former profession

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "former profession" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a job or career that someone held in the past but no longer does. Example: "After years in his former profession as a teacher, he decided to pursue a career in writing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

She may return to her former profession: the law.

Independent

Mr Lindstrom proclaims that he has given up his former profession to become a consumer advocate.

The Economist

In fact, given Ollie's former profession, you might even call it a sad-clown story.

The New York Times - Books

Why was she unable to find employment in her former profession in New York?

The New York Times

Despite a resurgence of interest in his work, he did not return to work in his former profession.

Encyclopedia Britannica

What must have made matters worse is the absence of any discernible indication that Dyke has forsaken his former profession.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

Often, the biggest difficulty for women who have been home for a number of years is determining whether they want to return to their former professions or find a new direction.

The New York Times

Over in the Senate, Stephen Parry, who carries, etched, in his bearing the remnants of his two former professions, detective and undertaker, told the red place he would be "fair-minded" in a chamber that now boasts 11 crossbenchers.

The Guardian

In 2011 he and 43 other former religious professions started The Clergy Project — an online forum for ministers, preachers, rabbis, and others who "no longer hold to supernatural beliefs".

Vice

Whether "the most common profession" of former corps members being teaching is impressive or not depends entirely on how many other professions are counted and how large a percentage stay in teaching as a career.

Huffington Post

The former invented the profession of nursing and became famous for her work on the battlefields of the Crimean War.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's professional history, ensure that the term "former profession" accurately reflects a role requiring specialized knowledge or training.

Common error

Avoid using "former profession" to describe simple, unskilled labor. Instead, reserve it for roles that require specialized training, such as "engineering", "medicine", or "law".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "former profession" functions as a noun phrase that identifies a job or career that someone previously held. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression. The phrase modifies a noun, indicating that the noun's profession is not the same at the present.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

16%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Academia

4%

Wiki

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "former profession" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression, as Ludwig AI confirms, employed to describe a job or career that someone previously held but no longer pursues. It is most frequently found in news articles, encyclopedias, and scientific texts, denoting a neutral to professional register. When using this phrase, ensure it reflects a role requiring specialized knowledge or training, differentiating it from simpler jobs. Alternatives include "previous occupation" and "past career". Overall, "former profession" serves as a concise and effective way to provide background about an individual's past career in various contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous occupation

Emphasizes the act of occupying a role in the past, differing slightly in focus from the skill set implied by "profession".

past career

Highlights the sequence of jobs held over time, whereas "former profession" can refer to a single, significant role.

previous line of work

More general and can include jobs that aren't necessarily professional.

prior employment

Focuses on the state of being employed before the current situation, less specific about the nature of the job.

earlier vocation

Implies a strong sense of calling or purpose, which may not be present in all professions.

preceding occupation

Focuses on the temporal sequence of jobs held over time, whereas "former profession" identifies with the nature and features of the job.

old job

Very informal and general, lacking the professional connotation of "profession".

one-time calling

Similar to 'earlier vocation', but stronger emphasis on a sense of personal destiny and now discarded.

bygone trade

More archaic and typically used for skilled manual labor.

initial career path

Suggests a directional focus and the beginning of a journey, whereas "former profession" is a static description.

FAQs

How do I correctly use "former profession" in a sentence?

Use "former profession" to refer to a job that someone used to have but no longer does. For example, "She returned to her "former profession" as a lawyer after taking a break to raise her children".

What is a more formal synonym for "former profession"?

A more formal alternative to "former profession" is "previous occupation". This phrase is suitable for professional contexts or official documents.

Is it appropriate to use "former profession" when referring to a short-term job?

While technically correct, "former profession" is typically used for more established careers rather than short-term jobs. Consider using phrases like "previous job" or "past employment" for temporary roles.

What's the difference between "former profession" and "past career"?

"Former profession" typically refers to a specific job someone held which required training and skills, while "past career" can encompass a broader sequence of jobs or a general field of work.