4 Useful expressions – metaphorical language

Look at the sentences below and match the words in bold to one of the metaphorical areas in the list above. Then use the context to explain what the phrases in bold mean.

1. If you’re not even interested in learning anymore, that’s a huge red flag that there might not be a future for you in that industry.

2. …career changes are often gut-driven. ….then trust your gut. It might be time for that career change.

3. On the flip side, one reason to not move on is short-term pain.

4. If you don’t like your boss or people at the office are grating on you, that’s actually not a good reason to…change your career…

5. That passion and that hunger and that ability to be a sponge really attracts awesome mentors …

6. The second thing you need to do immediately is shore up your finances. … when you change your
career, you’ll either start with a job with a lower title or lower pay or maybe even no pay…

7. … as I made the transition from being an attorney over to a video game creator, I wanted to have at least six to 12 months of personal runway in the bank.

8. … do not — I repeat — do not burn bridges. … The world is such a small place, especially with all
these online platforms, that, believe me, you will see these people again.

9. … take stock of what you’ve learned in your previous career or careers. Most likely, a lot of those things are really applicable to your new job and your new career…

Do you have any of the same metaphors in your language?

Now choose one or more of the topics below to talk about in pairs:

•  a time you burned your bridges
• a time that something grated on you
• a time there was an obvious red flag
• a time you trusted your gut
• a time you took stock of your situation