Meaning
To "get your foot in the door" is to get a first, small chance inside a company, an industry or a group, one that can lead to something bigger later. The picture comes from old door-to-door selling: once the salesman's foot was in the doorway, the door couldn't close, and he could keep talking.
People use it most about careers. An internship, a part-time role, a temp contract, a junior job in the right department: none of these is the goal, but each one gets your foot in the door. It's positive and practical, a little informal, and completely fine in a job interview or with a mentor: "The reception job was my foot in the door."
You'll hear the noun form too: "a foot in the door". A mentor might say, "It's not your dream role, but it's a foot in the door."
In a conversation
- Emma
- Arjun
- Emma
- Arjun
- Emma
- Arjun
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
Check yourself
Practice · 3 min
Listen, then repeat. It's a long phrase, so keep it moving. The stress falls on "foot" and "door".
Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.