#279: 10 Powerful Phrasal Verbs for Job Interviews in English

Phrasal verbs add depth and precision to your language and, when used appropriately, you can better convey ideas, actions, and expertise.

Moreover, they offer versatility and allow you to express concepts concisely, which is essential in professional environments like job interviews and resumes.

In this Confident English lesson, you’ll learn 10 phrasal verbs you can use to highlight your skills and expertise.

With each one, I’ll share its meaning and a real-life, measurable example so you can see how the phrasal verbs are used in context.

10 Common Phrasal Verbs for Job Interviews in English

Let’s get started with our 10 common phrasal verbs for job interviews in English. 

With each phrasal verb, you’ll learn exactly what it means and get measurable, real-life example sentences that will resonate with recruiters and help you stand out in your interview.

Also, if you want to take your English job interview skills to the next level, be sure to get my free masterclass training on how to confidently respond to “Tell Me About Yourself,” the most common job interview starter.

01 Carry out: 

To complete or perform a task or responsibility.

Example: 

• “In my previous role, I carried out market research to identify customer preferences in order to improve our social media efforts.”
• “I successfully carried out a market research study, surveying 350 customers to collect feedback on our product.”

02 Take on: 

To accept or assume responsibility or task.

Example: 

• “I took on a leadership role in managing a team of 5 employees on our largest ad campaign.”
• “In my previous role, I took on the responsibility of leading a team of 8 employees and increased their productivity by 20%.”

03 Bring about: 

To cause or initiate a change or result.

Example:

• “Through my efforts, I brought about a 15% increase in sales using streamlined marketing strategies.”
• “I brought about a cost-saving measure that reduced operating expenses by 12%.”

04 Follow up: 

To communicate or pursue further action after an initial contact.

Example: 

• “I followed up with potential clients for market research, which led to improvements with our user platform.”
• “After attending the career fair, I followed up with potential employers by sending personalized thank-you emails within 24 hours.”

05 Set up: 

To establish or organize something.

Example: 

• “I took the initiative to set up and manage an efficient filing system to improve document organization and retrieval.”
• “I efficiently set up an online customer support system, reducing response time by 28% and boosting customer satisfaction.”

06 Carry through: 

To complete or accomplish a task or project successfully.

Example: 

• “I carried through a complex project from conception to implementation, meeting all deadlines.”
• “I successfully carried through a complex project within a tight deadline.”

07 Work out: 

To resolve or find a solution to a problem or challenge.

Example: 

• “I led my team through working out logistical issues to ensure smooth event coordination.”
• “I collaborated with cross-functional teams to work out a solution and optimize the supply chain, resulting in a 12% reduction in delivery time.”

08 Bring in: 

To introduce or implement something new.

Example: 

• “I brought in innovative ideas to streamline workflow and improve productivity for our data call center.”
• “I implemented a new marketing strategy that brought in a 30% increase in web traffic and generated a higher number of customer leads.”

09 Step up: 

To increase one’s level of effort or responsibility.

Example: 

• “I stepped up as team leader during a colleague’s absence, ensuring project completion.”
• “During a staffing shortage, I stepped up and took on additional responsibilities, ensuring uninterrupted workflow and meeting project deadlines.”

10 Look into: 

To investigate or examine a situation or issue.

Example:

• “I proactively looked into customer feedback and conducted a comprehensive analysis, identifying key pain points and recommending targeted solutions that resulted in a 17% increase in customer satisfaction within three months.”
• “As part of my role, I looked into customer complaints to identify areas for improvement in service delivery.”

Now it’s your turn. I’d love to hear from you.

Choose 2-3 phrasal verbs from this list and try using them in your own example sentences.

As always, you can share your examples with me in the comments below.

I look forward to hearing your answers. And if you have any questions about the job interview or application process, be sure to share your questions with me as well.

Have a great week,

Annemarie

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