Canvassing for work

USAGE SUMMARY

"Canvassing for work" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to the act of seeking job opportunities or soliciting employment. Example: "She spent the afternoon canvassing for work in the local area." Alternative expressions include "job hunting" and "seeking employment."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

He's assisted by two formidable colleagues, one of whom he gave £3,000 for a boob job to enhance her prospects of canvassing for work for the company, as well as new assistant Pembow, a reformed convict from whom his grandma still hides her purse.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Cunningham then canvassed for work on the street and ended up carrying out works at a number of other properties.

BBC

They start canvassing for representatives in work places, in religious gatherings, in school fund-raisers.

The New York Times

To earn his own victory lap, Mr. Restler said, he personally knocked on some 4,000 doors, shook hands outside subway stations every morning and put his family to work canvassing for votes on his behalf.

The New York Times

This image epitomizes the day-to-day work of canvassing for voters during Freedom Summer.

Johns Hopkins University

She herself began canvassing for him because of his community work.A TD working the campaign trail looks like democracy in action.

The Economist

For the last four days, I went door to door in Hammond, Indiana, canvassing for the Democratic Party, specifically the working class wing of the Democratic Party.

Huffington Post

It was there that he gained his first political experience, canvassing for Prime Minister Lester Pearson in 1965 and working as national youth director for Pierre Trudeau in 1968.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He enjoyed the work and after college, found a job canvassing for Education Reform Now, a nonprofit education advocacy group.

Forbes

3. Canvassing for votes.

Yale University

8. Canvassing for votes.

Yale University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing proactive efforts to find employment, use "canvassing for work" to emphasize direct and persistent engagement with potential employers or opportunities.

Common error

Avoid using "canvassing for work" in contexts where it might be mistaken for political canvassing (seeking votes). Clarify the context to ensure the audience understands you're referring to job seeking.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "canvassing for work" functions as a gerund phrase acting as a noun, typically describing the act of actively seeking employment. As Ludwig AI highlights, it is used to convey a proactive and persistent approach to finding job opportunities.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "canvassing for work" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe the act of actively seeking employment. Ludwig AI confirms its suitability for expressing proactive job-seeking efforts. While not extremely common, it finds its primary usage in news and media, academic, and formal business contexts. When using the phrase, be mindful of potential confusion with political canvassing. Related alternatives include "seeking employment", "job hunting" and "soliciting employment".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

seeking employment

Focuses on the general act of looking for a job; less specific about the method.

job hunting

Informal way to describe searching for job opportunities.

soliciting employment

Formal and emphasizes asking for job opportunities.

seeking opportunities

Broader and includes internships or freelance work, not just full-time jobs.

looking for openings

Implies searching for available positions, less active than canvassing.

pursuing job leads

Focuses on following up on potential job opportunities.

networking for jobs

Highlights building connections to find employment.

exploring career options

Involves investigating different job paths, not necessarily actively seeking a role.

applying for positions

Focuses on submitting applications, a step in the job-seeking process.

seeking freelance gigs

Specifically refers to finding short-term or project-based work.

FAQs

What does "canvassing for work" mean?

The phrase "canvassing for work" refers to actively and persistently seeking employment or job opportunities, often by directly contacting potential employers or exploring various avenues for finding work.

What can I say instead of "canvassing for work"?

You can use alternatives like "seeking employment", "job hunting", or "soliciting employment" depending on the context.

Is "canvassing for work" a formal or informal expression?

"Canvassing for work" sits in a somewhat neutral register. While not overly formal, it suggests a proactive and organized approach, making it suitable for professional communication but more appropriate for news articles or general discussions rather than very formal letters. The closest synonyms you can find are suitable based on the context.

How to use "canvassing for work" in a sentence?

You might say, "After graduating, she spent several weeks "canvassing for work" in the tech industry, attending job fairs and networking events." The phrase describes a dedicated job-seeking effort.