In recent years, many small local shops have closed because customers travel to large shopping centres or malls to do their shopping. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Do you agree or disagree? What other factors can contribute to a good career?
In today’s competitive environment, it is often said that people need to go to university in order to make progress in their careers. However, this essay will argue that in many fields, work experience and personal qualities get people further in their working lives.


In some careers such as medicine and law, a university education will always be a prerequisite to practising in those lines of work. In many companies and government departments today, employers expect recruits to be university educated, so people need to have graduated from university just to get their foot in the door. However, in some fields the internet has opened up a world of opportunity for people to take short, specific courses to get the skills and knowledge they need. For those who want to start their own business, it may not be necessary to go to university. Likewise, tradespeople, for example electricians and hairdressers, can have successful working lives without going to university.


There are several other factors that may lead to a successful career. Being in the right place at the right time always helps, as does having a positive outlook and a hardworking, ambitious personality. In most jobs, it is experience in the field that helps people get ahead. This is what helps people develop professionally, make contacts and deal with challenges.


On balance, it seems that while a university education is still required in some fields of work, in many other fields going to university is not essential. Whether people go to university or not, experience, attitude, personality and luck are all ingredients for career success.


265 words, band 9
19. Some people feel that entertainers (e.g. film stars, pop musicians and pop stars) are paid too much money.
Do you agree or disagree?
Which other jobs should be highly paid?


I agree with the view that stars in the entertainment business are usually over-paid. This is true whether we are considering stars of film, sport or popular music, and it often seems that the amount of money they are able to earn in a short time cannot possibly be justified by the amount of work they do.


However, it is also true that it is only those who reach the very top of their profession can get these huge salaries. So, the size of salary stars expect is closely linked to the competition they have to overcome in order to reach success. They are, in effect, rare talents.


Furthermore, the majority of stars do not hold their top positions long. Sports stars and popstars are soon replaced by the next younger more energetic generation, while the good looks of most film stars quickly fade. So this relatively short working life may be some justification for the very high pay.


Unfortunately, professionals from other fields, who make a much greater contribution to human society, are paid so much less that it is hard to disagree with this statement. Teachers, nurses, laboratory researchers etc. are never listed among the best-paid professionals, yet they are more important to our well-being and our future than the stars who earn their fortunes so quickly.


In conclusion, I think there may be some reasons why entertainment stars earn high salaries but overall I agree that they are over-paid. The gap between their earnings and those of people who work less selfishly for the good of society cannot be justified. Such professionals should be much better appreciated and better paid.