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Meaning & use

career track

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/kəˈrɪə træk/
US/kəˈrɪr træk/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A planned series of jobs or roles that a person follows over time in a particular area of work.

    Grammar: Usually used with 'a' or in the plural: choose a career track, explore different career tracks.

    Patterns

    • a career track in something
    • choose/follow a career track
    • switch career tracks

    She decided to follow a career track in environmental law.

    Many graduates switch career tracks after a few years.

    The company offers two career tracks: management and technical.

  2. nouncountable

    A job or profession that is considered a long-term path, often with clear steps for advancement.

    Grammar: Often used after 'on' or 'off': on a career track, off the career track.

    Patterns

    • on a career track
    • get on a career track

    He felt he was finally on a career track that suited him.

    Taking this temporary job might take her off the career track she wanted.

Word forms

pluralcareer tracks

Common combinations

choose a career track
You should choose a career track that matches your skills.
follow a career track
She followed a career track in medicine.
switch career tracks
He switched career tracks from finance to teaching.
a career track in something
There is a career track in data science at this firm.
stay on a career track
It is hard to stay on a career track when you keep changing jobs.

Synonyms and how they differ

career path
Very similar; 'career path' often emphasizes the sequence of jobs, while 'career track' sometimes suggests a structured route within an organization.
career ladder
Focuses on promotion steps upward; 'career track' can be horizontal or vertical.
profession
A broader term for a type of work, not necessarily a planned series of roles.

Word family

career noun
The general word for a person's working life or profession.
track noun
A course or route, literally or figuratively.

Commonly confused: career track or career path?

career track vs career path

Often used interchangeably, but 'career path' is more common for the overall sequence, while 'career track' often refers to a specific program or route within a company.

Practice

After two years in marketing, she decided to ______ career tracks and become a nurse.

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