Work and Employment

What is a 'job'?

• AWork you do for money✓
• BFree time you enjoy
• CA school project
• DA useful skill

Answer: A job is work you do for a company or person and you receive money (salary or wages) for it. For example: teacher, nurse, builder, shop assistant.

What is a 'CV' or 'resume'?

• AA letter saying who you are, why you want the job, and when you can start
• BA letter from a teacher, a friend, or an old boss that praises your work
• CA certificate from a college or school
• DA document with your education, work experience, and skills✓

Answer: A CV (Curriculum Vitae) or resume is a document with your name, contact details, education, work experience, and skills. You send it when applying for a job.

What should a CV include?

• AYour marital status, your religion, and the names of your relatives
• BYour age, your height and weight, and a recent photograph of your face
• CYour name, contact details, education, work experience, and skills✓
• DYour parents' jobs, your children's names, and your husband or wife's job

Answer: A CV should include: name, phone, email, education (schools/universities attended), work experience (jobs and dates), skills (languages, IT, etc.), and sometimes hobbies.

What is a 'job interview'?

• AA meeting with your manager to talk about the job you already do
• BA meeting where an employer asks you questions to see if you are suitable for a job✓
• CA training session for new members of staff
• DA written test of your English and maths

Answer: A job interview is a meeting with an employer (or manager) who asks you questions about your experience, skills, and suitability for the job.

What should you do at a job interview?

• ACheck your phone, chew gum, and yawn
• BDress smartly, listen carefully, answer honestly, and smile✓
• CArrive late, look bored, and say little
• DComplain about your last job, your last boss, and your low pay

Answer: At a job interview: be on time, dress smartly, listen carefully, answer questions honestly, smile, make eye contact, and ask questions about the job.

What is a 'covering letter'?

• AA formal letter that you send to a bank or an office
• BA letter from an old boss that describes your work
• CA letter you use to cover your CV in the envelope
• DA short letter you send with your CV explaining why you want the job✓

Answer: A covering letter (or cover letter) is a short letter you send with your CV. It explains why you are interested in the job and why you are suitable for it.

What is 'employment' or being 'employed'?

• AStarting a business of your own and working for yourself at home
• BBeing out of work and looking for a job at the job centre
• CDoing unpaid voluntary work
• DHaving a job and working for someone or a company✓

Answer: Employment means you have a job and work for a company or person. You receive wages or a salary. Your employer is the company or person you work for.

What is 'unemployment' or being 'unemployed'?

• ANot wanting a job at all
• BBeing retired from work
• CNot having a job but looking for work✓
• DHaving a part-time job

Answer: Unemployment means not having a job but looking for work. Unemployed people may be able to claim benefits such as Universal Credit or New Style Jobseeker's Allowance.

What is a 'job centre'?

• AA college that runs training courses for people who want new skills
• BA private company that finds workers for businesses and takes a fee
• CA large shop in the town centre where you can buy food and clothes
• DA place where you can find job vacancies and get support✓

Answer: A job centre (Jobcentre Plus) is a British government office. You can find job vacancies there and get advice from a work coach. Benefits such as Universal Credit are claimed and managed online, but you may have to go to the job centre for appointments.

What is a 'contract of employment'?

• AA legal document between you and your employer with the job details and conditions✓
• BA letter from the company that offers you the job and asks you to reply to them quickly
• CA form to fill in with your bank details
• DA spoken promise to work hard

Answer: A contract of employment is a legal document. It says what the job is, the salary, hours, holiday entitlement, and other conditions. Both you and your employer sign it.

What is a 'salary' or 'wage'?

• AMoney you earn from working✓
• BMoney you are paid after you retire
• CExtra money for doing very good work
• DExtra pay for the hours you work late

Answer: A salary (or wage) is money you earn from your job. Salary is usually paid monthly (every month). Wage is usually paid weekly (every week).

What is 'minimum wage' in the UK?

• AThe lowest amount an employer must pay you per hour✓
• BExtra money that your boss gives you at the end of the year
• CA type of job that does not need any qualifications at all
• DThe amount of money you receive each week if you are unemployed

Answer: Minimum wage is the lowest hourly rate an employer must legally pay. There are different rates for different ages: the highest is the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over, and younger workers and apprentices get less. The rates go up every April, so check GOV.UK for the amount now.

What is a 'part-time job'?

• AA job where you work fewer hours per week✓
• BA job with very low wages
• CA job that lasts a few weeks
• DA job you can do from home

Answer: A part-time job is a job where you work fewer hours per week (usually under 30 hours). You might work mornings, afternoons, or specific days.

What is a 'full-time job'?

• AA job that is permanent, so you can stay there until you want to leave it
• BA job that you do for a few hours at the weekend to earn some extra money
• CA job where you work the standard hours per week (usually 35-40 hours)✓
• DA very easy job with almost nothing to do

Answer: A full-time job is where you work the standard hours (usually 35-40 hours per week). You work most days (usually Monday to Friday) and earn a salary.

What is 'holiday entitlement' or 'paid time off'?

• ADays when you must go to work and cannot take a holiday
• BDays off when you are ill
• CDays you can take off work but still get paid✓
• DTime off work with no pay

Answer: Holiday entitlement is the number of days per year when you can take time off work and still get paid. In the UK the legal minimum is 5.6 weeks a year, which is 28 days for someone who works 5 days a week. Your employer can count bank holidays as part of this.

What should you do if you are sick and cannot go to work?

• AJust do not come in to work and say nothing at all to anybody
• BTell your employer, and get a fit note after 7 days off✓
• CCome in to work anyway and cough on the other people there
• DEmail your friends about the illness

Answer: Tell your employer as soon as you can, usually by ringing your manager. For the first 7 days you can self-certify: you fill in a short form yourself. If you are off for more than 7 days, you need a fit note from a doctor. You may get sick pay.

What is a 'dismissal' or being 'fired'?

• ATaking a day off work
• BBeing given a better job
• CWhen your employer ends your job because of poor performance or misconduct✓
• DWhen you decide to leave your job yourself and go to work for another company

Answer: Dismissal (or being fired) means your employer ends your job. It can be 'fair' (for good reason like poor performance) or 'unfair' (without reason).

What is a 'redundancy'?

• AWhen you get a promotion to a better job with more money and more responsibility
• BWhen your job ends because your employer no longer needs that role✓
• CToo many employees working in one team
• DWhen you decide to quit your job and hand in your notice to the manager

Answer: Redundancy is when your job ends because the employer no longer needs it (not because of poor performance). You usually get a redundancy payment.

What is 'maternity leave'?

• ATime off work to go on holiday to another country
• BTime off for a mother after having a baby✓
• CTime off work to go and visit your family abroad
• DLeave that is not paid

Answer: Maternity leave is time off work for a mother after having a baby, and most of it is paid. In the UK you can take up to 52 weeks. Statutory Maternity Pay covers up to 39 of those weeks. The last 13 weeks are unpaid.

What is 'paternity leave'?

• ATime off work to go and visit your own parents
• BTime off work with no pay
• CTime off for fathers after having a baby✓
• DExtra holiday days that the company gives you at Christmas

Answer: Paternity leave is paid time off for fathers after a baby is born (usually 1-2 weeks). It allows fathers to help with the baby and support the mother.

What is a 'pension'?

• AThe money your employer pays you at the end of each month
• BMoney you receive after you retire (stop working)✓
• CMoney paid to you just one time
• DA payment for extra hours you work

Answer: A pension is money you receive after you retire (stop working). It comes from your employer's pension scheme or from the government (State Pension).

What is the 'State Pension' in the UK?

• AA pension that you can choose to pay into if you want to
• BA pension that is paid to people who work for the government
• CMoney from the government when you reach retirement age✓
• DA pension that your employer sets up and pays into for you

Answer: The State Pension is money from the government when you reach State Pension age. This age is rising from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028, so check GOV.UK for your own date. You need at least 10 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions (or credits) to get any State Pension.

What is 'tax' on wages?

• AA bonus from your boss
• BExtra money for you
• CA payment that you can choose to make if you want to
• DMoney taken from your salary by the government✓

Answer: Tax is money taken from your salary by the government. Income tax pays for services like the NHS, schools, and roads. Higher earners pay more tax.

What is a 'payslip' or 'pay stub'?

• AA payment by cash, card, or cheque
• BA statement from your bank showing money in, money out, and your balance
• CA document showing your salary, tax, and other deductions✓
• DThe money, notes, and coins you are paid

Answer: A payslip (or pay stub) is a document you get each pay day. It shows: your gross salary (before tax), tax taken, National Insurance, and net pay (money you actually get).

What should you do if you want to leave your job?

• ATell your friends at work first and let them tell the manager
• BSay nothing and just leave on your last day at work
• CTell your employer and give notice (check your contract)✓
• DJust stop coming in to work without telling your manager

Answer: Tell your employer and give notice. By law you must give at least one week's notice if you have worked there for more than a month, but your contract often asks for more, for example one month. Write a resignation letter or tell your manager face-to-face. Be professional.