“I've been in this field for six years, mostly on the client side.”
B1 · Intermediate9 minPhrases
When you need this
New coworkers ask about your background within the first week. "So what did you do before this?" comes up at lunch, in the elevator, and in the first team meeting when everyone introduces themselves. It isn't a job interview. People want a short story they can remember and maybe a thread to follow: a city you've lived in, a skill they could use, a company they've heard of.
English uses two tenses here, and the choice matters. The present perfect ("I've worked in logistics for eight years") connects your past to now. The past simple ("I spent two years in Dubai") closes a chapter. Most good answers use both: one line for the whole career, one or two for the parts that are finished, and a question back so it doesn't turn into a speech.
Phrases
how long you've worked in a field, up to now
your first job or role
your last company or role
a finished period of work
changed to a new area of work
the field you trained or first worked in
experience from doing the work, not studying it
the thing you were responsible for
projects or products you've been part of
learn a skill without a formal course
hands the question back so it stays a conversation
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
Practice · 3 min
Say the line that fits. Situation on the left, one natural line on the right.
1
2
3
4
5
Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.