Conversation Questions
Jobs & Occupations

·         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?

o        What do you think you will do after you retire?

o        How much money do you think you need to retire with your lifestyle?

·         Can you talk about what a typical day at your current job is like?

·         Can you describe some of the people that you work with?

·         Can you describe your current job?

·         What was your first job?

·         Do women usually work after they get married in your country?

·         Do you ever work overtime?

o        If so, do you get paid more for overtime work?

·         Do you have a part-time job? If so, what do you do?

·         Do you have to attend a lot of meetings for your job?

·         Do you have to do a lot of paperwork?

·         Do you have to work overtime?

o        If so, how often?

o        Do you have to work on Sundays?

·         Do you know someone who has worked as an undertaker?

o        What is the job of a an undertaker?

o        Can women do this job or is it better for a man to be an undertaker?

·         Do you like your boss? Why or why not?

·         Do you like your job?

·         Do you like your job? Why or why not?

·         Do you think it is more important to make a lot of money or to enjoy your job?

·         Do you think it's acceptable for women to be in the military? Why/why not?

·         Do you think people over 65 should be made to retire?

·         Do you think women and men should be paid the same for the same job?

·         Do you think women are good bosses?

o        Are there women bosses in your country?

·         Do you think your company is well run?

o        Do you think that the place where you work is well run?

·         Do you work on weekends?

o        Do you work on Sundays?

·         Does your mother work?

o        Does your mother work outside of the house?

·         Have you ever been promoted?

·         Have you ever taken any courses that specifically help you with the job you are doing now?

·         Have you ever worked on a farm?

o        Did you like it?

o        Would you like to go back on this farm job?

o        If not , why?

·         How do you like your work?

·         How have working conditions changed in recent years?

o        Do you think that working conditions have improved? If so, in what ways?

·         How long do you plan to continue working where you are?

·         How long have you been working at your present job?

·         How many days a week do you work?

·         How many hours a week do you work?

·         How many times have you been promoted?

o        When was the last time you were promoted?

o        Did you get a large pay raise at that time?

·         How much do you think a doctor should be paid a month?

o        How about a secretary?

o        How about a truck driver?

·         How much money do you make? (Maybe this is not a good question to ask.)

·         How much money does a secretary get paid per week?

·         How old were you when you got your first job?

·         How well do you get along with your boss?

·         If you could own your own business, what would it be?

·         If you had to choose between a satisfying job and a well-paid one, which would you choose?

·         Is it common for men and women to have the same jobs in your country?

·         Is it easy to find a job in Canada? How about in your country?

·         Name three occupations that you could do. (For example, be a mortician)

o        Name three occupations that you could never do?

·         What are some common occupations in your country?

o        What are some common jobs for men in your country?

o        What are some common jobs for women in your country?

o        What are some jobs that children do?

·         What are some jobs that you think would be boring?

·         What are some jobs that you think would be fun?

·         What are some questions that are frequently asked in a job interview?

·         What are you responsible for?

·         What are you trying to do in order to find a job that you really like?

·         What do you do?

o        What's your job?

·         What do you like most about that job?

·         What do you think is the best job? What do you think is the worst?

·         What do you think would be the most interesting job? The most boring?

·         What does your father do? (What does your father do for a living?)

·         What does your mother do?

·         What influenced your choice of job? (Why did you choose your job?)

·         What job do you want to have in five years' time?

·         What job would you most like to have, if social/cultural boundaries did not apply? (How different are they?)

·         What job(s) do you wish to have in the future?

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

·         What kind of volunteer work have you done?

·         What kind of work do you do?

o        What kind of work do you want to do in the future?

·         What plans have you made for your retirement?

·         What three adjectives would describe yourself as a worker?

·         What time do you get home from work?

o        Is it the same time every day?

·         What time do your start and finish work?

·         What would be your dream job?

o        Do you think it would be possible for you to get this job?

·         What's one job you wouldn't like to do? Why not?

·         What's your brother's occupation?

·         When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

·         When you were a child, what job did you want to have when you grew up?

·         Where do you work and what is your current job?

·         Where do you work?

·         Which job are you best at?

·         Which job would you never do?

·         Which jobs do you think are the most prestigious?

·         Who among the people you know has the most interesting job? What is it?

·         Why did you leave your last job - did you resign or were you sacked?

·         Would you be upset if your boss was a woman?

·         Would you consider the military as a career choice? Why or why not?

·         Would you consider yourself to be an ambitious person at work?

·         Would you describe yourself as a workaholic?

·         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?

·         What job would you most like to do?

·         What are the names of some of the people with that job?

·         Do you personally know any one with that job?

·         How long do you plan to keep it for?

·         When do plan to retire?

·         What other fields or work will that job make you qualified for?

·         What are the work details of that job; what will be your duties at that job?

·         What steps are required from you to become a/an...?

·         So, how long before fore you become a/an...; at what ages will you both start and finish this/each job/career?

·         What do you hope to spiritually gain from that job?

·         What do you wish to physically gain; what kind of things would you like to buy with your money?

·         How much money do you need to make to fulfill you dreams and desires?

·         If money weren't a problem for you, which job would you prefer to have?

·         How does money affect your decisions?

·         How do your wants and desires affect your career options and goals?

·         How many years of schooling would you prefer to have?

·         Can you improve on the way things are now being done in the field you choose?

·         Which college courses are needed for you to be the very best in your field?

·         Which college courses are required for you dream job?

·         What other courses do you need to take so you can pursue your hobbies and personal interests?

·         Which of the classes mentioned above are you giving the highest priority? Why?

·         Who is the breadwinner (provider) in your family?

·         Who makes the most money in your family? (This may not be a "polite" question to ask.)

·         Is it common for people from your country to have one job for life?

·         Do you see any unfair labour practices in your country's workforce?

·         Do you have an after-school job?

·         Would you like to have a management position?

·         What are the pros and cons of being a manager?

·         What are the qualities a good boss should have?

·         What is a fair wage for the skills you have?

·         Are there any jobs which can only be done by one gender?

o        If so, what are they?

o        What are some jobs that some people think only one gender can do, but can be done by either gender?

·         What should you not do during a job interview?

·         Who would you hire a employee with a lot of experience or an employee with a lot of education?

·         Have you ever worked?

·         Getting a Job

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