IELTS Speaking – a job that you would like to do in the future

Ideally, I'd love to work in marketing, preferably for an international company. I've always been interested in why people buy certain things, and marketing seems like the perfect mix of creativity and analysis. I did a short internship at an agency last summer, and I really enjoyed brainstorming campaign ideas with the team.

I think I'd go for a mix of both. Working from home saves a lot of commuting time and lets me focus on tasks that need deep concentration. But I'd miss the social side of office life, like chatting with colleagues over lunch. Also, I find it easier to switch off at the end of the day when work and home are separate.

It varies, but I usually try to do something active to clear my head. Three evenings a week, I go jogging in the park near my house. On other days, I'll cook dinner, catch up on a TV series or call my parents. I try not to look at my laptop after nine, otherwise I struggle to fall asleep.

The job I'd really like to do in the future is to become a user experience designer, or UX designer. Basically, it's someone who works out how people interact with apps and websites, and then designs them so they're easy and enjoyable to use. In terms of skills, it requires quite a broad range. First of all, you need to understand people, so research and interviewing skills are essential. You also need a good eye for visual design and the ability to use tools like Figma. On top of that, communication is crucial, because UX designers have to explain their ideas to developers, managers and clients, and sometimes defend them when people disagree. As for how I could get this job, I've already taken the first step. Last year, I completed an online course in UX design, and I've started building a portfolio by redesigning a few apps that I personally find frustrating. My plan is to apply for an internship at a tech company after I graduate, so that I can learn from experienced designers. I'm also thinking about doing a master's degree later on, but I'd rather get some hands-on experience first. The main reason I'd like to do this job is that it combines two things I love: creativity and problem-solving. I got interested in it when I watched my grandmother struggle to use a banking app, and I remember thinking that the design simply wasn't made with people like her in mind. I find it really meaningful that good design can make technology accessible to everyone. Plus, it's a fast-growing field with plenty of opportunities, so it seems like a smart career choice as well.

Personally, I'd put job satisfaction first, although I don't think salary should be dismissed. If you dread going to work every morning, no amount of money can really make up for that, and in the long run it can take a toll on your mental health. That said, a decent salary is essential, especially for people supporting a family or living in an expensive city. For a young graduate, for example, financial security might reasonably come first. So I'd say the ideal is a job that pays enough to live comfortably and still gives you a sense of purpose.

I think automation will have a mixed effect. In the short term, workers in manufacturing, transport and administration are probably the most at risk, because machines and software can already do many of their tasks faster and more cheaply. That could lead to unemployment in certain regions. In the long run, however, history suggests that new technologies tend to create new kinds of jobs that we can't even imagine yet. The key issue is the transition period. Unless governments and companies invest seriously in retraining, a lot of people could be left behind.

There are several reasons, I think. Some people simply realise that the career they chose at twenty doesn't suit who they've become. Others experience burnout after years in a stressful job and want something more balanced. A friend of my father's, for example, left banking in his forties to open a small bakery, because he wanted to do something with his hands. Changes in the economy also play a part, since some industries shrink and force people to retrain. And these days, with online courses so widely available, switching careers seems far less risky than it used to be.