at a professional level in English.
Therefore, you should be prepared in case you are asked about this topic, whether you are looking for a job or not. For that reason, we have made this list of professions in English so that you can expand your business vocabulary in English.
Related questions about your occupation in English
Remember that you should be familiar with the answers to questions like: “What kind of work do you do?“(What type of work do you do?) Although that question is for more formal occasions, so if you are betting on informality, you will most likely receive the question as”What do you do?” (What do you do for a living?). So hear it out loud! Well, it may be rude not to respond.
Additionally, a rule that you must keep in mind is that, when you refer to someone’s profession or your own, you must place the indeterminate article a / an depending on the initial of the profession.
Now, let’s see a list of the most mentioned professions in English:
| Profession in English | Profession in Spanish |
| Accountant | Accountant |
| Actor – Actress | Actor actress |
| Air hostess | Stewardess |
| Architect | Architect |
| Astronaut | Astronaut |
| Baker | Baker |
| Biologist | Biologist |
| Bricklayer | Builder |
| Businessman or Businesswoman | Businessman or businesswoman |
| Butcher | Butcher |
| Cashier | Cashier |
| Cleaner | Cleaner |
| Cobbler | Shoemaker |
| Consultant | Consultant |
| Cook | Cook |
| Counselor | Advisor, consultant |
| Chef | Professional cook |
| Chemist | Chemical |
| Dancer | Dancer |
| Dentist | Dentist |
| Designer | Designer |
| Doctor | Doctor |
| Economist | Economist |
| Electrician | Electrical technician |
| Engineer | Engineer |
| Farmer | Farmer |
| Fireman | Fireman |
| Fisherman | Fisherman |
| Florist | Florist |
| Gardener | Gardener |
| Hairdresser | Hairdresser |
| Housewife | Housewife |
| Journalist | Journalist |
| Judge | Judge |
| Lawyer | Lawyer |
| Librarian | Librarian |
| Life Guard | Life jacket |
| Mailman | Postman |
| Mechanic | Mechanic |
| Miner | Miner |
| Model | Model |
| Monk | Monk |
| Nanny | Babysitter |
| Nun | Nun |
| Nurse | Nurse |
| Nursemaid | Babysitter |
| Office worker | Office worker |
| Painter | Painter |
| Pharmacist | Pharmacist |
| Photographer | Photographer |
| Physicist | Physical |
| Plumber | Plumber |
| Policeman – Policewoman | Police |
| Politician | Politician |
| Postman | Postman |
| Priest | Cure |
| Professor | College professor |
| Programmer | Programmer |
| Psychologist | Psychologist |
| Receptionist | Receptionist |
| Researcher | Investigator |
| sailor | Sailor |
| Salesman | Businessman |
| Scientist | Scientific |
| Secretary | Secretary |
| Shop Assistant | Store assistant |
| Singer | Singer |
| Sportsman | Sportsman |
| Taxi driver | Taxi driver |
| Teacher | Teacher |
| Travel agent | Travel agent |
| Vet – Veterinarian | Veterinarian |
| Waiter – Waitress | Waiter or waitress |
| Writer | Writer |
This list has the most mentioned professions in the English vocabulary, so you no longer have to worry about knowing them all. Now, it is important that, for this learning to be effective, you put all these resources into practice as we will do next.
Let’s do a couple of exercises as if we were having these normal conversations to answer questions related to jobs in English. At first, we talked about a very common pair, and when you talk about this with someone in English, they will likely ask you the following questions:
- Do you work? (You work?) It is the basic question par excellence, and you can answer yes or no, followed by your profession. Ideal for quick talks.
- What do you do? (What do you do for a living?) One of the most repeated questions in job interviews in English or when you meet someone for the first time and want to get more conversation.
- What field do you work in? (What is your field of work?) Another common question that you should be ready to answer in the case of a job interview.
- Where do you work? (Where do you work?) A much more specific question and with which you can give better details about your work life.
Now, let’s see how we can fill in these spaces with a dialogue that will serve as an exercise. Suppose, in this scenario, you are looking for a job and you have an interview. How would you fill in the spaces?
(English)
- Miss Paterson: Good afternoon, welcome Mr. Ortega. Thanks for coming to the interview.
- Mr. Ortega: Thank you for calling me.
- Miss Paterson: My pleasure. We were reviewing your resume and would like you to tell us a little more about your work experience. ____________?
- Mr. Ortega: Yes, ________________.
- Miss Paterson: __________________?
- Mr. Ortega: I am working in a newspaper, the NSTP, as a ______________.
- Miss Paterson: _________________?
- Mr. Ortega: _________________.
Can you try to complete this dialogue? Let’s see the answers to this exercise in English below:
- Miss Paterson: Good afternoon, welcome Mr. Ortega. Thanks for coming to the interview.
- Mr. Ortega: Thank you for calling me.
- Miss Paterson: My pleasure. We were reviewing your resume and would like you to tell us a little more about your work experience. Do you work?
- Mr. Ortega: Yes, I’m currently working.
- Miss Paterson: Where do you work?
- Mr. Ortega: I am working in a newspaper, the NSTP, as a journalist.
- Miss Paterson: What field do you work in?
- Mr. Ortega: Sports news.
As you can see, the vocabulary about professions in English can be rich and varied, but it is very useful for engaging in more professional English conversations. Take the quiz yourself by practicing these questions and their answers for a short interview.
Related article: Medical vocabulary in English that you should know
