IELTS
Writing task 2

Some people argue that it is more important to have an enjoybale job than to earn a lot of money. Others disagree and think that a good salary leads to a better life.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

In society today, it is frequently asserted that life satisfaction rise with income, with millions of people working their fingers to the bone in order to earn as much money as possible even if their job has no appeal for them. However, others believe that having a job you like is more important than having a good salary.

The question is, is it money or an enjoyable job which brings happiness and helps maintain better balance in life? From one point of view it is understandable that an increase in earnings makes poor people happier because they live on shoestring budget and have to tighten their belts all the time. But for people living in affluent countries any jump-start to well-being from a pay rise quickly wears off because they spend more time on the activities they think will make them happy — earning and spending — than on those that actually will: having an enjoyable job and spending time with friends and family.

By contrast, positive emotions from a job bring long-lasting satisfaction. In my experience, in spite of the fact that teaching is low-paid in Russia, one of my acquaintances regards it as a dream job. According to her, teaching provides not only opportunity for personal development but also a chance to contribute to society. She is happy to help children to prepare for the challenges along the road to becoming an adult.

To sum up, I think it is more important to have a job you enjoy. In my view, most people need less money than they think because they waste a lot on buying things they do not need.