work experience

American  

[wurk-ik-speer-ee-uhns] / ˈwɜrk ɪkˌspɪər i əns /

noun

work experiences plural

1. time spent at one or more paid jobs, especially as detailed on a resume or contributing to one's readiness for further employment.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• work-experience
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• work experiences
  plural

Example Sentences

Many teens now prioritize coursework, test prep and other pursuits to impress college-admissions officers, but a lack of work experience is worsening their employment prospects after graduating.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

He called for work experience to be mandatory for over 16s.

From BBC • May 21, 2026

Meanwhile, he helped start a campus group to help classmates to get networking and unpaid work experience on projects for nonprofits and small businesses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026

She said that McDonald's has a history of work experience in its restaurants and a very young workforce – with 100,000 of its staff under the age of 25.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

I signed up to do work experience as a teacher.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge