Academy of Languages — Business English B1

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Section 1 / 8

Warm-up

Lesson 49

Career Development & Professional Goals

Business English B1Lesson 498 sections55 exercises

1.1

Career Development & Professional Goals

Today you will learn to talk about your career, experience and goals. The grammar focus is the present perfect for experience — I have worked in sales for five years; I have never managed a team — and the future perfect for goals — By 2030 I will have become a manager.

1.2

After this lesson you'll be able to...

Use key vocabulary for career development
Talk about your experience with the present perfect (ever, never, for, since)
Describe goals with the future perfect and by + time
Present your career path in a short talk

1.3

Get to know each other (3 minutes)

What was your first job? What did you learn there?
Where would you like to be in five years?
What skills would you like to learn?
Has anyone ever helped you in your career? Who?

1.4

Say it out loud

Talk about experience. → I have worked in marketing for five years, but I have never managed a team.

1.5

Fact worth knowing

According to many studies, people change jobs on average 10–12 times during their lives. That is why skills such as learning fast, communicating well and solving problems are more important than one single job title.

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Section 2 / 8

Vocabulary

2.1

Key vocabulary

a career path

the series of jobs that a person has in their life

кар’єрний шлях

a promotion

a move to a higher position in a company

підвищення (на посаді)

a skill

an ability that you learn

навичка

experience

knowledge and skills from doing a job

досвід

a qualification

an exam or a course that you have passed

кваліфікація

a mentor

an experienced person who helps and advises you

наставник

a goal

something you want to achieve

ціль

a milestone

an important stage or event

віха, ключовий етап

a network

a group of people you know professionally

професійні контакти

to progress

to move forward or improve

просуватися, прогресувати

to gain

to get something useful, like experience

здобувати, набувати

to achieve

to succeed in doing something

досягати

to retrain

to learn new skills for a different job

перекваліфіковуватися

ambitious

having strong wishes to be successful

амбітний

motivated

full of energy and interest in what you do

мотивований

a mid-level position

a job between junior and senior

посада середнього рівня

2.2

Useful phrases

I have worked in marketing for five years.	Я працюю в маркетингу вже п’ять років.
I have never managed a team.	Я ніколи не керував командою.
Have you ever worked abroad?	Ти коли-небудь працював за кордоном?
I have gained a lot of experience since 2020.	Я здобув багато досвіду з 2020 року.
By 2030 I will have become a manager.	До 2030 року я стану менеджером.
By next year I will have finished my course.	До наступного року я закінчу свій курс.
My mentor has helped me a lot.	Мій наставник дуже мені допоміг.
I am looking for a new challenge.	Я шукаю нових викликів.

2.3

Try out the new words

Say one sentence with a new word. → …

Say one phrase from the list about your work. → …

2.4

Which word is it?

the series of jobs that a person has in their life

a move to a higher position in a company

an ability that you learn

knowledge and skills from doing a job

an exam or a course that you have passed

an experienced person who helps and advises you

something you want to achieve

an important stage or event

2.5

Fill in the missing word

A move to a higher position is a ____. (going up)

An experienced person who gives advice is a ____.

Something you want to achieve is a ____.

I want to learn new skills and ____ for a new job. (learn again)

She is very ____. She wants to be a director. (wanting success)

2.6

Choose the correct word

Which word means: “a group of people you know professionally”?

Which word means: “to move forward or improve”?

Which word means: “to get something useful, like experience”?

2.7

Translate the phrase

Write each phrase in English.

досягати

перекваліфіковуватися

амбітний

мотивований

посада середнього рівня

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Section 3 / 8

Grammar

3.1

Present perfect for experience and the future perfect for goals

Present perfect: have/has + past participle	experience up to now: I have worked in sales. She has managed a big team. We do not say when.
ever / never	Have you ever worked abroad? — No, I have never worked abroad. Ever in questions, never in negatives (not have never not).
for / since	I have worked here for five years / since 2020. For + period; since + starting point.
Past simple for a finished time	I worked in London in 2019. With a finished time (in 2019, last year) use the past simple, not the present perfect.
Future perfect: will have + past participle	something that will be finished by a future time: By 2030 I will have become a manager. By next year I will have finished my course. Use by + time.

3.2

Which sentence is correct?

Choose the correct sentence:

3.3

Complete with the correct word

I ____ worked in marketing for five years. (have/has)

I have ____ managed a team. (never/ever)

Have you ____ worked abroad? (ever/never)

I have worked here ____ 2020. (since/for)

By next year I ____ have finished my course. (will/would)

3.4

Rewrite it

Talk about experience or goals. Several answers are possible.

Say you have worked in marketing for five years.

Ask if your partner has worked abroad. (ever)

Say that by 2030 you will have become a manager.

3.5

Correcting mistakes

Each sentence has one mistake. Write the correct sentence.

I work in marketing since five years.

I have worked in London in 2019.

By 2030 I become a manager.

3.6

Put the words in order

Put the words in the right order and write the full sentence.

worked / I / have / marketing / in / years / for / five

managed / never / I / have / a / team

will / I / by / have / 2030 / become / a / manager

3.7

Say it about your own work

Say one thing you have done in your career. → I have …

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Section 4 / 8

Reading

4.1

Read: a career talk

My career path — a short talk by Alex

Good afternoon. My name is Alex, and I would like to tell you about my career path.

I have worked in marketing for seven years. I started as an assistant in 2018, and in 2021 I was promoted to specialist. Since then I have gained a lot of experience in digital campaigns, and I have worked with clients from five countries.

I have never managed a team, but I have always wanted to. My mentor, Julia, has helped me a lot. She has taught me how to plan and how to give feedback.

My goal is to become a team leader. By next year I will have finished a management course, and by 2030 I will have become a marketing manager.

I am ambitious and motivated, and I am looking for a new challenge. Thank you for listening.

4.2

True or false?

Alex has worked in marketing for seven years.

True.

He started as a manager.

False — he started as an assistant.

He has worked with clients from five countries.

True.

He has managed a team before.

False — he has never managed a team.

By next year he will have finished a management course.

True.

4.3

Answer the questions

When did Alex start his career?

In 2018, as an assistant.

Who has helped him a lot?

His mentor, Julia.

What is his goal?

To become a team leader and then a marketing manager.

What will he have done by next year?

He will have finished a management course.

4.4

Find the key language

Write the word (or phrase) from the text.

A present perfect sentence with never:

A future perfect sentence:

A word for a more experienced adviser:

4.5

Fill in from the text

Alex has worked in marketing for ____ years.

He started as an ____ in 2018.

He was ____ to specialist in 2021.

His mentor is called ____.

By 2030 he will have become a marketing ____.

4.6

Why is this a good text?

This talk is good because it …

The future perfect helps Alex to …

4.7

Your own opinion

Is Alex’s plan realistic? Why or why not?
What advice would you give to Alex?
What would you say about your own career path?

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Section 5 / 8

Practice

5.1

Picture the situation

🛤️ 🎓 🚩 🏆

Learn → Gain experience → Reach a milestone → Achieve a goal. A career is built by small steps.

5.2

Match the phrase to its function

I have worked in marketing for five years.

I have never managed a team.

Have you ever worked abroad?

By 2030 I will have become a manager.

I am looking for a new challenge.

5.3

Put the words in order

Put the words in the right order and write the full sentence.

worked / have / I / marketing / in / years / five / for

never / I / managed / have / team / a

will / have / 2030 / I / by / become / manager / a

5.4

Fill in the missing phrase

I ____ worked in marketing for five years. (have)

I have ____ managed a team. (never)

Have you ____ worked abroad? (ever)

I have worked here ____ 2020. (since)

By 2030 I will ____ become a manager. (have)

5.5

Say it in your own words

Write one sentence. Several answers are possible.

Say how long you have worked in your job.

Say one goal for the next five years.

5.6

Translate into English

Write each sentence in English. Several answers are possible.

Я працюю в маркетингу вже п’ять років.

Я ніколи не керував командою.

До 2030 року я стану менеджером.

5.7

A useful tip

When you talk about your career in an interview, use a simple structure: where you started, what you have learned, what you can do now, and where you want to be. Give numbers and examples.

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Section 6 / 8

Speaking

6.1

How to use this section

Your tutor plays an interviewer or a mentor. Talk about your experience and goals. Use have + past participle, ever, never, for, since and By … I will have …

6.2

Introducing yourself

SCENARIO 1

Task: say who you are and what you do.

Starter: "My name is Alex, and I have worked in marketing for seven years."

6.3

Talking about experience

SCENARIO 2

Task: describe two things you have done.

Starter: "I have gained a lot of experience in digital campaigns, and I have worked with clients from five countries."

6.4

Talking about missing experience

SCENARIO 3

Task: say what you have not done yet.

Starter: "I have never managed a team, but I have always wanted to."

6.5

Asking a question

SCENARIO 4

Task: ask your tutor about his or her experience.

Starter: "Have you ever worked abroad? How long have you worked in your current job?"

6.6

Talking about a mentor

SCENARIO 5

Task: say who has helped you and how.

Starter: "My mentor has helped me a lot. She has taught me how to plan and how to give feedback."

6.7

Describing goals

SCENARIO 6

Task: say what you will have done by a certain time.

Starter: "By next year I will have finished a management course, and by 2030 I will have become a manager."

6.8

Closing

SCENARIO 7

Task: end your talk with confidence.

Starter: "I am ambitious and motivated, and I am looking for a new challenge. Thank you for listening."

6.9

Full conversation — no stops

FULL RUN-THROUGH

With your tutor, give a two-minute career talk: your experience so far, one thing you have not done, your mentor and your goals — entirely in English.

6.10

Let's talk — reflection

What is the most important skill for your career?
Who is your role model?
Where do you want to be in ten years?

❄️

Section 7 / 8

Cool down

7.1

Now I can...

Use key vocabulary for career development
Talk about your experience with the present perfect (ever, never, for, since)
Describe goals with the future perfect and by + time
Present your career path in a short talk

7.2

Quick self-check

How do we form the present perfect?

have / has + past participle.

How do we form the future perfect?

will have + past participle.

What is the difference between for and since?

For + period; since + a starting point.

7.3

One more thing before you go

Tell your tutor one goal. → By … I will have …

🏠

Section 8 / 8

Homework

8.1

Words to remember

a career path	кар’єрний шлях
a promotion	підвищення (на посаді)
a skill	навичка
experience	досвід
a qualification	кваліфікація
a mentor	наставник
a goal	ціль
a milestone	віха, ключовий етап

8.2

Fill in the missing word

“кар’єрний шлях” in English: ____

“підвищення (на посаді)” in English: ____

“навичка” in English: ____

“досвід” in English: ____

“кваліфікація” in English: ____

8.3

Choose the correct form

I ____ worked in marketing for five years.

I have ____ managed a team.

By 2030 I ____ have become a manager.

8.4

Open the brackets

I ____ (work) in marketing for five years.

I ____ (never / manage) a team.

Have you ever ____ (work) abroad?

By 2030 I ____ (become) a manager.

8.5

Correct the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Write the correct sentence.

I work in marketing since five years.

I have worked in London in 2019.

By 2030 I become a manager.

8.6

Translate the phrase

Write each phrase in English. Several answers are possible.

кар’єрний шлях

наставник

Я шукаю нових викликів.

8.7

Write it yourself

Write a short career talk (6–8 sentences) about yourself. Include your experience (present perfect), one thing you have never done, and two goals with “By … I will have …”.

8.8

Practise out loud

Say your career talk aloud in two minutes.

8.9

Read aloud

Read the text “a career talk” aloud twice before the next lesson.

Tick what you have done

8.7 I did the writing task
8.8 I practised out loud
8.9 I read the text aloud twice

Your name