ESL Podcast 960 - Giving Someone Your Recommendation

to put in an application - to apply; to submit papers to ask for a job

Heather put in applications at every coffee shop in the city, but she still hasn't found a job.

to hire - to agree to give someone a job; to agree to make someone one's employee

The business is expanding very quickly and they had to hire more than 30 new employees last year.

reference - the name and contact information for a person who can provide additional information, especially about someone's qualifications or experience

Your references should be people who are familiar with your professional work, but not family members.

to vouch for - to say good things about someone or something; to indicate that someone is a good person or that something will be a good choice

Will you vouch for my computer skills if I apply for that job?

solid - reliable, trustworthy, and good

We're looking for a candidate with solid experience in finance and operations.

to put in a good word - to say something good about a person or to recommend someone for an opportunity in an informal way

You're friends with a literary agent, right? Would you put in a good word for me and my book?

assurance - words or actions that make one feel more certain that something will happen in a particular way

Do you have any assurance that your clients will actually pay you each month?

temperament - personality; the personal characteristics that seem to be a permanent characteristic of a person, not learned over time, especially how one shows one's emotions

Hal has a calm temperament that helps other people relax.

work ethic - one's commitment to working hard and finishing what one has started; one's commitment to a job or project

Group projects are unfair, because the students with the strongest work ethic end up doing most of the work.

on the job - at work; through experience in a particular position, not by reading about something or listening to others talk about it

Did you learn to use this software on the job, or did you already know how to do that when you applied for the position?

quick study - a person who learns things very quickly and does not need a lot of instruction or guidance

Even if you're a quick study, it can take years to learn to play a musical instrument well.

to justify - to rationalize; to provide a logical reason for something; to be able to explain what has happened in a way that makes sense to oneself and others

How can anyone justify spending $20,000 on a watch?

to pass up - to choose not to have or do something because one is having or doing something else

How can you pass up going to the concert just to stay home and study again?

qualified - with the necessary skills, experience, and knowledge for a position or opportunity; meeting all the qualifications of something

Once you earn your degree, you'll be qualified to work in the best scientific laboratories in the country.

ringing endorsement - very strong praise for a person or thing; full support and recommendation for someone or something

How could you quit your job so soon? I gave your boss my ringing endorsement so that she'd give you the job. Now she'll never trust me again.