WRITING TASK 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

It is a common aspiration among many young people to run their own business,
rather than work for an employer.

Do you think the advantages of working for yourself outweigh the drawbacks?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own

knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

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MODEL ANSWER

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These days, it is a common aim of many people leaving university to try to start up
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their own company. They believe that running a business has many advantages over
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working for someone else, such as the freedom to make your own decisions. I agree
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with this point of view, but it is important to bear in mind that running a company
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does not suit everybody.

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There are several benefits of setting up your own business. For me, the main one is
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that you have room to be creative. Instead of having to follow your employer's
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decisions, you can set the goals for the business yourself, which means that you feel
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more in control. This generally results in people feeling happier in their job.

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Not only that, you can also keep the profits if the company is successful. If all goes
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well, you will earn far more than if you work for someone else. For instance, if you
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set up your own graphic-design company, and you build a good reputation, you will be
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able to make a substantial income. You will therefore be more motivated to work hard,
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in order to make a success of your company.

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Having said that, it is undeniable that running a business is risky. If there is an
16 economic downturn, or you make mistakes in your business decisions, your company
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can go bust, which can mean that you lose everything and you have to lay off your
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staff. Moreover, it is very hard to switch off at weekends, because the business is
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always in the back of your mind.

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To sum up, although there is no doubt there are some risks associated with running
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your own business, I believe the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, particularly with
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regard to making decisions. However, it should be said that not everyone is a risk-taker,
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and some prefer to work for someone else.

(314 words)