get one's foot in the door
To initiate contact or a relationship; to gain access, especially to an entry-level job.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He took an internship to get his foot in the door.”
“You often need a personal connection to get your foot in the door.”
“She accepted a low-level position at the company just to get her foot in the door.”
“I decided to work as a freelance writer for their blog to get my foot in the door before applying for a full-time editor role.”
“The young actor agreed to play a very small part in the play just to get his foot in the door at the famous theater.”
“By volunteering for the small project, he managed to get his foot in the door of a highly competitive industry.”
disputed origin
The idiom is probably derived from a tactic attributed to door-to-door salesmen, who were said to place a foot in the opening of a prospective customer's door. This physical obstruction prevented the resident from closing the door until the sales pitch had reached its conclusion. While the story remains a popular explanation for the phrase, it is an unproven attribution rather than a settled historical fact.
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026