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Jobs & related adjectives

An 'absorbing' job is one that is very interesting and claims all your attention.

• My job is so absorbing that I sometimes forget to have lunch.
• I get bored in my job. I need one that is much more absorbing.

A 'badly-paid' job is one where you receive less income than the average.

• The hotel industry has a lot of badly-paid jobs.
• My salary may sound high in absolute terms but I am comparatively badly-paid for the job I do.

A 'boring' job is dull and without interest.

• I think that being an accountant would be a really boring job.
• Would you stay in a boring job if you were really well paid?

A 'casual' job is one which is not regular or fixed.

• We offer a lot of casual jobs during the Christmas rush.
• The unions want us to have fewer casual jobs and more permanent employees.

A 'challenging' job is one that is very difficult and tests a person's ability.

• It is a very challenging job and we need to find somebody who is tough mentally.
• I don't find my job very challenging any more and I need a fresh challenge.

A 'dead-end' job is one with no hopes of promotion or advancement.

• I was in a dead-end job with no hope of further progress so I left the company.
• If people think they are in dead-end jobs, they lose their motivation.

An 'exacting' job is one that requires a lot of care, effort and attention.

• Being a surgeon is a very exacting job – you can't afford to lose your concentration.
• Research jobs are very exacting – you must get every detail right when you are running tests.

A 'demanding' job requires a lot of effort from you.

• I have a very demanding job. I don't have much spare time.
• My job is very physically demanding. I get very tired.

A 'part-time' job is one where you do not work 'full-time'.

• I only want a part-time job as I have to look after my children.
• The company is trying to replace full-time jobs with part-time jobs to save money.

A 'menial' job is one with a low social value.

• I can only find menial jobs such as cleaning.
• He thinks that making the coffee is a menial job and he won't do it.

A 'prestigious' job is one that gives the person a lot of respect.

• Being Prime Minister is a prestigious job but the salary is not all that good.
• Running our New York office is the sort of prestigious job I am looking for.

A 'secure' job is one that is safe from redundancy etc.

• There are no more secure jobs in this company. Everybody's job is at risk.
• I want to make sure that the next job I get is really secure. I'm fed up with all this job insecurity.

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