How to stand out

at work

ESL Brains
Let’s get started
with a warm-up

ESL Brains
 Think of three reasons
why people want to get promoted.

ESL Brains 3
Let’s work with some vocabulary!

ESL Brains
Look at the word cloud and find the words and phrases that meet the following
criteria.

A. synonym for ‘stand out’

B. verb that collocates with the word

‘assignment’

C. three adjectives that can be used

with the word ‘assignment’

D. phrase that means to show you’re

good at something

E. verb that means to give something

good to somebody because they’ve
been successful

ESL Brains 5
Let’s check the answers.

A. synonym for ‘stand out’ set apart

B. verb that collocates with the word land
‘assignment’

C. three adjectives that can be used demanding, tough, unwanted

with the word ‘assignment’

D. phrase that means to show you’re prove oneself

good at something

E. verb that means to give something reward

good to somebody because they’ve
been successful

ESL Brains 6
Let’s practise!

ESL Brains
part 1/2

Complete the gaps with one word each.

A. Would you agree that most people don’t want to

___________ themselves in their jobs and be
promoted?

B. Should companies ___________ employees who

engage in learning and upskilling? If yes, how?

C. Do you think it has become more difficult to set

yourself ___________ in the modern work
environment (when working remotely, in a big
company, etc.)? How so?

D. If your job is ___________ and requires a lot of your

attention and energy, should you still aim for
advancement?
ESL Brains 8
part 2/2

Complete the gaps with one word each.

E. Do you agree that to succeed at work one has

to ___________ all kinds of assignments,
even those ___________ by others?

F. Who is more likely to stand ___________ at

work: an employee who takes risks or the one
who strictly follows the rules?

G. Can you remember a(n) ___________ job

task that you still managed to complete? Did it
help you to advance your career?

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part 1/2

Let’s check the answers.

A. Would you agree that most people don’t want to

prove
___________ themselves in their jobs and be
promoted?

B. reward
Should companies ___________ employees who
engage in learning and upskilling? If yes, how?

C. Do you think it has become more difficult to set

yourself ___________
apart in the modern work
environment (when working remotely, in a big
company, etc.)? How so?
demanding/
D. If your job is ___________
tough and requires a lot of your
attention and energy, should you still aim for
advancement?
ESL Brains 10
part 2/2

Let’s check the answers.

E. Do you agree that to succeed at work one has

land
to ___________ all kinds of assignments,
even those ___________
unwanted by others?

F. Who is more likely to stand ___________

out at
work: an employee who takes risks or the one
who strictly follows the rules?
tough/demanding/
G. Can you remember a(n) ___________
unwanted job
task that you still managed to complete? Did it
help you to advance your career?

ESL Brains 11
Let’s discuss!

ESL Brains
part 1/2

Discuss the questions.

● Would you agree that most people don’t want to prove themselves
in their jobs and be promoted?

● Should companies reward employees who engage in learning and

upskilling? If yes, how?

● Do you think it has become more difficult to set yourself apart in

the modern work environment (when working remotely, in a big
company, etc.)? How so?

ESL Brains 13
part 2/2

Discuss the questions.

● If your job is demanding/tough and requires a lot of your attention

and energy, should you still aim for advancement?

● Do you agree that to succeed at work one has to land all kinds of
assignments, even those unwanted by others?

● Who is more likely to stand out at work: an employee who takes risks
or the one who strictly follows the rules?

● Can you remember a(n) tough/demanding/unwanted job task that

you still managed to complete? Did it help you to advance your
career?

ESL Brains 14
In a moment, you’ll watch a video titled:

How to stand out at work

ESL Brains
 Watch the video (from 00:18 to 01:46) and note down the three pieces of advice
the speaker gives to people who want to stand out at work. Add some details.

ESL
ESLBrains
Brains
Let’s check the answers.

A. Open up your mobility. If you take the risk to do that, you’ll expand
your network and land the assignments others don’t take because
they don’t want to move.

B. Find some unproven, new or emerging departments within your

organization. There you’ll find more opportunities to prove yourself.

C. Volunteer for tough assignments that other people don’t want. You
can prove yourself and set yourself apart by taking on tough,
unwanted assignments.

ESL Brains 17
Let’s talk!

ESL Brains
part 1/2

Look at the advice and discuss the questions.

Find unproven departments Volunteer for tough and

Open up your mobility.
within your organization. unwanted assignments.

Make your boss Speak up: express your views and expertise
Be friendly.
look good. with confidence.

● Do you think these pieces of advice would help a person prove themselves
within a company? If so, how?

● Will they work for everyone? Why/Why not?

● What happens if an employee doesn’t follow the advice?

ESL Brains 19
part 2/2

Look at the advice and discuss the questions.

Find unproven departments Volunteer for tough and

Open up your mobility.
within your organization. unwanted assignments.

Make your boss Speak up: express your views and expertise
Be friendly.
look good. with confidence.

● The speaker from the video called the first three pieces of advice
‘risks’. What do you think makes these actions risky?

● Can you think of more pieces of advice that would help a worker
succeed in their career?

● What sources of information could help you understand what

modern employers expect from employees?

ESL Brains 20
Let’s discuss!

ESL Brains
part 1/2

Say in which of the two cases it is easier to stand out and have a successful
career. Explain your choice.

when you are talkative OR when you are reserved

when you work for when you work for

OR
a big company a small company

when you are

when you are young OR
an older adult/senior

ESL Brains 22
part 2/2

Say in which of the two cases it is easier to stand out and have a successful
career. Explain your choice.

when you work in politics OR when you work in technology

when you work for when you work for

OR
a start up a well-established company

ESL Brains 23
Let’s practise!

ESL Brains
part 1/2

Each of the questions below contains an incorrect word. Find the word and
replace it with a better one.
A. You have a promising job offer from a competing company but you like your
current company.
Would you:
1. accept the offer and pursue the opportunity to stand upon in a new
job?
2. stay with your current employer and ask for a promotion, rise or
some other award?

B. The company you’re working for offered you a promotion but you would
need to move to a different city.
Would you:
1. feel happy you joined the opportunity and accept it?
2. consider the condition too rewarding and stay in your current
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part 2/2

Each of the questions below contains an incorrect word. Find the word and
replace it with a better one.

C. You discover that a coworker is taking credit for your ideas in team
meetings.
Would you:
1. confront the coworker who’s trying to set themselves part?
2. avoid the unwanting conflict and keep silent?

D. Your team is working on a project with a tight deadline and your manager
asks you to take on additional tasks.
Would you:
1. accept the tasks because it’s a great opportunity to proof yourself?

2. decide that it would be too thought and focus on your current

project?
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part 1/2

Let’s check the answers.

A. You have a promising job offer from a competing company but you like your
current company.
Would you:
1. accept the offer and pursue the opportunity to stand upon in a new out
job?
2. stay with your current employer and ask for a promotion, rise or
some other award? reward

B. The company you’re working for offered you a promotion but you would
need to move to a different city.
Would you:
1. feel happy you joined the opportunity and accept it? landed
2. consider the condition too rewarding and stay in your current demanding/
position? tough
ESL Brains 27
part 2/2

Let’s check the answers.

C. You discover that a coworker is taking credit for your ideas in team
meetings.
Would you:
1. confront the coworker who’s trying to set themselves part? apart
2. avoid the unwanting conflict and keep silent? unwanted

D. Your team is working on a project with a tight deadline and your manager
asks you to take on additional tasks.
Would you:
1. accept the tasks because it’s a great opportunity to proof yourself? prove

2. decide that it would be too thought and focus on your current tough/
project? demanding

ESL Brains 28
Let’s think!

ESL Brains
part 1/2

Read the situations again and say how you would act in each of them. Give
reasons for your choices.
A. You have a promising job offer from a competing company but you like
your current company.

Would you:
1. accept the offer and pursue the opportunity to stand out in a
new job?
2. stay with your current employer and ask for a promotion, rise or
some other reward?

B. The company you’re working for offered you a promotion but you
would need to move to a different city.

Would you:
1. feel happy you landed the opportunity and accept it?
2. consider the condition too demanding and stay in your current
position?
ESL Brains 30
part 2/2

Read the situations again and say how you would act in each of them. Give
reasons for your choices.
C. You discover that a coworker is taking credit for your ideas in team
meetings.

Would you:
1. confront the coworker who’s trying to set themselves apart?
2. avoid the unwanted conflict and keep silent?

D. Your team is working on a project with a tight deadline and your

manager asks you to take on additional tasks.

Would you:
1. accept the tasks because it’s a great opportunity to prove yourself?
2. decide that it would be too tough and focus on your current
project?

ESL Brains 31
Do you agree?

ESL Brains
Say if you agree with the following statements and explain your answers.

● It’s possible to say whether an employee will stand out at work

during their first job interview.

● Modern performance reviews are an effective tool for

detecting talent.

● Companies should invest in keeping and developing their

talent.

● There’s a lot of luck and subjectivity when it comes to

employee promotion.

ESL Brains 33
Let’s revise!

ESL Brains
Rewrite the statements using the words and phrases in brackets.

A. I’d never work for a company that doesn’t appreciate my effort. (reward)
B. The ability to learn new skills easily makes me an exceptional employee. (set oneself
apart)
C. I never aim to look better than my colleagues, I aim to do quality work. (stand out)
D. I don’t think that people should try to show their best side at work because career is
not the most important thing in life. (prove oneself)
E. I am a fan of challenging tasks that require me to learn new skills and adapt to new
situations. (land)
F. For me, the most difficult job is a monotonous job. (tough)
G. If a job requires too much of my energy and focus, I’d rather find a new one.
(demanding)
H. I am unable to say “no”, so sometimes I have to do the tasks I dislike. (unwanted)

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part 1/2

Let’s see some possible answers.

A. I’d never work for a company that doesn’t appreciate my effort. (reward)
I’d never work for a company that doesn’t reward me for my effort.

B. The ability to learn new skills easily makes me an exceptional employee. (set oneself
apart)
As an employee, I set myself apart thanks to my ability to learn new skills easily.

C. I never aim to look better than my colleagues, I aim to do quality work. (stand out)
I never aim to stand out from my colleagues, I aim to do quality work.

D. I don’t think that people should try to show their best side at work because career is
not the most important thing in life. (prove oneself)
I don’t think that people should try to prove themselves at work because career is not
the most important thing in life.

ESL Brains 36
part 2/2

Let’s see some possible answers.

E. I am a fan of challenging tasks that require me to learn new skills and adapt to new
situations. (land)
I like landing challenging tasks that require me to learn new skills and adapt to new situations.

F. For me, the most difficult job is a monotonous job. (tough)

For me, the toughest job is a monotonous job.
G. If a job requires too much of my energy and focus, I’d rather find a new one.
(demanding)
If a job is too demanding, I’d rather find a new one.

H. I am unable to say “no”, so sometimes I have to do the tasks I dislike. (unwanted)

I am unable to say “no”, so sometimes I have to do unwanted tasks.

ESL Brains 37
Decide whether the statements are true for you.
● I’d never work for a company that doesn’t reward me for my effort.
● As an employee, I set myself apart thanks to my ability to learn new skills
easily.
● I never aim to stand out from my colleagues, I aim to do quality work.
● I don’t think that people should try to prove themselves at work because career
is not the most important thing in life.
● I like landing challenging tasks that require me to learn new skills and adapt to
new situations.
● For me, the toughest job is a monotonous job.
● If a job is too demanding, I’d rather find a new one.
● I am unable to say “no”, so sometimes I have to do unwanted tasks.

ESL Brains 38
THANKS!

ESL Brains