started a career

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "started a career" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the beginning of someone's professional journey or employment in a specific field. Example: "After graduating from university, she started a career in marketing and quickly rose through the ranks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

After college, after graduate school, after I had started a career.

The New York Times

After graduation, she started a career in education that would last 42 years in her hometown.

The New York Times

I was so young when I started a career that I blindly jumped into it.

The New York Times

After that loss, Scandone started a career in advertising, then became a restaurant equipment salesman.

The New York Times - Sports

Before he started a career in football, Kelly, 46, dabbled in politics in the early 1980s.

The New York Times - Sports

Jessica Teutonico started a career in fashion in her late teens.

The Guardian

A born adventurer, his meeting with Schoedsack started a career as an anthropologist.

The Guardian - Film

"Without Jimmy's help I never could have started a career over here," Ms. McPartland said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

Before that, Lundqvist had started a career-high 17 straight games.

The New York Times - Sports

DiPietro, who had started a career-high 10 straight games, is likely to be replaced by Garth Snow against the Flyers, who are in a tight race with Tampa Bay and Boston for the best record in the East.

The New York Times - Sports

On July 29, he started a career-high five-game winning streak when he got a win by pitching two scoreless innings in a 2 1 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "started a career" to clearly indicate the beginning of someone's professional journey or employment in a specific field. This phrase is versatile and appropriate for various contexts.

Common error

Avoid using incorrect tenses when describing when someone "started a career". Ensure the tense aligns with the context. For example, use "had started a career" to indicate an action completed before another point in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "started a career" functions as a verbal phrase, often followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the specific field or industry. Ludwig AI shows this phrase is generally used to indicate the beginning of someone's professional journey.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "started a career" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe the commencement of someone's professional life. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely used across various reputable sources, particularly in news and media, as well as in formal and business contexts. The phrase functions as a verbal phrase, often followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the specific field. It serves to inform or describe when someone began their professional activities, and it maintains a neutral register, making it suitable for diverse audiences. Related phrases like "began a career" and "launched a career" offer similar meanings with slight variations in nuance. When using this phrase, ensure correct tense usage to avoid common errors. The high frequency and consistent application of "started a career" underscore its reliability and versatility in written English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Began a career

Uses a different verb ("began" instead of "started") to convey the same meaning.

Commenced a career

A more formal synonym for "started a career".

Launched a career

Implies a more proactive or significant beginning to a career.

Initiated a career

Emphasizes the act of initiating or setting in motion a career path.

Embarked on a career

Suggests a journey or adventure into a new professional field.

Began working as

Focuses on the action of working rather than the overall career.

Entered the field of

Highlights entry into a specific profession or industry.

Took up a profession

Emphasizes the decision to engage in a particular career.

Established a career

Suggests building or creating a long-term career.

Began a professional life

More broadly refers to the start of one's working life.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "started a career"?

You can use alternatives like "began a career", "launched a career", or "embarked on a career" depending on the context.

How to use "started a career" in a sentence?

You can use "started a career" to describe the commencement of someone's professional life. For example: "After graduating, she started a career in finance."

Is it correct to say "begin a career" instead of "started a career"?

Yes, "begin a career" is a valid and semantically similar alternative to "started a career". Both phrases indicate the commencement of one's professional life.

What is the difference between "started a career" and "found a job"?

"Started a career" implies a longer-term professional trajectory, while "found a job" simply refers to obtaining employment, which may or may not be part of a larger career plan.