I worked as

USAGE SUMMARY

"I worked as" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a person has held a certain job or performed a certain role/action. For example: "I worked as an engineer for five years before going back to school."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

I worked as hard as I could.

The New York Times

"Listen, I worked as hard as I [expletive] possibly..

Los Angeles Times

And I worked as a novelist, I worked in film.

Los Angeles Times

I worked as a model.

The New Yorker

I worked as a butler.

The New York Times - Magazine

"I worked as a street cleaner.

The Guardian

I worked in construction, I worked as an art handler.

The New York Times

Then I worked as a translator for the U.S. government.

The New York Times

I worked as a shoeshine boy and in a slaughterhouse.

The New Yorker

I worked as a journalist for Nylon," she said.

Independent

For a long time, I worked as a foreign correspondent.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I worked as" to clearly state past roles and responsibilities in resumes and professional summaries to showcase your experience.

Common error

Don't use "I worked as" without specifying the role. Saying "I worked as…" without completing the sentence leaves the reader wondering what you did. Always follow it with the position or type of work.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I worked as" functions as a declarative statement introducing a past role or occupation. It's commonly used to provide context about one's professional history. As shown by Ludwig, it clearly indicates the type of work someone previously performed.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

18%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I worked as" is a grammatically correct and very common phrase used to describe past roles or employment. As Ludwig AI confirms, its primary function is to provide context about one's professional background across diverse fields like media, science, and business. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by specifying the role or profession. Alternatives such as "I was employed as" or "I served as" can offer nuanced ways to express past employment, however, "I worked as" remains a versatile and frequently used choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I was employed as

Emphasizes the formal employment aspect of the role.

I served as

Highlights a sense of duty or formal responsibility in the role.

I functioned as

Focuses on the specific function or duties performed in the role.

My job was

Simplifies the statement to focus on the job itself.

I held the position of

Highlights the official title and status of the role.

I used to be a

Indicates a past role that is no longer held.

I acted as

Suggests a temporary or less formal role.

I have experience as

Highlights the experience gained from the role.

Previously, I was a

Introduces a past role in a sequence of experiences.

My previous role was

Highlights the role within the context of a career history.

FAQs

How can I use "I worked as" in a sentence?

You can use "I worked as" to describe a past job or role, such as, "I worked as a teacher for ten years" or "During the summer, "I worked as" a lifeguard."

What's a more formal way to say "I worked as"?

For a more formal tone, you could say "I was employed as" or "I served as", depending on the context.

What can I say instead of "I worked as" to emphasize the function I performed?

To emphasize your function, you can use "I functioned as", which highlights the duties you carried out in that role.

Is it correct to say "I work as" instead of "I worked as"?

"I work as" indicates your current job, while "I worked as" refers to a past job. Ensure you use the correct tense to accurately describe your employment history.