Questions for discussion: Work

Your Job

• Do you have a job? If so, what is it?
• What do you enjoy about your job?
• What's the most challenging part of your work?
• What's the most satisfying part of your work?
• Can you talk about what a typical day at your current job is like?
• How long have you been working at your current job?
• What type of education do you need for your profession?
• What type of continuing education do you do for your profession?
• Do you ever work overtime?
• If so, do you get paid more for overtime work?
• Do you work on weekends?
• Do you work on Sundays?
• Do you have to do a lot of paperwork?
• Describe your colleagues.
• Describe your boss.
• How well do you get along with your boss?
• What three adjectives would describe yourself as a worker?
• Would you consider yourself to be an ambitious person at work?
• Would you describe yourself as a workaholic?
• Have you ever had a promotion? If so, when were you last promoted?
• What influenced your choice of job? (Why did you choose your job?)
• Would you like to try another profession? If so, which?
• What's your ideal job? Why?
• What would be your dream job?
• Do you think it would be possible for you to get this job?
• If money weren't a problem for you, which job would you prefer to have?
• If you could own your own business, what would it be?
• Would you like a job in which you traveled a lot?
• Would you like a job that required you to sit at a computer all day?
• Would you like to do the same job for the rest of your life?
• Would you like to work in an office? Why or why not?
• Would you rather be a doctor or a banker?
• Would you rather work inside or outside?
• Would you like to have a management position?
• Would you prefer to have an easy routine job or a job in which you made a lot of decisions?
• What job do you want to have in five years' time?
• When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
• Name three occupations that you could do. (For example, be a mortician)
• Name three occupations that you could never do?
• What are some jobs that you think would be boring?
• What are some jobs that you think would be fun?
• What was your first job?
• How old were you when you got your first job? 
• If you had to choose between a satisfying job and a well-paid one, which would you choose?
• What three things are most important for you in a job? Why?

Problem Questions About Work

• How important is money to happiness?
• In your opinion, how important is a big salary to job satisfaction?
• Do you think it is more important to make a lot of money or to enjoy your job? 
• We have to work to make money to live but do we work to live or live to work? How do you find the balance?

• At what age do people usually begin to work in your country?
• At what age do people usually retire in your country?
• At what age would you like to retire?
• What do you think you will do after you retire?
• How much money do you think you need to retire with your lifestyle?
• Do you think people over 65 should be made to retire?

• Do you think it's acceptable for women to be in the military? Why/why not?
• Do you think women are good bosses?
• Are there women bosses in your country?
• What are the pros and cons of being a manager?
• What are the qualities a good boss should have?

• How have working conditions changed in recent years?
• Do you think that working conditions have improved? If so, in what ways?

• What are some questions that are frequently asked in a job interview?
• What should you not do during a job interview?

•  What jobs in your country are considered to be good jobs? Why?

• How has technology changed business? Do you think it's created more work or less?

• Do you think office romances can be successful? Why or why not? Do you know of any couples who have met at work? Is the workplace a good place to find love?

• Do people usually work for one company for a long time in your country or is it common for people to change jobs every few years? Why do you think people in the US change jobs so often?

• How important are clothes at work? How does your job determine what you wear in your country?

• Your job is who you are. What do you think?

 

• Do you know a person who is married to his job?

• What is the difference between work and slavery?