IELTS SPEAKING – WORK & STUDY

IELTS VOCABULARY – WORK

No. VOCABULARY DEFINITION

1 to be called for an interview Được gọi tới phỏng vấn
2 to be your own boss Có công việc kinh doanh riêng
3 a dead-end job Một công việc không có cơ hội thăng tiến
4 to do a job-share Chia sẻ giờ làm việc hàng tuần với người khác
5 a good team player Người hợp tác tốt với người khác trong công việc
Số lượng giờ nhất định trong tuần mà một người
6 full-time
phải làm
7 a heavy workload Khối lượng công việc lớn
8 a high-powered job Một công việc quan trọng
9 holiday entitlement Số ngày nghỉ phép
10 job satisfaction Sự hài lòng đối với công việc
11 manual work Công việc tay chân
12 maternity leave Nghỉ thai sản
13 to meet a deadline Hoàn thành công việc đúng hạn
14 a nine-to-five job Một công việc làm 8 tiếng/ngày
15 one of the perks of the job Những giá trị khác từ công việc
16 part-time Công việc bán thời gian
17 to run your own business Có công việc kinh doanh riêng
18 to be self-employed Có công việc kinh doanh riêng/Tự mình làm chủ
19 sick leave Nghỉ ốm đau
20 to be stuck behind a desk Mắc kẹt trong công việc bàn giấy buồn chán
Mắc kẹt trong một công việc nhàm chán nhưng lại
21 to be/get stuck in a rut
rất khó bỏ
22 to take early retirement Nghỉ hưu non
23 temporary work Công việc tạm thời
24 voluntary work Công việc tình nguyện
25 to be well paid Được trả lương hậu hĩnh
Các điều kiện làm việc (thời gian, lương, các quyền
26 working conditions
khác của người lao động)
27 to work with your hands Công việc tay chân
 
• enroll (v): đăng kí
• Hospitality (n): Ngành dịch vụ
• follow my someone’s footsteps: nối nghiệp của ai đó
• brag (v): khoác lác
• appealing (adj): hấp dẫn
• go extra miles: cố gắng hết sức
• Take part in (v): tham gia
• respectable (adj):
• hands – on experience (n): kinh nghiệm thực tế
• launch (n): mở/thành lập
• start – up (n): công ty khởi nghiệp
• Business commitments (n): cam kết trong kinh doanh
• Switch off (v): thư giãn

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• Sale executive (N): chuyên viên kinh doanh

• Well – known (adj): nổi tiếng
• Enhance (v): tăng cường
• Fast-paced environment (n): môi trường làm việc với nhịp độ nhanh
• Triggers my mind to access its full potential: Kích thích trí óc làm việc hiệu quả
• Real trouper (n): người cầu tiến

Part 1-style questions

Examiner: Do you work or study?
Well, I am currently working as a sale executive for one of the most well – known five-star hotel
in Saigon, which offers me great opportunities to enhance my communication skills and
negotiation skills.

Examiner: What do you do?

Sasha: I do a job-share with a friend in a boutique … I enjoy it … I like working with customers
… unfortunately it’s only temporary work but one of the perks of the job is I get a discount on
the clothes …

Examiner: What are your responsibilities?

Actually, I am in charge of cooperating with travel agents to promote my hotel properties and
amenities. Beside that, conducting sales calls to acquire new business and coordinating with
other department to maintain guest’s satisfaction are also parts of my duty.

Examiner : Do you enjoy your work?

Absolutely Yes. Although I have to work under high pressure, I feel that there is no other job I
would rather do. Moreover, The dynamic working environment in hospitality industry has
brought me huge motivation to move up my career ladder.

Examiner : Why did you choose to do that type of work (or, that job)?
Honestly, I didn’t really intend to become a saleperson because I initially thought It was so
stressful. After graduation, I took me ages to be called for an interviewed because most of
headhunters was in search of experienced candidates. Fortunately, I was employed to work in
the Sales department of an international hotel brand and gained a lot of experiences within the
field. Unlike any other business, working within such a fast-paced environment literally triggers
my mind to access its full potential, so it makes me a real trouper.

Examiner: Do you have any career plans yet?

Carly: Yes … I’d like to be my own boss one day … I’m interested in programming and I’d like
to create apps for myself or for other companies … I know being self employed would be a
challenge but the idea of doing a nine-to-five job doesn’t appeal to me at all …

Examiner: What do you see yourself doing in 10 years time?

Marie: I’d hope to be working … not a high-powered job … but I’m quite a creative person
so something where I can work with my hands would be nice … as long as I’m not stuck
behind a desk doing something boring  in a dead-end job I’ll be happy …

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Tom: Well, this question pops into my mind from time to time, but to be honest, I have never
managed to have an answer for it. I reckon that 10 years is such a long time and anything could
happen, so it is hard to tell from now. 

8. What do you like about your job?/ Why did you choose to do that type of work?
Answer: I guess it’s mainly because of the job flexibility & my passion for journalism. To be
more specific, this job offers me alternatives to the typical nine-to-five work schedule, enabling
me to find a better balance between work and life. Besides, this job gives me opportunities to
pursue my dream to become a journalist down the road.
Or:
Answer: Well I guess the thing I like most about this job is the salary. I make what I’d consider
is a lucrative income, which means not only is it enough to cover my bills, but there’s also some
extra to spend on whatever I want. So on payday, I often treat myself to a meal at a high-
end restaurant or splurge on a nice shirt.

Vocabulary:
- Lucrative income: Thu nhập sinh lời
- High-end: the most sophisticated, and typically the most expensive product in a line: tinh vi
nhất và thường đắt nhất, hiểu nghĩa cao cấp.
- Splurge on something: to spend a lot of money on someone or something: ý hiểu để chi tiêu rất
nhiều tiền vào một ai đó hoặc một cái gì đó.

9.  What do you dislike about your job?

Sometimes I feel dead tired when sitting in front of a computer screen all day long to deal with
overwhelming workload.  I mean, I’ve led a sedentary lifestyle which really exerts a negative
effect on my physical & mental health & I have had a very hectic schedule, which always keeps
me up to my ears in deadlines. Down the road I am yearning for a job that involves dealing with
people & makes me feel less stressful.

Vocabulary:
- Dead tired: exhausted ( Mệt mỏi, kiệt sức)
- All day long: during the entire day (cả ngày dài, suốt cả ngày)
- Overwhelming:  very intense (Áp đảo, rất mãnh liệt)
- Sedentary lifestyle: a type of lifestyle with little or no physical activity (Lối sống ít vận động,
chỉ một loại lối sống với ít hoặc không có hoạt động thể chất)
- Hectic: busy (ý chỉ bận rộn)
- Up to my ears in something: busy doing something (ý chỉ bận rộn để làm điều gì)
- Down the road: in the future (thành ngữ ý chỉ trong tương lai)
- Yearn for:  to feel a powerful desire for something (để cảm thấy một mong muốn mạnh mẽ cho
một cái gì đó)

Part 2

CARD 1:
Describe your ideal job. You should say:

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what this job is

whether you would need any qualifications
whether it would be easy to find work
and say why you would enjoy this job in particular.

Max:  I’ve always loved watching wildlife programmes on TV and often thought how much I’d
enjoy working with animals … perhaps in a safari park … something like that … you’d probably
need a degree to have any chance of being called for an interview and whether there are
manyfull-time jobs I don’t know … I’m sure a lot of parks rely on voluntary work so it might
not be easy … and it probably wouldn’t be well-paid either but money isn’t everything … I’d
get so muchjob satisfaction … I can’t imagine it being the kind of job where you get stuck in a
rut … and I think I’d be good at it as well … I’d love to work with animals I enjoy manual
work and I’m a good team player … so even though the working conditions might not be the
best I think that would be my ideal job …

CARD 2:
Describe a well-paid job that you will be good at
You should say:
- what the job was
- how you knew this job
- how you feel about this job
- and explain why you think you will be good at it

What I’ve been through has proved that I was born to be a sale person, especially
within Hospitality. Honestly, I literally picked Accounting when I enrolled in university to
follow my father’s footsteps. I don’t really want to brag but my father firmly assured me of my
career path as an accountant because he was the head of Accounting Department in Kreston,
which is one of the most prestigious Accouting and Auditing Enteprise in my country. However,
I had no interests in working with figures and computer-based auditing programs. Instead, I
found it really appealing when I partake in social activities which offered great opportunities to
gain my confidence in communication during my university years. Besides, I have some part-
time job experiences in this field and have been working as a  sale executive for the last two
years. My skills in analysing the market and understanding the target audience along with my
persuasive skills make me a deserving candidate for this job. With regard to the future, I will
definitely go extra miles to get promoted as a sale manager.

CARD 3:
Describe your idea of making a good first impression in a job interview.
You should say :
why it is important.
is it important to make a good last impression as well
what ways would you do it in your job interview
and explain how to make a good first impression in a job interview.

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It’s of common sense that most people at my age are now seeking for good job opportunities.
Thus, I have to get to know how to leave a good first impression in a job interview. Today, I
would like to share with you some of my knowledge about this topic.

In a professional situation, the first impressions are significantly important. Most job interviews
don’t last more than 45 minutes. In such a short period of time, from those who don’t know
anything about ourselves, we have to persuade them that we are qualified enough for the
position we applied for. Thus, a good first impression can help to increase the success rate in our
application process.

There are many things a candidate can do to create a positive first impression. You may follow
these tips such as arriving on time for the interview, dressing formally, use appropriate ways of
behaviour and communications. Besides, there are some noted points that you should pay much
attention to like job description, company information which you acquired through researches.
By going through the required tasks and skills for the vacancy, company’s culture or giving
some suggestions to improve the productivity of the tasks you might be in charge of when you
take that position can help you stand out from other candidates. For me, I would choose to
follow all tips above.

Apart from the first impression, I strongly believe that last impressions are important as well.
Often we are not accepted immediately in the interview. The recruiting team will have to take
into account all candidates’ performances during the interview to choose the most suitable ones
for the position. Therefore first impressions alone are not enough, we have to build a strong
relationship with recruiters by making a good last impression too. By doing so, we show our
respect to the recruiters and the job we apply for.

Being in a job interview is not an enjoyable experience. However, we have to get through it to
pursue our dream jobs. Thus, we should prepare well enough for occasions like that.

Part 3
Examiner: If there are a limited number of jobs available who should be given priority,
young people or older people with more experience?

Anna: Things are so different these days … a few years ago older employees would often take
early retirement or go onto part-time contracts and there were always opportunities for
younger people but now jobs are so scarce … I think younger people need to be given the chance
whenever possible …

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Examiner: What are some of the important things a candidate should find out before
accepting a job?

Ali: Well  … you’d need to know about your area of responsibility … and your salary of course
and then there are things like holiday entitlement … maternity or paternity leave … if you’re
thinking of having children … and what the situation is regarding sick leave … that kind of thing
…

Examiner: What are the advantages of having your own business rather than working for
someone else?
Julie: Well … unfortunately being an employee at the moment is very stressful … people have
veryheavy workloads … they’re always under pressure to meet deadlines … running your
own business isn’t easy … but I do think it would be far more satisfying …

Examiner:Which jobs are the most respected in your country?

A: There are a wide range of professions which people can gain respect from others in my nation
such as: teacher, lawyer and so on. To me, every job done sincerely with best intentions
is respectable.

B: Well, I have never thought about this, but I reckon that professional careers such as the fields
of law, education, and medicine may be the most highly-acclaimed ones. It is mainly because of
the fact that people working in these fields can easily earn lucrative income compared to others.

Examiner: Some people say it’s better to work for yourself than be employed by a
company. What’s your view?

From my perspective, it is wiser to first seek a position at a company to gain more hands – on

experience before launching a start – up. In addition to entrepreneurship, your working day
may be much longer and more irregular than someone who isn't self-employed. Business
commitments may mean that you spend less time with your friends and family, or struggle
to switch off from work life.

Examiner: Do you think robots will take over man’s jobs in the future?
What an interesting question! Certainly robots and computers can perform any tasks that require
only human’s labour or brain. However, it’s very unlikely that they will take over jobs that
involve creative skills, compassion, empathy or love. Robots can never replace human hearts and
souls, I believe.
 
Examiner: What kinds of jobs are most likely to be taken over by robots?
As I mentioned, all technical and physical work could be done easily and effortlessly by them. A
great number of existing jobs such as shop keepers, accountants, bank tellers, stock brokers and

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many others might become a thing of the past in the near future and human would focus on what
they are excellent at: creativity and compassion.
1. Do you think job satisfaction is more important than salary when choosing a job?
2. What skills do you think are needed to get a good job these days?
3. Do you think women should be able to do all the same jobs that men do?
4. How has technology changed the way we work?
5. What is the difference between white collar and blue collar jobs?
6. What jobs do you think are most valuable to society?

Q. 1. Do you think job satisfaction is more important than salary when choosing a job?
Answer: When it comes to seeking satisfaction from work, the basic philosophy is pretty simple
– get a job that you love and work your way up to earning a lot. But, unfortunately, life isn’t
really that simple, especially, when options are rather limited and the choices vary greatly from
person to person.
I would say that salary is more important to many than their job “satisfaction” from where they
see the life as the more money they have, the better they will be able to take care of their
“needs”. But to me, job satisfaction is far more important than the money I will earn from my
job.

Q. 2. What skills do you think are needed to get a good job these days?
Answer: In the past, we could get good jobs if we have a good degree or certification and a good
result. But, these days, things are a bit tricky when it comes to landing on a good job as just a
good degree and good result are not enough. We need to have some “soft skills” also, such as
great people and communication skills, planning and organizing skills, good team works,
problem-solving skills and great time management skills. On top of that, we also need to be
“connected” to a network of professionals in the same fields in which we are looking for jobs.
Finally, knowledge and skills in technology, especially in computer and internet, are also
important these days to get a good job.

Q. 3. Do you think women should be able to do all the same jobs that men do?
Answer 1: This is a difficult issue to deal with. However, I will be completely honest in my
opinion. I don’t necessarily think that women should be able to do the same jobs that men do
primarily because of their different job expectation, physical built and safety issues from a job.
Women shouldn’t be really doing works like operating drilling machine to make holes in the
streets nor they should be working in military engineering core to build a bridge overnight.
Women should also not be doing jobs that require them to do some “heavy lifting” or climbing
up to an electric power plant. In fact, I would dare to say that women were not created to do
everything that men can dot but rather, women were created to do everything that men are not
able to do.  
Answer 2: There is no doubt that women are just as much capable as men in doing many jobs,
and perhaps sometimes better in some jobs, which are not really that physically demanding and
does not pose threat to women. So I would say a female can do any job that a man can do. But I

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also believe that just because women are equally adept to do some jobs that men can do, they
should not take up any jobs especially if the job environment is not safe for them.

Q. 4. How has technology changed the way we work?

Answer: Technology has changed the way we work by improving things at our workplaces so
much so that it will be literally impossible to work without the help of technology these days. If
we go to talk about communication at our workplaces, we will see how communication among
the employees or management to subordinates or management to management has become fast,
instantaneous, collaborative, and more unified because of technology.
 
Because of using computer system like project management software, our businesses and
workplaces are way more organized than before as it helps in building, delegating, reviewing,
and assessing a task much more efficiently and thus helping in keeping everything on track.
Businesses, big and small alike, are now able to use science and math more than ever before,
because of using technology, to determine what their customers want, when in the past, they did
this mostly on a “hunch”. There are so many other examples like these.

Q. 5. What is the difference between white collar and blue collar jobs?
Answer: In an organization, there are hundreds of people who are distinguished by the colour of
the dress they worn, and the colours of the uniform specify the “type” of jobs performed by the
workers in that organization. Blue collar jobs in an organization are the jobs which are taken care
of by manual labourers who get an hourly or daily wage, based on the performance of their
works. Blue collar jobs do not require very higher education. However, a worker should be
skilled enough in a specialized field to perform the tasks in an efficient manner. The jobs may
include manufacturing, mining, construction, repairs and maintenance, installation of machinery
and so on.
 
On the other hands, the white collar jobs, wherein the employee does clerical works in an office,
without getting their clothes “dirty”, and draws a monthly salary at a fixed rate. White collar
workers usually have a higher degree or certification.
The difference between blue collar and white collar jobs is fading away with the passage of time
due to the low pay scale of the white collar jobs and high demand for skilled labourers.

Q. 6. What jobs do you think are most valuable to society?

Answer: In my opinion, this is a very “subjective” question because the answer pretty much
depends on the individual needs and preference of a person. In a society, where an engineer or
medical doctor is highly valued, it won’t exactly be able to understand and appreciate the value
of a “trash collector”. Similarly, in a society, where agricultural works are highly valued, it won’t
exactly very much for the profession of a “teacher”. However, if I must name jobs that are most
valuable to society, then I would go for “farming” and “medical doctor” because both jobs save
lives. Farmers save our lives by producing food so that we can eat while a medical doctor saves
our lives by diagnosing the disease and prescribing medicines for us when our lives are in
danger.

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