speech on your dream job

1 Minute Speech on My Dream Job In English

A very good morning to one and all present here. Today, I will be giving a short speech on the topic of �My Dream Job�. 

I want the job I pursue to give me a sense of satisfaction and happiness. Money alone is not my priority. 

Being in India, it is no secret that Government schools are seen as par in comparison to schools run by private organisations. I wish to do away with this perspective. 

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• How To Answer “What Is Your...

How To Answer “What Is Your Dream Job?” (with Examples)

13 min read · Updated on July 21, 2023

When an interviewer asks you this tricky question, you need a killer answer

You're face-to-face with an interviewer and things have been going well. You'd go as far as to say that you're feeling pretty confident. You might even have this in the bag. And then, they ask you this common interview question : “What is your dream job?” 

It's a real curveball. Until this point, the interviewer has stuck to the position at hand. However, with this simple question, they're asking you to speak broadly about your professional future. As if that wasn't intimidating enough, there's a right and wrong way to respond. Mis-step and you might ruin your chances of getting hired.

If you want to know how to give a glowing answer, you've come to the right place. Planning your response in advance will give you the best chance of wowing the interviewer. You first need to consider what they're really asking and how you can win them over in a few sentences. In this guide, we'll take a look at how to answer this question like a pro. 

First up, consider what the interviewer wants to know

Asking yourself “what is my dream job?” is something of a misleading question. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that the interviewer wants to know what you wanted to be as a child. While your dream jobs list may have included firefighter, astronaut, or dancer, that's not strictly relevant here. Unless you've done the education and training, it doesn't matter. 

Equally, if your actual dream job has nothing to do with the role you're applying for, you probably shouldn't mention it. The interviewer likely isn't interested in the fact that you would love to be a singer-songwriter when you're applying for an admin role. Saying something that has zero to do with the job at hand is likely to work against you here. 

To effectively answer this question, you need to get inside the interviewer's mind. Consider what they really want to know when they ask you about your dream job. Hiring managers use this seemingly innocent question to find out about your skills, personality, and goals. Here's a quick breakdown of what they hope to learn about you when you answer: 

What motivates you professionally 

First up, the interviewer wants to know what motivates you. What is it that drives you forward? Do you have an innate passion for this sector? Or, on the other hand, are you simply treading water until something better comes along? By asking you what your dream job is, the hiring manager is hoping to get an insight into what inspires you to work hard. 

What skills you're bringing to the table

The interviewer is only interested in how your answer aligns with the job they're hiring for. With that in mind, one of the other things they're trying to determine is the skills you currently have and will be bringing to the table. This interview question gives you the opportunity to speak freely about your professional talents and how you use them. 

What career plans you have for the future 

Dream jobs have the unique power of forcing us to look toward the future. It's not about what you're doing right now - it's about where you envision your career going. If you have big plans for your professional future, and they align with this particular role, now is the time to talk about them. The interviewer wants to know whether you have your future career mapped out and how the role for which they are hiring fits into your journey. 

How willing you are to climb the career ladder

Are you a real go-getter? Do you want to climb the career ladder? Or are you happy to stay in the same position and keep things ticking over? When an interviewer asks you what your dream job is, they're encouraging you to think big. That means considering where the position that you're applying for will take you in the years to come. 

Your eagerness to learn new things and develop 

Career development is a massive deal. When you're applying for a single position, it's rarely a straightforward situation. You have to consider what learning opportunities the company will afford you and how you can use them to push yourself forward. When you're answering this question, the interviewer wants to find out how eager you are to learn. Use this knowledge to your advantage and weave your willingness to do so into your answer.

Tips to help you answer this interview question 

Now that you have a firm grip on what the hiring manager is asking, let's talk about how you answer the question. The last thing you want to do is to walk into your next interview without knowing what you would say here. While the question may have you scratching your head, there are a few factors that you can focus on. Here are our expert tips: 

Focus on your professional values

We each have values that guide us through our careers. So, what are yours? When you're answering this interview question, you may want to start with your values and how they align with this sector. For example, if you're applying to work within a charity that educates deprived children, you can talk about how your dream job would mean making a difference to young people's lives. There's a reason that you've applied for this particular position. When you're responding to the question, include that driving force. 

Talk about your long-term goals

As we've already covered, the “dream jobs'' question urges you to consider the future. Where do you see yourself in five years ? If you're the type of person who knows where you're heading, there's nothing wrong with letting the interviewer in on that secret. Of course, there's one major caveat. You need to ensure that your future goals work with the job that you're applying for. If there's any disparity there, you should leave it out. 

Include the basics of the job at hand

Never lose sight of the fact that you're applying for a specific position. Sure, the question “What is your dream job?” may conjure up hundreds of interesting answers. Your mind may boggle at all of the professions that you could have. However, if none of them have anything to do with the role you're applying for, you shouldn't mention them. Instead, ensure that you talk about the fundamentals of the role that you're applying for. For example, if you are going for a managerial role, talk about your passion for leadership. 

Never pinpoint a specific job title

One of the biggest mistakes that you can make when answering this interview question is pinpointing a specific job title. By doing that, you pigeon-hole yourself. Focusing on a single position makes you seem small-minded - as though you have tunnel vision. It also misses the point of the question. Don't be fooled. The interviewer is interested in how your skill and goals fit in with the job and company. Stick to a wider, more generic answer rather than providing a list of dream jobs.

Talk about the next step (after this job!) 

Hiring managers are always on the hunt for candidates who want a long-term career with the company. Luckily, the “dream job” question gives you the chance to speak about how you wish to develop yourself professionally within the business. Let's say that you do land this job, what does the future hold for you? Will you be looking to take a step up in the years to come? Will you be pushing for a promotion? What plans do you have already?

There's nothing wrong with showing some ambition . While you don't want to turn around and say your “dream job” is CEO of the company, you can be honest and say you'd like to manage a team. You might talk about how you plan to learn and develop your existing skill set in the position at hand, and then take your newfound knowledge to new heights.  

Speak about your ideal company culture 

The company culture is the shared vision, values, and attitudes that staff members have. When the “dream job” question comes up, it's a smart time to start speaking about your ideal company culture. What do you expect from the business? How do your existing morals align with what you've seen from this company? Wherever possible, you should relate this part of your answer back to the business and the position you're going for.

Dream job examples that will impress interviewers

If you find yourself facing this interview question, you shouldn't be highlighting specific job titles. However, you can give some generic positions that showcase where you see your career going in the future. If you're looking to pique the hiring manager's interest, let them know that you have a career game plan. Here are some dream job examples: 

Supervisor 

Manager  

Team leader 

Head of department 

Senior executive

You may choose to weave these terms into your answer. Rather than sharing that you want a specific job title, these names signify positions in the company. By sliding these into your response, you let the interviewer know just how ambitious you are. While your goal shouldn't be outlandish, it can pay off to let them know how high you've set your sights.

“What is my dream job?” example answers

Ready to plan out your answer? While the response you use will be unique to your experiences and goals, it's worth looking at the examples below for some inspiration. Each of the answers that we cover focuses on one approach you may choose to use: 

Example 1: Talk about your talents

“My dream job would see me working closely with a variety of big name clients. I have a passion for getting to know each client on a personal level and understanding their unique needs. I would love the opportunity to further develop my interpersonal skills and create long-term professional relationships with brands from all around the globe.”

The above answer focuses on one element of the position or field, rather than being too broad. It covers one of the candidate's core skills and further explains how they use that talent when they're on the job. The response also shows that the person is passionate about building a long-term career and expanding on the talents they already possess. Rather than highlighting a position or job title, the answer talks about an aspect of the job.

Example 2: Focus on your values

“I'm looking for a position that aligns with my core value of helping others and spurring positive change. Over the years, I've volunteered with action groups that work with underprivileged communities. I am truly passionate about supporting those who are less fortunate than myself and believe that I have the skill-set to do so. For that reason, my dream job would be within a third-sector business, geared towards supporting others.”

This next example focuses on the person's specific values and delves into why they've chosen this career path. It shows the interviewer that the candidate has a true love for the work that they do and that they are serious about scoping out a career within this sector. Additionally, by mentioning their previous voluntary work, the candidate provides evidence of their interest in the industry. That simple anecdote may be enough to land them the job.

Example 3: Highlight your aspirations  

“As a people person, I relish the chance to collaborate with a wider team. In my most recent position, I was in charge of overseeing a small team, allowing me to develop my leadership style. So, in my dream job, I would like to further hone this skill. I'm keen to take on more responsibility and share my knowledge with others. With that in mind, I would be aiming to reach a managerial position in the future.”

With this answer, the candidate reflects on the lessons that they've learned in their existing job and talks about where they see their career heading. Instead of stating the exact position they would be aiming for, they speak about becoming a manager. This approach tells the interviewer that they have career progression plans beyond the role. 

Example 4: Express a desire to learn

“My ideal job would be one in which I can develop my skills. One of the things that has attracted me to the role at this company is the training scheme you offer. As someone who is always excited about the prospect of learning and educating myself, I would appreciate the opportunity to grow my skill set within the business. I'd then hope to take those talents into a higher level position within the company.” 

If the position will afford you the chance to learn new things or even gain qualifications, it may be a smart move to focus on that. Switching your answer around to include your desire to expand your knowledge is never going to work against you. For one thing, this move shows that you've read the job specification. It also allows you to assure the hiring manager that you're a good investment for the business, as you will stick around. 

How not to answer this particular question 

Now that we've covered the ways that you should answer this question, there's one final thing you should know. Believe it or not, there is a wrong answer that you should avoid at all costs and it may be the first thing you think of. Don't say that the job for which you are applying is your dream job. This answer sounds entirely insincere - and it likely is. 

When you give a knee-jerk reaction like this one, it tells the interviewer that you haven't given the question any real thought. Instead, you've blurted out what you think they want to hear. That can come across as smarmy and fake. You can leave the flattery at the door.

Go into the interview well prepared

If you're preparing for your next interview , don't forget to ask yourself “what is my dream job?” and draft an answer to this question. You don't want to be caught off guard when you're in the hot seat. Having at least a brief idea of how you can respond means that you won't stumble over your words. You may want to jot down some notes or even bullet-point what you may say. That way, should the question rear its ugly head, you will have a razor-sharp reply. 

Acing interviews doesn't have to be challenging. If you want to give yourself a competitive edge, our expert TopInterview coaches can guide you through things.

Recommended reading: 

Struggling With Interview Anxiety? Here's How to Overcome It

The Art of the Interview: From Fear to Fun

Struggled With Interviewing This Year? We Can Help!

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“Runnin’ Down a Dream: How to Succeed and Thrive in a Career You Love”

This speech was originally delivered at the McCombs School at the University of Texas by Bill Gurley, a venture capitalist at Benchmark Capital.

Speech Transcript

Thanks for having me. Believe it or not, I’ve been thinking about giving this particular presentation for about a decade. I’ve been talking to the administration. I was inspired after studying the stories of three people that you might call luminaries. They were probably heroes of mine when I read about them, and I noticed an overlap of pattern amongst them. That’s what I’m here to talk about. Now, how many people in the room have heard of the phrase Dream Job? Raise your hand. All right, everybody has heard the phrase, so you know what it means. It means chasing a career where you just have immense passion. My partner Kevin Harvey has a phrase that I love, and he says, “Life is a use or lose it proposition.” For most humans, they take one career path. If you’ve only got one shot, and then it’s all over why not do what makes you most happy?

By the way, one of the reasons this is the audience, and I want to thank you for being here, this is the audience I wanted to do this presentation to first because I think coming to an MBA program is this amazingly unique opportunity you have. You’ve had your undergrad degree. You’ve worked a little bit, and now you have this chance to go do whatever you want. It’s an amazing pivot point. For me, you’re the opportune audience for this, and, obviously, I wanted to come back to Texas to do it. Thanks for having me.

What I’m going to do first is I’m going to start by telling three stories of these luminaries, and then after that I’m going to walk through five guidelines that I’ve inferred from what they did. Then there’s some special stories at the end as well. I’m going to start in Orville, Ohio. Anyone know what company was founded in Orville in 1897? I’ll give you 20 bucks if anybody knows, Smucker’s. That has nothing to do with this presentation.

The first gentleman I’m talking about is a guy named Robert Montgomery that grew up in Orville. This is in 1940, and this is what the town looked like when he did. He attended Orville High School where he was a three-sport letter man, baseball, football, basketball. He was lucky enough one of his neighbors knew the coach, Fred Taylor at Ohio State, and he was able to get a spot on a really good basketball team. This is Robert, number 24. He’s a point guard. That’s him peering into the huddle. That’s Fred Taylor, the coach of Ohio State at the time.

Robert wasn’t a starter. He came off the bench, and he didn’t get a ton of minutes, but this team had John Havlicek and John Cuzzie. His sophomore year they won the national championship. They played in the national championship his junior and senior year. Those two players that I mentioned went onto the NBA, and Robert went into coaching. He spent his first year as a JV coach at a high school, and then finagled his way onto the staff at Army. At 22, he was an assistant at Army, the Black Knights. They played here in Gillis Field House.

When he was 24 the head coach retired, and he begged for the job. This is him signing the contract. At 24, he became head coach of a D-1 school. Now, what ended up making Robert successful, from my point of view, isn’t what happened inside the four walls of the gym where they practiced every day. It’s what he did outside. In the first five years of his coaching career he befriended five of the top basketball minds on the East Coast. This is Red Auerbach, so Havlicek went to Boston, and Red was the coach at the time. He was able to build a relationship through that.

This is Joe Lapchick. Clair Bee coached at Long Island University and has the best record of any coach in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Robert met Clair when he was 25. When he was 27, Robert drove Clair to Clair’s induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame and sat next to him. The next one is Henry Iba. He coached 36 years at Oklahoma State and was, at the time, probably one of the most successful basketball coaches of all time. That’s Evert Dean from Indiana, and he met all of them and became friends. Two of them Lapchick and Iba, he just went to a coaches’ luncheon where he knew they were going to be, and he begged, he said,”Can I sit next to you?” That’s how he met both of them. Then he kept following up and hanging out.

A year later he met Pete Newell. Pete was the greatest basketball mind on the West Coast at the time. They became fast friends. Years later Pete would induct Robert into the Basketball Hall of Fame. He didn’t limit his peer network to basketball coaches. He met football coaches as well. This was the coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, Bo Schembechler, who would go on to coach at Michigan, was his assistant on the basketball team at Army. He met Bill Parcells around the same time, way before Bill became a star in the National League. Then Doc Counsilman was the long-time swimming coach at Indiana, and also someone that Robert became friends with.

Now, I’m using the name Robert to obscure things a little bit. I’m talking about Bobby Knight. At age 31 Bobby Knight became head coach at Indiana University. Five years later at 36 they went undefeated, both in the regular season and the post season, and won the national championship. That’s never been repeated since in over four decades. At Indiana, he would win three national championships, four coach of the year awards, 11 Big 10 titles, and when he retired he had 902 victories, the most of any coach at the time. As I said, Pete Newell inducted Bobby into the Hall of Fame.

I’m going to move onto the next story, and then I’ll circle back, and you’ll see where I’m going. Now I’m going to start in Hibbing, Minnesota. This is about two or three hours north of Minnesota. Another Robert, Robert Zimmerman, grew up in Hibbing. That’s what Hibbing looked like when he was young. Even though it’s pretty far north in Minnesota, there’s a bit of an urban environment. Robert loved music, and in this early photo he’s got a drum. He got a guitar when he was 10 years old, and by high school was playing in a band regularly. They used to cover Elvis and Little Richard. His yearbook says that he’s likely to join Little Richard. That didn’t happen.

What happened was he went to the University of Minnesota. He didn’t go to class. He was hanging out in this place called Dinky Town, which is this photo right here. At the time, and this is late 50s, early 60s, there’s a lot of new stuff happening. Even though he grew up playing rock and roll, he fell in love with folk music. Over, I would say, eight or nine months he studied every folk album he possibly could. He didn’t have a lot of money. Back in the time you could walk into a record store and listen in a booth. He would do that for hours and hours and hours. He became friends with people that also liked folk music, but had money. He would go to their house and listen to their record collection. He’s even accused of having “borrowed” their records and not returned them, which is a point of controversy even still today.

The next thing that happened, I think, is one of the most ambitious actions anyone that I know has taken to pursue their dream job. He hitch-hiked from Minneapolis to New York City. He had a guitar, a suitcase and $10, and it’s 1,200 miles. If you ask him today why he did it, he’ll talk a little bit about chasing the performers, so this is Dave Van Ronk, Peggy Seeger, the New Lost City Ramblers, these were people he was listening to in Minnesota, but these people were in New York City, and so he wanted to see them.

There was really one person he wanted to see, which is Woody Guthrie. Woody Guthrie had become his hero. If you just go to Wikipedia, once you find out who this is, if you don’t know already, he went to New York to find Woody Guthrie. That was his pursuit because he had come to have this affection and love for the way Woody played, and he wanted to know everything he possibly could about it.

He went to New York. He found Woody Guthrie. He used to perform for him. Then he started hanging out at these three venues, the Café Wha?, The Gaslight Café and Gerde’s Folk City. This was the epicenter of folk music at the time, and he would sit in each of these venues for hours upon hours and study what the other artists were doing. Years later Liam Clancy would say, “He could perform any one of our songs like us, including tonality, tempo, everything,” so he was a mimic. He was studying, studying, studying. He got a big break. He was asked to open for John Lee Hooker at Gerde’s one day, and his career got started.

This gentleman is Joe Hammond. He was the producer for Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Count Basie. One day he walked in and found this gentleman, 1961. I think he’s 22, 23, something like that. The next year Robert Zimmerman changes his name to Bob Dylan. John releases the first album. The album does okay. In ’63 they released The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. This album goes to number 22 in the U.S. and number one in the UK. From there everything was off and to the races. In ’63 he performed at the march on Washington with Joan Baez where Martin Luther King spoke his famous speech. A year later he performed for the first time with Johnny Cash, another one of his heroes. Johnny gave him a guitar and asked if he could record several of his song. Johnny asked Bob if he could record his songs, which he did.

The rest is history, as they say, 100 million albums sold, 11 Grammys, an Oscar, an Emmy. He was introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and then he took it to a whole new level, a Kennedy Center Award with Clinton, Barack Obama gave him a Medal of Freedom, and then he topped it off with something that’s never been done. He won the Nobel Prize in literature. The only musician ever to be given such an award. That happened two years ago, amazing story.

All right, this one you won’t know as well, but it’s equally inspiring. Saint Louis, Missouri, the person this time is named Daniel. He grew up in Saint Louis. His father was an intelligence officer in the military, and moved around Europe quite a bit. After the war ended his father became a travel agent, and his mother worked with him, and so they traveled quite a bit. Now, because they were travel agents his mom told him he had to journal everything, so he was forced to go on vacation and take notes. He wasn’t that interested in travel, but he loved food. When he went back and looked at all the journal notes he had always taken, they were always about the food they were eating wherever they were. He started to associate different places with the food that he went to.

He went to John Boroughs High School in Saint Louis. Ended up at Trinity College in Connecticut where he would spend every weekend in New York City eating food because that’s what he was passionate about. He got a poly-sci major. He went and work on a campaign for a year, wasn’t that interesting to him, so he went back to New York. Robert Zimmerman was chasing folk music, Danny was chasing food. His personal life was all about what he could do, and going to different restaurants and exploring.

He went to work for Check Point. They make those things that you attach to clothes in the store so that when you walk out the beeper goes off. This was early in Check Point’s life. He did incredibly well there, and within a year was making 125K a year as a salesman, which, he spent the most of it on food in New York City. One night he was out to eat with his uncle and his aunt and his grandmother at Elio’s, a restaurant that’s open.

He told him that he was studying for the LSAT. He was going to take the LSAT next year and go up his career ladder again and become a lawyer, to which his uncle replied, “Will you just stop it? Why don’t you go open a restaurant? You know that’s what you’re supposed to do.” Caught him a little off-guard, but woke him up. The next day he took the LSAT. He never sent the scores to a single school. Never applied to a single school. He quit his job as a salesman, and went to work at a restaurant called Pesca in the front office for $12,500 a year, so he took a 10x salary reduction.

The reason he chose Pesca is there was a chef there, an up-and-coming chef called Michael Romano. He wanted to be around this gentleman. He would work during the day in the front office, and then at night he’d beg to do the slop work in the kitchen just so he could get exposure to what was happening there. He was also taking a wine class at night, and he met this gentleman who happened to be the head or one of the top restaurant critics for the New York Times. They started hanging out together and going to different restaurants and talking and learning.

He did something really interesting. He made a list of 12 icons in the restaurant industry. These were new people that were doing innovative things around opening new high-end restaurants. Wolfgang Puck is the first one, but there were 12 different. A lot of these people are on celebrity chef shows today. He started studying them. He created a notebook for each and every one of them, what makes them special, what do they do unique? He started looking at their recipes.

Then he got even bolder and decided to go to Europe. He took every single one of the connections he had, both in the restaurant industry and the travel industry through his parents, plus when he was at Trinity he would go do tours in Europe for his parents, and so he had a lot of connections, and he did this. Now, I just had to look this up for the presentation. It’s a stagiaire, which I think is a fancy French word for, “I’ll work in a restaurant for free,” because that’s what he did. One of the restaurants that he worked in he had to pay $500 a month, which I ran the math, and that’s equal to a negative 25 thousand K a year salary. He’s gone from making 125 to 12, to now he’s upside down 25.

What he does is what you think he would do. He studies, so in each and every one of these places, each and every one of these restaurants he’s watching the chef. He’s watching the recipes. He goes on the sourcing trips to see how they pick food out of markets or from different fish markets. He just takes tons of notes. He looks at the décor, he looks at the wine list. On the way home from this nine-month journey he said it took the entire eight and a half hour flight just to organize the notes.

When he gets back to New York he’ll spend another six or seven months searching a hundred locations to find the very best location to launch his first restaurant. He’s 27 years old when he opened his Union Square Café. This is Danny Meyer for those of you that might know who he is. I love this quote. He’s most proud of the studying he did on his own, not the studying that he did at Trinity College. He viewed this as the best work he had ever done as a student. Union Square Café is still open today, 11 times Zagat has said it’s the very best restaurant in New York. Danny Meyer would go on to launch 16 high-end restaurants in New York City, four have won Michelin Stars. He is the undisputed king of high-end restaurants in New York City, but he wasn’t done.

A lot of these restaurants, Danny would open in areas that needed re-gentrification. He had a philosophy that if he could build a restaurant it could become the bespoke place that people go, and then the community would evolve, that he would get a lift alongside that. He, typically, would look for areas that were on the rise, but needed help. One area that needed a lot of help was Madison Square Park, which wasn’t far from Union Square. He and a bunch of other business people helped launch the Madison Square Conservancy that rebuilt the park. A few years after that happened they started improving the park. There was a decision made to allow there to be a restaurant in the center of the park. He applied, got the bid, and won. That was the location of the first Shake Shack.

A while later I’m going to go through something so you’ll see the work that went into launching the first Shake Shack. If you go to the first Shake Shack, it doesn’t look like this. If you want to eat it looks like this when it’s open. There’s always a line. I got to know Danny on the Open Table board. We worked together for over a decade, and he used to tell me I had to keep it a secret, but that this single venue made way-more profit than any of the white table cloth restaurants that he owned. Of course, fast-forward today. There’s 190 Shake Shacks around the world. 2015 they took Shake Shack public on the NYSC, and it’s now worth 2.2 billion. I think there’s one here in Austin, correct?

These were the three stories. I had read them all independently, and I noticed that there was a similar strain that was running through each and every one of these stories. Now I’ve organized that, and I want to talk to you about it. The first one is the one that I can provide the least amount of help with you about because I don’t know what your passions are. My first piece of advice would be to find your passion. Pick a profession in which you have a deep, personal interest.

There’s nothing that’s going to make you be more successful than if you love doing what you’re doing because you’re going to work harder than anybody else because it’s going to feel like work. It’s going to feel like fun. I think this is the most important decision you can possibly make in a career, is to make sure you have immense passion for what you’re doing. This should be your personal passion, not your parents, not your sister’s, not your family generation of expectation. It needs to be something that you’re doing on your own. It might be that your passionate about the same thing as your parents. You don’t have to run from them, but you need to know that this is something you’re doing on your own.

Then, I also mention status and compensation. There are a lot of high-profile careers that make a lot of money, and they’re generally perceived to be areas where successful people go. If you run at those things and don’t have a passion for them you’re going to burn out eventually. It’s not going to be where you want to be. The last point is just you can’t fake it. Somebody else sitting in some other MBA program has a deep passion for whatever career path you’re going down, and they’re going to smoke you if you don’t have it yourself.

This is one of my favorite quotes from Bobby Knight. He says, “Everybody has the will to win. People don’t have the will to practice.” I think this is the test for whether or not you’re actually pursuing your dream job, which is the essence of it that would be considered studying or work or practice, do you enjoy that part? Do you enjoy the preparation? Everybody enjoys winning. Do you enjoy the preparation?

The second of the five guidelines I’d have for you is hone your craft constantly. It’s extremely important to be obsessive about understanding everything you possibly can about your craft. Consider it an obligation. Hold yourself accountable. That requires you to keep learning over time. Study the history, know the pioneers. It’s the bedrock foundation for what you’re going to build upon, and it will help you in networking that you’re able to talk the language of the people that came before you.

Strive to know more than everyone else about your particular craft. That can be in a subgroup. What do I mean by that? Let’s say you love E-sports. Let’s just say you’ve decided multiplayer gaming E-sports, like, this is it for you. You grew up gaming, “I love it.” All right? Within the first six months of being in this program you should be the most knowledgeable person at McCombs in E-sports. That’s doable. You should be able to do that. Then, by the end of your first year you should be top five of all MBA students, and, hopefully, when you exit your second year you’re number one of any MBA student out there. It doesn’t mean you’re the best E-sports person in the world, but you’ve separated yourself from everyone else that’s out there. I can’t make you the smartest or the brightest, but it’s quite doable to be the most knowledgeable. It’s possible to gather more information than somebody else, especially today.

Then, lastly, and this is a bit of a caveat, depending on what it is that you’re chasing, you might want to go to where the epicenter is. The reason is there’s just more networking available there if that’s where the great people are. The next two bullet points will tie into that. This is an interesting story from Bobby Knight’s biography. His second time he met with Pete Newell he walked into the room. This guy’s like 32, Pete Newell is one of the most famous basketball coaches ever. He walks into the room with 74 plays diagrammed on three by five cards, sits down in the middle of the floor and says, “Hey, Pete, come go through these with me.” I don’t know if it’s audacious or brilliant or what, but some people would consider that over-the-top, but to get the number one mentor you can possibly find and make them go through that amount of tedious work, but he did it. Pete did it. They both learned from it, which is interesting.

These quotes from the movie “No Direction Home”, Martin Scorsese did against Dylan, really highlight the point that I’m trying to drive home to you. Most people would think, “Eh, Bob Dylan, folk singer. Probably just had the DNA, or got lucky or something.” He was studying. He used the word, “I’m a musical expeditionary.” I looked up expeditionary. An expedition is to travel for scientific research or exploration. That’s what Dylan was doing. There was no one that knew more about folk music than he did when he broke out. He knew more than anybody. Another guy in Minneapolis that knew him called him a sponge. Then this, “There’s a ruthlessness in the way Dylan finds sources, uses them and moves on,” constantly gathering information and putting it into his own repertoire.

I’m going to read from Danny’s book for you because I want to drive home this point of studying. You can see I’m a huge fan of Danny. I’ve got all these markers here. He’s one of the most genuine humans I’ve ever met. He has a restaurant in New York called Blue Smoke, which is actually a barbecue place. When they were thinking about launching that he says, “In the barbecue, within the 35 mile radius of Austin and the Texas hill country lie five towns I revere. Each with a distinctly different style of barbecue. The elements of barbecue are limited, ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chop mince pork, sausage, chicken, coleslaw, beans and a handful of sides, but it’s become an American culinary language with thousands of dialects and accents. I tried to understand each variation.

During one 36 hour road trip through North Carolina I tasted 14 variations on chopped pork, each defined by subtle and dramatic differences in texture, the degree and type of smoke used, the amount of tomato or vinegar in the sauce, how much heat was applied to the meat and how well or how much or how little crackling got chopped up and tossed in.” That’s the level of detail he thinks about food.

I really like this one because it has to do with Shake Shack, but, “As soon as we won the bid Richard Corrine, my most enthusiastic researcher of road food, and I set off to study burger and shake stands all over the country. We started out, of course, at Ted Drew’s Steak and Shake in Saint Lewis,” which he grew up eating. “Continued on to Kansas City, and individually made stops in Michigan, Culver’s, Los Angeles, In-N-Out Burger, Napa, Taylor’s Automatic Refreshers, Chicago, Gold Coast Dogs, plus eight other establishments. Connecticut,” and he names three or four. “Always in search of the best of breed.” That’s how they did research for Shake Shack. I think it drives home this point of like understand more than anybody else.

This is a bit of an aside. Does anybody know this painting? This is a painting called First Communion. It was painted by Pablo Picasso when he was 15 years old. Most people, I think, are brought up, and they’re told about Picasso in their first art class. You look at these cubism pictures, and someone will say, “Oh, a seven year old could do that.” What they don’t know that Picasso was a trained classic artist and had mastered it by the time he was 15. He had spent time studying the way you would if you had set out to be the greatest painter in the world, and that’s why I made this statement, “Greatness isn’t random, it’s earned.” If you’re going to research something, this is your lucky day. Information is freely available on the internet. That’s the good news. The bad news is you have zero excuse for not being the most knowledgeable in any subject you want because it’s right there at your fingertip, and it’s free, which is excellent.

Three: Develop mentors in your field. I don’t know if any of you will ever dare to be as aggressive as Dylan, hitch-hiking 1,200 miles to find your mentor, but that might be the type of attitude you want to think about in the back of your mind as you pursue mentors. Take every chance you can to find somebody who can teach you about the field you want to excel in. You can work your way up the stack. You don’t have to jump straight to the top on day one. Treat them with respect. Debate things, learn from them. Document what you hear, share it with others. Try to get these mentors interested in you and your own development. How do you do this? Send them notes. Tell them when you use their advice to be successful. Send them gifts when you have accomplishments. Get them bought in. One of the reason American Idol works because you start voting or cheering for somebody, and not all of a sudden you feel like you’re part of that process, right? Get them to feel that way about your own success.

Then, on the mentor thing, never stop. You’ve got to keep on pursuing. I had the remarkable fortune this year in my 20th year as an investor to meet Stan Druckenmiller and Howard Marks. They’re two people I’ve admired for a very long time. I read everything that they write any time they speak. I got to sit down with both of them for a couple of hours and talk about investing. It was awesome. The things that they pushed on changed some of the actions that I’m taking today in my work.

I’d already walked you through these examples. Every one of these three luminaries had a mentor that was important to them. Funny story, last week when I was preparing for this presentation I was rereading Danny’s book, and I went back to this notion when he was 25 and he made this list of people that he considered to be icons in the industry. I texted him and I said, “Danny, how many of those 12 icons have you ended up establishing a relationship with?” He sent me this emoji back. I was thrilled that he knew how to use emojis. He went on to tell me that four of them have become close, personal friends. I think it just documents this point I’m making about how searching for mentors and leaning on mentors is a never-ending task.

Four: Embrace peers in your field. Develop a relationship with them. Have discussions. Have arguments. This is a way you learn. This is a way that ideas get shared. This is a way you hone and innovate ideas. This is one thing I wish someone had told me. When I got to MBA school everybody said, “Network, network, network,” and I thought it was a social activity. I thought they were telling me, “Oh, you need to develop your social skills,” and they want me to randomly talk to people that I have no similar interests with. What I’ve come to realize is, no, it’s not about that. It’s about connecting with the people that you have the most overlap with because you’ll be able to help each other along the way, along the journey.

Always share best practices and don’t worry about giving any proprietary knowledge. It’s a good trade. It’s just smart. If you get caught in worrying about it, you’re going to fail to advance. The activity of sharing with mentors and peers will lead to so many positive things that help you go up, that whatever the negative costs are aren’t going to come anywhere close. Celebrate your peers’ accomplishments as if they were your own. Cheer them, send them notes, be happy for them. That will come back to you in spades.

Then, lastly, peers don’t need to be in your exact field. Bobby Knight had sat down with a swimming coach and got knowledge. Some of the entrepreneurs I work with and CEOs find that it’s more interesting to go to a conference on a topic that’s a little bit far away because they get more innovative ideas that they can bring back to their field. It doesn’t have to be this close. It can be spread out.

Now, most of you know that this is the way you’re supposed to network online, and you should certainly have a LinkedIn profile, and you should certainly connect with people. I’ll give you one piece of advice, which is, I’d be a little stingy with who you link to. I have a rule where I only want to link to people that I would call and trust their advice because then when I’m searching for a candidate that I want a reference on or something I don’t get random answers. I get people that I know I’m going to use. I think people over proliferate their LinkedIn account.

But, and for those of you who were here yesterday, I think there is a much more incredible resource, not an alternative, you should do this and Twitter. Twitter is the most amazing networking and learning network ever built. For someone that’s pursuing their dream job or chasing a group of mentors or peers it’s remarkable. In any given field 50% to 80% of the top experts in that field are in Twitter, and they’re sharing ideas, and you can connect to them and follow them in your personal feed. If you get lucky enough and say something they find interesting they might follow you. The reason this becomes super-interesting is that unlocks direct message. Now all of a sudden you can communicate directly electronically whenever you want with that individual, very, very powerful. If you’re not using Twitter you’re missing out. I don’t even own any shares anymore.

Last one, this should be obvious to people, but always give the majority of the credit to the other people that helped you up along the way. One, it’s the right thing do to, and, two, it’ll keep you from being an asshole when you’re successful. I find all the greats do it. It’s the right thing to do. Send letters, send gifts, anytime you accomplish something in your career take the time to send messages back to the people that helped you.

I’ll tell you a personal story that’s quite serious that’ll help reinforce this. My favorite professor when I was here was Jim Fredrickson who, many of you know, passed away this year. Along the way along my journey three or four times I took the time to write him a letter, send him a note, send him a gift and tell him what an impact he had had on me. When he passed I didn’t have all this anxiety like, “Oh, I didn’t get a chance to tell him.” I took the chances to tell him, and I would encourage you guys to do that type of stuff along the way.

Then, lastly, eventually you’ve got to pay it back. You become the mentor, people start reaching out to you. Make sure you take the time. Here are a few examples of that. This is Bobby Knight. Shortly after one of his sessions with Pete Newell and the next year Indiana’s playing one of Pete’s teams. They end up in a tournament together. Bobby uses the stuff that Pete taught him and beats Pete on the field. He recalled that notion in the book, and he said, “You know, if Pete was willing to do that for me, I’ve got to do it for everybody else.”

Let me show you statistically a little bit of the impact of what Bobby did later in his career. This is from Wikipedia. These are Bobby’s former players that are coaching either D-1 or NBA, and this is his former coaches that are coaching D-1 or NBA. It’s an immense legacy of people that he developed that went on to be successful. If any deep, deep basketball fans in the room they know that his point guard at Army was none other Mike Krzyzewski, who is one of two people that have now passed him on career wins, 902. Krzyzewski asked Bobby Knight to induct him into the Hall of Fame, which is a moving video you can go watch on YouTube if you’re interested.

This is Danny. He’s probably the most wonderful human, or certainly one of the most wonderful humans I’ve ever met in my life. He talks here about graciousness. It’s evident in every single thing that he does, how he talks to people, how he treats his staff. His book is worth reading, if you get a chance. As you can see, I’m a huge fan.

Now I’m going to tell you two more stories, if we have time. The reason, once again, that I wanted to talk to an MBA class is because an MBA degree, and when you’re here, is an opportune time to chase your dream job. The next two stories I’m going to tell you are more contemporary. They both involve using an MBA program as a way to pivot into success.

Now we’re in Marlow, Oklahoma. All these are in the Midwest. Sam is my next contestant. Sam grew up in Marlow. His father worked at Halliburton, which is in Duncan, a little bitty town right near. He went to Marlow High School where he also was a multi-sport athlete. Unfortunately, he was five-nine and 140, so he didn’t get to keep playing in college. I’m about to show you the university he attended, and you’ll know what to do. There we go. Okay, perfect. He went to the University of Oklahoma, ended up going to Bane. I think he actually worked anybody Bane Capital. He was pursuing his career path like he thought he was supposed to. They relocated in Sydney.

He’s sitting in one of these high-rises overlooking the Sydney Opera House, and he hears about this book, Money Ball by Michael Lewis. He reads it in three days. He can’t get it out of his head. It’s consumed him. He decides immediately, not unlike Danny, in the restaurant that this is what he has to do. He starts applying to business schools. He gets accepted at Harvard and Stanford. In deciding which one he’s going to go to he goes and he asks for tons of meetings with the schools, and he tells him what he’s going to do, “I’m going to get a job in sports analytics, come hell or high water.” He claims Harvard looks at him like he’s crazy. The Stanford staff says, “Come on. That’d be awesome. We want to introduce you to everyone that we know.”

He shows up at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Lo and behold, they have a sports management class. Lo and behold, Billy Bean from the Oakland A’s and the Money Ball book is speaking his first semester. He gets to know Billy Bean. Billy Bean introduces him to Michael Lewis. They start spending time together. Michael lives in Oakland. The school lets him get to know people at the Niner’s organization, and at several sports organizations all over the country. He combines it with hard work. He says he sent a hundred letters out to get summer interns. He ends up with one at the Texans. When he gets back from that Michael Lewis asks him to come over and talk football because he’s working on the Blindside, so he helps Michael Lewis on the Blindside.

Eventually he gets a job with the Houston Rockets. He spent two and a half hours with Lex Alexander. Lex hires him at, I believe, 27 years old. Nine months later the Rockets hired Daryl Morey, and the two of them worked together for seven years, I think, and built the best basketball sports analytics department in the country. Daryl won executive of the year last year at the Rockets.

At age 35 Sam Hinkie’s named general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers. This is, what, like nine years after he read Money Ball looking over the Sydney Opera House. For those of you that know the story, there’s some good and some bad. Sam and Daryl had spent a lot of time studying the ways you could turn a program around. I’ve had long discussions with Daryl about it. It’s fascinating the way they think through it. If you’re in a particularly tough spot, the only way to do it is to shed your talent, improve your salary cap room, let your young players get tons of playing time, and win through the draft. Now, that’s the plan Sam took, and like any good entrepreneur or business person he told all his constituents, “It’s about the long-term, not the short-term. You’ve got to stay with me on this.” He wrote tons of letters. He’s very thoughtful. He’s very smart.

That strategy led to three of the worst seasons in the history of the NBA, but it also led to the drafting of Joel Embiid, who has become a close, personal friend of Sam’s. Some of you may know the rest of the story. Eventually, the ownership got tired of this strategy and cut ties with Sam. About that exact same moment in time everything started getting better, and they started winning. There were a few fans that supported him along the way, and there were signs that are way worse than this one, “Now we’re stinky, but I trust Hinkie.”

Today, for those of you that know, Vegas has the Sixers as the number-two team in the East right now. This is Durant. I chose the Texas jersey on purpose instead of the Warriors, talking about how they’re the team to watch. Barkley goes further. He says if they stay healthy this will be a team to watch for 10 years. Three years are bad, 10 years are good. That’s a pretty good trade if you’re willing to make it. Not everyone was able to make it. Sam now is, especially in basketball circles, I hope he never goes back to basketball because it’ll be more legendary that way. This phrase, this meme is now an internet meme that’s outside of basketball, but some of the players started using this phrase when they were losing games and people were upset, “Trust the process.” No one used it more than Joel, and no one’s a bigger fan of Hinkie’s than Joel, which frustrates the ownership to no end. They’re still missing a GM right now. They’re having trouble finding one.

This is the new meme, which is a little more aspirational. During the draft when they drafted Ben Simmons there’s a video on the web of a sports bar in Philly where they got everyone together for the draft. Before the draft they raised a banner of Hinkie and retired it. Joel won’t stop, so this last year. Hinkie, I think, in a little bit of a jab, the Astros, for those of you who don’t know, was also an analytics turnaround. When the Astros won last year Hinkie wrote, “I love it when a plan comes together.” Then Joel threw both memes back, “Trust the process. He died for our sins.” Then someone in Philly did this. This is a little over-the-top. You’ve got the resurrection with the players. I think it’s an amazing story. One fun part about this, Sam’s now back at Stanford. He’s teaching two courses there. He may play two separate dream jobs. He’s hanging out with startups, venture capitalist, and he may do it all over again, which I think is really cool.

All right, last one. This one’s very near and dear to my heart. There’s an executive I work with named Katrina Lake. She grew up in San Francisco, but she went to high school in Minnesota. I use the map of Minnesota so they could all be from the Midwest. I like that story better. This is the high school she went to. She went to Stanford, thought she was going to be premed, ended up not liking it very much, got an economics major. Went to work at a consulting firm called Parthenon. They had a number of clients in the retail and fashion space. She noticed that she had an affection for that and started hanging around those clients and focusing on those clients.

While she was visiting those places she kept asking herself questions like, “Why does this work this way?” She told me she was in a department store, and she’s like, “Why are these clothes out here? Why isn’t there just like one here, and you press a button and then it’s put into your dressing room because you keep all the inventory in the back where you could stack it better?” She just kept saying, “Why? Why? Why? Why is this stuff organized this way?”

Finally, she decided, “I’m going to go do something about this,” and she came up with a notion of a company that would be a personal shopper for everybody. She didn’t quite know how to launch it, so she decided to use her MBA program as a way to launch it. She told me that she planned to graduate, but not a much higher bar from a classroom perspective, but she wanted to use the platform as a way to build a company.

She ended up at Harvard. The first thing she did was scoured LinkedIn and the alumni directory to find anybody that had anything to do with fashion. She was mostly interested in sourcing and merchandising because she didn’t have any knowledge there. She found all kind of contacts in New York. She made personal trips, asked for meetings, not unlike the other people that I’ve showed you.

Next, she found two founders that had launched startups. This is Joann from Trunk Club and Craig from Shop It To Me, in a similar space, but were a little different. She got them on the phone. She wanted to hear if what she was thinking about was different and better than what they had done because she wanted it to be different and better. There was a professor at Harvard that had run, had been CEO of a retail store named José Alvarez. She started writing drafts of what she wanted to do and got him to push back. At first, he was very skeptical, but she said the back and forth helped her and modified her plan quite a bit.

In the summer she went to, actually, a company we were invested in called Polyvore, which was a social fashion site where people aggregated likes on the web. Sukhinder Singh, who had run a huge chunk of the revenue at Google, was CEO there, so she built that relationship. She also got to study how fashion websites spend time with bloggers.

After graduating, she came to San Francisco to launch her company. She did two things that are miraculous for me from a mentoring standpoint. The first one is she found Eric Colson. He ran all of data science at Netflix. You remember the million dollar prize, all that stuff. That was under Eric. He had recently retired from Netflix and was looking for something to inspire him, and she did. He became an advisor to the company. Marka Hansen was over 20 years at GAP in merchandising, marketing, same story. Katrina found her, Marka was very exited about helping Katrina. Marka’s still on the board today. Marka would spend a day a week, a day a month in the early days at the company helping her almost the way an executive chairman would.

She then found two other people, John Fleming was CEO of Walmart.com. Julie Bornstein I worked with back at Nordstrom years ago. She was CMO at Sephora and hanging out in San Francisco. She put Julie on the board. Then a feat I’ve never seen before, she recruited Eric and Julie off the board and into the company. They both work there. Julie as COO and Eric as head of data analytics, where he is still today. The company has 95 data scientists at a fashion company.

This is her at the very beginning. She’s trying to figure out exactly what they were going to do. For those of you that don’t know how it works, Katrina Lake runs a company called Stitch Fix. You fill out a 15 page profile about yourself. You give a lot of information, way more information than any other retailer has on you. Then you press a button. A stylist looks at your profile and picks five items. The stylist is sitting in front of a dashboard. There’s a keep score for every single item in our inventory for every single shopper that’s out there, unique to that individual shopper. As you buy more the data science studies what you like, what you don’t like, and that’s how the system works.

I was lucky enough to become an investor in this company, even though it has inventory, has a lot of inventory. There’s five warehouses today. Along the way as it was starting to succeed this article ran, which was a nice tie to the last one. Forbes called her, “Fashionista Money Ball.” There are certainly elements that would cause that correlation. In her third year she went profitable. She only consumed 20 million dollars of venture capital in the company’s life. When we went public there was 100 million in cash on the balance sheet. At year five she hit a billion in revenues.

At age 34 she became the youngest founder, CEO, female founder, CEO ever last fall when we took Stitch Fix public. That’s me hiding in the back. I think one thing that really differentiates Katrina, if she were here today, she’d certainly be proud of this story, but I think she’s more proud of how she’s been able to use the platform to speak out on social change. This was an infographic that they released about a year ago. 31% of the engineers are female, 60% of the board, 62% of the management team and 86% of the entire org. She’s not afraid to speak out on topics like this. When we did the bake-off for the IPO she insisted all the investment banks put their diversity record at the front of the pitch deck, every single one of them that came in, and they all did.

These are the five profiles that I shared with you. I would highlight a couple of things about this. First of all, in the first three if I said to you, “Hey.” You say, “I’m going to MBA school. I want to do something inspiring and have a great career.” You wouldn’t think I would mention opening a restaurant or being a basketball coach or a folk singer. Those aren’t things you would say. Yet, it didn’t stop these people from being successful.

The other thing that I would highlight is all five of them, I don’t think a single one of them started what they’re doing for money. In each and every story they were chasing a passion and a dream that allowed them to want to study, going back to Bobby Knight saying about having the will to practice. They all did it on their own. Danny uses a phrase, “Professional research,” in his book constantly, which I think is an interesting phrase because most of us think about the studying and research we do around curriculum and a teacher. You don’t think about if you’re in finance or marketing or accounting, do you go home at night and study for yourself, like, to improve your own skillset? Most people don’t do that. I think that’s interesting.

For those of you who have decided your dream job is consulting, they say you’ve got to tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them, so this is for you. Pick a career about what you’re passionate. Be obsessive about the learning. Lean on mentors, lean on peers. Give the credit to someone else, and pay it forward. For those into music, that like music, you know I stole the title of this speech from Tom Petty who, unfortunately, passed away this year. He was once asked what advice he’d have for people if he were giving it. While it’s not as ambitious as what I’ve told you, it’s almost the exact same thing on the exact same vector. I’ll let you read that yourself. That’s it. Thank you for allowing me to do that. I really appreciate it.

Thanks for reading. You can get more actionable ideas in my popular email newsletter. Each week, I share 3 short ideas from me, 2 quotes from others, and 1 question to think about. Over 3,000,000 people subscribe . Enter your email now and join us.

James Clear writes about habits, decision making, and continuous improvement. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Atomic Habits . The book has sold over 20 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 60 languages.

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What Is Your Ideal Job? IELTS Speaking (10 Example Answers)

In part one of your IELTS Speaking test, you might be asked, “What is your ideal job?” or “What is your dream job?”

What You Can Say

Simply talk about a job you would love to have, and then use one or two simple sentences to explain why.

Maybe you have your ideal job now! And that’s great. Just talk about that.

If you don’t have a ‘dream’ job, then don’t worry. Just think of any job you would enjoy. Any job at all.   

You can even say, “Well, I don’t think I have a dream job exactly, but I would like to be a…”

When you’ve said a job you’d like to have, here are a few things you could talk about:

Useful Phrases

  ‘Well, I suppose I’d like to be…’

Grammar Tip: Use ‘Would’

Any time you talk about something you would like to have or do, you can use the wonderful word ‘ would .’

“I would love to be a travel writer. I think it would be wonderful. If I was a travel writer, I would travel all around the world.”

This is some very nice grammar to use in your IELTS exam.  It will make the examiner happy. 

Focus on Fluency

In part one, the best thing to do is try to speak smoothly, without hesitation. Instead of worrying about your grammar, you should focus on fluency .

Part one is only to help you warm up . So just use simple English, which is fine in part one.  

Just focus on warming up, and being fluent (speaking quickly and easily).

In parts two and three, you can focus more on vocabulary and grammar.  

Use the Three-Step YES Method

Keep your answers quite short and simple. You only need to speak for 10 to 20 seconds.  Not more. 

You can use the YES Method to help you give a good part-one answer. Just say:

Example Answers

1. My ideal job is to be the boss of my own company, like Steve Jobs, because I’d love to be that successful and rich and famous.  It would be amazing!

2. I suppose my dream job is to be a surgeon because it’s such a challenging and respected position. I’m training to become a doctor at the moment, so many I’ll specialize in surgery in future.  

4. Well, I haven’t thought about that before. But I suppose I’d like to be a ship’s captain, or something like that. I’d love to sail around the world. I think it would be a feeling of complete freedom and adventure.  

5. Actually, to be honest, I have my ideal job now. I own a little cafe in my hometown, Lublin, in Poland. It’s the perfect peaceful job and lifestyle for me.  

7. I’ve always been quite sporty, and I’m an avid tennis player. So if I had the skill, I’d love to be a professional tennis player, like Nadal or Djokovic. But unfortunately, I’ll never be good enough at tennis for that.

8. I’m from Brazil and I think, like most young Brazilians, I’d love to be a football player, playing for my country. It would be fantastic, out of this world.

10. I’m not really sure that I have a dream job. But I would like to become a manager in my company, so I can earn more money. Hopefully, I’ll be promoted in a year or two and I’ll achieve that goal.

You Give It a Try

Now that you have some ideas from these example answers, give this question a go yourself.

Answer as clearly and as quickly as you can, using the three-step YES Method.

When you’ve finished, listen to the recording and write down what you say.

By repeating this process many times, you’ll soon be giving easy band-seven answers to your IELTS Speaking part-one questions.

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What Is Your Dream Job? Sample answers & more

We are young until we dare to dream . So what would you love to do, if no limits existed? If you could break all the chains of your inner prison? Perhaps you’d love to preside a big corporation , or an entire economy? Or you’d run your own business? Maybe you would change roles with Rafa Nadal , hitting a tennis ball, having a gorgeous wife, and earning millions of dollars each month just because you wear a certain brand of shoes or watch?

What you dream about (however secretly), and what you should talk about in your job interview , are typically two different things. In this article we will analyze the “What is your dream job?” interview question, starting with 7 sample answers. Enjoy!

7 sample answers to “What is your dream job?” interview question

• I am applying for a dream job right now . I always considered nursing my calling, and I love to be around children, helping them to cope with difficult situations. To work in a children hospital would be a dream come true for me. And I’ve done all I could to make it come true.
• I would love to manage a big team , or perhaps an entire company one day. To have a power to decide about important things and to change something in the economy . Perhaps to have some positive impact in the world, or at least in the life of my colleagues and subordinates. But I am just starting my professional career, I have to learn a lot and gain experience . I consider a job in a big international corporation a good starting point on my way to the future dream job.
• To be honest, I do not know . I am still trying to understand my position in the world, how I can be useful for society, and at the same time enjoy my time on the Earth. Right now, however, I need to make money, to pay bills, and that’s the main priority at the moment.
• I am looking for a place where I can grow as a person and as a manager . Ideally it would be working in a diverse team of personalities, in a place where colleagues enrich each other with knowledge and experience. That would be a dream job–perhaps I can find one with you?
• I do not dream about something extraordinary . Simply a well-paid job, one that isn’t nerve-racking, and one that will allow me to spend enough quality time with my family. Starting early and leaving early each day is my idea of a dream job, so I can spend the afternoons with my kids.
• Well, to be honest, my dream job is to work as a professional athlete . I have always admire professional tennis players and golf players, and the lifestyle they lead. Having said, that, one has to be realistic . I’m 27 already, and though I am a decent soccer player and can hit a tennis ball, I am too old to pursue my dream career. I tried it before, and it didn’t work. But I honestly believe that one can be happy in almost any job , as long as they have a good attitude, and earn decent money for their work.
• I thought that child protective services was my dream job . Boy, what a wake-up call it was… I got the job, but after having it for one year, and seeing how little difference I actually managed to make in the lives of the children, and how tough mentally it was to cope with it, my dream job turned into a nightmare . Now I do not have any dream job. I will be happy with any job in which I can actually achieve something for the target group, and at the same time it isn’t as incredibly demanding mentally as cps…

The best case: You are applying for your dream job

This is the best possible scenario, and the easiest one to address. The job you are applying for right now happens to be your dream job . Teachers, nurses, social workers, and other professionals often find themselves in this enviable position.

They apply for a job with meaningful purpose . They consider it their calling, they always wanted to do the work (since childhood). Now they are finally interviewing for their dream job, in a good institution or company, and they struggle to hide their enthusiasm.

You are lucky if this is also your case. All you have to do is saying that your dream job is exactly the one you are trying to get with the company/organization . You are telling the truth, and the answer makes sense with most jobs in teaching, healthcare, and scientific research.

* Special Tip: This isn’t the most difficult question you will face while interviewing for any decent job. You will face questions about prioritization, dealing with pressure, solving problems , and other tricky scenarios that happen in the workplace. If you want to make sure that you stand out with your answers and outclass your competitors, have a look at our Interview Success Package . Up to 10 premium answers to 50 tricky scenario based questions (+ more) will make your life much easier in the interviews. Thank you for checking it out!

They can help you to get your dream job in the future

Rome wasn’t built in a day. And the same will be true about your castle of gold (or sand).

If you are applying for a typical corporate job, your first position won’t be in the upper management. You have to start somewhere, learn, progress, until you can eventually get the job of your dreams, becoming a big corporate animal, or the wolf of wall street if you want.

This is perfectly fine for the hiring managers, as long as you can reach your desired goal within the company. Let me give you an example:

You dream of a job of a marketing director, running big campaigns which can make an impact in some part of the world. Right now, however, you are applying for a job of a marketing trainee . That’s the first step for almost everyone in marketing.

But there is also a position of a marketing director in the company– maybe the director leads the interview with you . They have been with the business for 20 years, climbed the ladder step by step. Why wouldn’t it be possible for you to have their job, one day in the future? They will eventually retire, and someone will replace them anyway. Why couldn’t it be you? In this case, you can again talk honestly about your dream job. Everything will make a perfect sense for the interviewers.

* May also interest you: What is your dream in life?

More distant connection–one that still makes sense

Let me give you another example. You apply for a job of an accountant in a small business. They do not run an accounting department or anything similar. You will be the only person responsible for keeping the books. And your dream is to become a financial manager one day .

Certainly you can’t reach your dreams within their company –since they have no financial managers, they are just a small company, they need just one accountant.

But working for them, overseeing the entire accounting of the company, you will learn a lot about finances and cash flow, and it will help you immensely in the future , once you are ready to apply for your dream job somewhere else.

Even in this case you can be honest about your dream job, because your answer will make sense for your interviewer(s). Let’s have a look at more difficult scenarios.

Your dream job has nothing to do with the job you are trying to get right now

In many cases, it would sound ridiculous if you claimed that you were applying for your dream job. Sweeping streets, working as a waiter in a busy restaurant, having a simple administrative job, flipping burgers, and so on, and so forth.

These are no dream jobs for anyone. We apply for them simply because we need money to live, and because we can’t get anything better at the moment. So what to do if an interviewer inquires about your dream job in this case? You actually have a few good options.

Tell them that you do not know

You can tell them that you are just starting your career, trying to understand the world and your position in it , trying to find your calling. You need money to live–and a job to make money, of course, but so far you are not sure what your dream job is, what you’d love to do in the future.

They have to accept this answer, and almost always they will be satisfied with your words. Since you do not dream big (or at least pretend not to), you won’t have a reason to quit your new monotonous job with a ridiculous salary. Or at least that’s what they will think when you give them this answer.

Focus on expectations, not job titles

A completely different approach consist in focusing on your expectations , rather than job titles or a dream salary. For example, you can say that a dream job is one in which you’ll grow as a person , or as a manager, accountant, communications specialist, etc. I hope you got the point.

Alternatively you can say how such a dream job will impact your life, what options it will give you. Traveling the world, (business trips), getting to know people from different cultures and walks of life (working in a multinational corporation in a diverse team), allowing you to spend enough quality time with your family (short working hours).

The options are endless, and what you talk about really depends on your expectations on life and work …

Final thoughts, next steps

Dreaming shouldn’t be the privilege of children . Each of us can have some dreams, and we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about them in an interview (or anywhere else).

The key is to explain them in a way that our job application will make sense to the interviewers–that we either apply for our dream job, or for one that will allow us to get one step closer to the dream, or that we don’t know…

Think about your life for a while, inspire yourself with our sample answers, and write your answer to the interview question about your dream job. Once done, you can continue your interview preparation, learning how to answer some other tough questions :

• Why did you choose your major?
• What motivates you in work?
• How do you define success?
• Interview Success Package – Premium answers to all interview questions.
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The Secret Formula to Answering "What's Your Dream Job?" in an Interview

It’s important to be able to articulate your dream job. Not just for personal reasons, but also for when you’re asked about it in interviews .

But, how can you even begin to describe your ideal job, especially to someone who’s clearly going to be judging your response? Just picking a place to start is a head-scratcher.

Here’s a hint: Career counselors like to think about good jobs as the intersection of your skills, interests, and values. That’s a good way for you to approach it as well. Talking about your skills will give you an opportunity to sell them a bit—after all, it is an interview. Your interests will show your investment, and your values can help illustrate your fit with the company.

Break it down into three parts, like this:

1. What Skills Do You Want to Use?

First, let’s talk about what you’re good at doing, or your strengths . It’s likely you’ve already had the chance to talk about this topic a bit during the interview, so it makes for a nice transition.

Highlight the skills that you enjoy using most, not just the ones you’re a superstar at. This is about your dream job, so don’t shy away from mentioning any that you want to grow as well.

Here are a couple of ways you can begin your response:

• I’ve mentioned my experience with _ _ . My dream job would definitely have to relate to that. I’d also love to grow my skills in _ _ .
• I’ve thought about this before, and I know I would want to keep honing my skills in _ _ as well as learn more about _ _ .

2. What Interests You?

Next, it’s time to talk about what interests you .

Think big picture for this. What drew you to your industry? What’s something you did as a kid that’s actually found its way into your work? What is it about your career that keeps you engaged? Weave that in.

Build on your answer like this:

• I’ve been interested in the _ _ industry ever since I first discovered _ _ . That, combined with my interest in _ _ and _ _ , means I’ve been hooked ever since.
• In terms of job content, I’m interested in work that involves _ _ and _ _ . I’ve been curious about things like this ever since _ _ , so I would definitely want that to be part of my dream job.

3. What Are Your Values?

Giving a sense of what your career values are will give the interviewer an idea about what motivates you; it’s a good way to bring the focus back to the company you’re interviewing for (assuming, of course, that your values align with the company culture).

It also adds some extra complexity to your answer. You’re not just saying, “I want an interesting job that I’m good at.” I mean, that’s nice, but this is your dream job we’re talking about!

Wrap up your response with something like this:

• Based on my skills and interests, in my dream job, I would want to _ _ as related to _ _ , ideally in a company where I could _ _ and _ _ . These are both really important to me, and I’m excited to see that they seem to be equally important to this company.
• Basically, my dream job would be to _ _ for _ _ in a position that would allow me to _ _ and _ _ . I value this last point in particular—it’s the reason I’m so excited to be interviewing for this position.

Notice how none of this included an actual job title? It’s not necessary.

Don’t pigeonhole yourself with anything that official. Instead, give the hiring manager a more nuanced response by covering your skills, interests, and values. He or she will get the chance to learn more about you—and you have more flexibility to line up your career goals and the position you’re applying for. That’s a win-win.

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How to Answer: What’s Your Dream Job?

The best way to prepare your answer to this question is to spend a few minutes writing out a description of what your dream job might look like. Be sure to include things like what you’d like to do and who you’d like to work with. Then compare that description to the description of the job you’re interviewing for. Focus on the things that show up in both lists and talk about why those things are exciting to you.

Here are some tips to help you prepare your answer.

Explain your dream job.

This is a great way to start your answer because it will give the hiring manager some insight into your long-term goals and help them understand why you’re applying for the position in the first place. Keep this part of your answer short (one sentence is fine) and be sure to give some context by explaining what part of your dream job appeals to you.

Say something like: “My dream job is to one day be a lead product manager, creating and scaling innovative tech products.”

Mention how your values align with the company’s values.

While your skills are definitely a key part of landing the job you want, your values also play a significant role in showing how the position you’re interviewing for fits into your goals for the future. What are “values”? They can be a lot of different things, including work-life balance, salary, vacation time and company culture. Having values that overlap with those of the company you’d like to work for is especially important for entry-level jobs because hiring managers are looking for candidates who are committed to sticking with the organization.

Say something like: “Because of my passion for digital platforms, I want to be involved in working on projects like the ones your company is working on, especially because I love working in places that put an emphasis on collaborative environments and teamwork.“

Connect your future goals to the position.

Letting the interviewer know that you’re ambitious is great, but in addition to talking about the kind of position you want to have in the future, you should also talk about what you can learn from this role and how this will help shape your career path within the industry. Be sure to mention that you’re interested in the position for the long term. This will show employers that you’re committed to them and will be sticking around.

Say something like: “I know being a Lead PM is a big goal, so I’m ready to do everything I can to develop my skills and work alongside talented people .”

Here’s how to bring it all together:

“My dream job is to one day be a lead product manager, creating and scaling innovative tech products. Because of my passion for digital platforms, I want to be involved in working on projects like the ones your company is working on, especially because I love working in places that put an emphasis on collaborative environments and teamwork. I know being a Lead PM is a big goal, so I’m ready to do everything I can to develop my skills and work alongside talented people.”

Pro tip: Although you may be excited about the job you’re interviewing for, unless it really is your dream job, don’t say it is. Interviewers are much more likely to be impressed by a sincere response related to skills or values that are in line with the position.

Answering “What’s your dream job?” is a great chance to show the interviewer that you’re ambitious and forward-thinking, while also having the skills and values that will make you a great employee. By highlighting your great qualities and giving a thoughtful answer about how the position you’re interviewing for will help you achieve your long-term goals, you’ll really impress the interviewer and get one step closer to landing the job.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What to Do After You Get a Job Offer  and find answers to common interview questions such as How to Answer: Tell Me About a Time You Made a Mistake .

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Interview Question: "What Is Your Dream Job?"

What the Interviewer Wants to Know

• How to Answer "What Is Your Dream Job"

Examples of the Best Answers

What not to say, possible follow-up questions.

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"Tell me about your dream job" can be a tricky  interview question . Even though your dream job might have nothing to do with the job you're interviewing for, don't mention this if it's not related. Instead, make an effort to connect your answer to the position you're interviewing for.

Learn more about what information interviewers hope to discover through your response, along with some do's and don'ts for answering this question. 

In the interview, your potential employer will likely focus on figuring out whether or not you have the  right skills to be successful in the job .

However, they'll also be interested in how motivated you are to perform the job, and whether or not you will be satisfied with the position. This interview question helps interviewers  assess your motivation . Your response may also offer a glimpse into your values, passions, and priorities as an employee. 

How to Answer "What Is Your Dream Job"

Ideally, your response to the question should reference some elements of the job at hand. For example, if the position is a customer service job, you might say that your dream job would have a high level of interaction with customers. 

You can also focus on the industry in your response to this question: If you are applying for a job at an environmental nonprofit, for example, you can mention your passion for environmentalism.

Another option is to frame your answer around your  ideal company culture  and work environment. For instance, you might say you're eager to work in a collaborative environment or to be a part of a passionate team. Just make sure the environment you mention is a match for the culture in the position's workplace. 

In order to prepare your answer, brainstorm what appeals to you about the job:

• Do you enjoy solving problems, or mediating conflicts?
• Do you thrive under pressure?
• Do you consider yourself a “people person” who likes to engage with clients or with the larger community?

Go back to the job listing, and look through the job description and requirements to find what most excites and interests you about the position.

In your answer, you can refer both to  skills you currently have and want to use , and ones that you think you'll be able to develop in the position.

Create a Job Profile to Help Solidify Your Answer 

Think of what you want in a job, and create a “profile” of your ideal job that includes some of those functions.

Your “dream job” doesn’t have to be a specific position, like “Account Executive” or “Public Relations Director,” but can instead include different responsibilities you would enjoy having as part of your position. Your profile can also include skills you enjoy using and the type of company culture you thrive in.

Make sure some of those elements match the description of the job for which you are applying.

Mention How You've Used Your Skills

Your answer will be more convincing if you reflect on why you found these types of activities rewarding in the past, and how your  skill set  matches the type of job you're after. Be ready to share some examples of how you have enjoyed utilizing those skills in the past.

Focus on the Present and the Future

Another way to answer the question is to mention a certain goal you would like to reach through your “dream job.” For example, if you're applying for a job with a nonprofit environmental organization, you might mention that an essential element of your dream career would be a role that advances the green agenda.

Ultimately, the key to answering, “Tell me about your dream job?" is to convey your long-term interest in a high-level position, without overshadowing your interest in the job you’re applying for.

Here are three examples of responses you could give during an interview when the interviewer has asked you the question, “Tell me about your dream job.” Use these as models to create your own answer.

Example Answer #1

What I look for in a job, and what I love about this customer service representative position, is the ability to utilize my communication and customer service skills. I love interacting with customers and quickly and effectively problem-solving with them. Down the road, after becoming an expert in your product line and developing strong relationships with your customers, I would love to work in sales. 

Why It Works:  This answer works well because the candidate both showcases the customer service skills he would bring to the position and also alludes to a relevant career trajectory. He makes it clear that he is enthusiastic about the primary job responsibilities and would be likely to stick around for a while.

Example Answer #2

My dream job involves an extensive amount of teamwork, such as regular staff meetings and group projects. I love that this job emphasizes communication among colleagues and between management and staff. My previous job was 50% team projects, and I am excited to continue that kind of teamwork and open communication here.

Why It Works:  This candidate does an excellent job of connecting her answer to the job she is applying for, offering good examples of how she is well-versed in the collaborative teamwork skills the position will demand.

Example Answer #3

My dream job would allow me to develop web content for a variety of companies. I love getting to know different clients and developing content to suit their unique needs. For example, in my last job, I worked for clients in industries ranging from healthcare to education and received praise for my work with a variety of companies. I love that this job would allow me to work with a range of clients.

Why It Works:  This candidate, too, has researched the employer and has a solid grasp of what his new job will entail: client relations skills, multi-tasking, and flexibility. He thus is able to leverage his previous client relations experience as a persuasive “selling point” for his candidacy.

As with any open-ended questions, it's easy to feel like anything goes. But you're still in a job interview, and your responses will be closely examined. Answers that are overly grandiose—“My dream job is CEO,” for instance—are off-putting. And if your dream job is to write novels professionally or become a sommelier, that's information best kept to yourself during an interview for a staff accountant position.

Here are some other things to avoid in your response: 

• Specific job titles:  Keep the focus on the skills aspect of roles, and do not name specific job titles. 
• Ambitious functions:  Tread carefully here. If your dream job involves responsibilities that are far from achievable in the position you're applying for, it could make you seem like you wouldn't be happy for long in the position. Interviewers are more eager to hire applicants who will stick around than ones who will have a short tenure. 
• This job:  There's something a bit insincere about saying the job you're applying for is your dream job. Avoid this. 
• Describe your work style -  Best Answers
• What are your salary expectations? -  Best Answers
• How are you different than the competition? -  Best Answers
• More interview questions: Top 10 Interview Questions and Best Answers

Key Takeaways

KEEP YOUR RESPONSE RELEVANT:  Make sure that the elements you list as part of your “dream job” are work conditions and functions relevant to the job you are interviewing for.

SHOWCASE YOUR SKILLSET:  Use your response as an opportunity to emphasize the key skills and experience that you would bring to the employer. Align these skills to the most important “preferred qualifications” listed in the job posting.

EXPRESS YOUR ENTHUSIASM:  Keep your tone of voice and your facial expression upbeat and positive as you describe your “dream job.” Your interviewer will be gauging the amount of interest and dedication you can offer their organization.

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Sample ielts speaking part 2, 3: talk about your dream job.

Describing your dream job is a common topic in IELTS Speaking Part 2. This is a relatively easy topic if you have a good grasp of vocabulary related to the Job/Work theme. In addition, to achieve a high band score, it is important to know how to develop ideas and organize them coherently. In this article, PREP will share with Preppies an outline, ideas, and a detailed sample for IELTS Speaking Part 2 + 3 on the topic "Talk about your dream job." Please refer to the sample below on the topic "Talk about your dream job."

1. Cue card: Talk about your dream job

2. part 2 outline, 3. sample speaking part 2: talk about your dream job, 1. what are the most difficult jobs that people do, 2. why do you think some people choose to do difficult jobs, 3. do you agree or disagree that all jobs are difficult sometimes, 4. is it always necessary to work hard in order to achieve career success, i. sample ielts speaking part 2, 3: talk about your dream job.

Talk about your dream job:

The sample "Talk about your dream job" helps you practice and prepare for the IELTS exam more easily.

As an ambitious girl, I have had a plethora of different professions I want to immerse myself in. The one that holds a special place in my heart is fashion stylist, a job not at all related to my current career.  So how was I inspired to dream of pursuing this job? Everything began when I stumbled upon a well-known foreign reality TV show called “Say yes to the dress”, in which brides-to-be come to a wedding boutique to search for their dream wedding gowns. Watching Gok, the main stylist of the show, have the time of his life dressing up his clients has left a long-lasting impression on me.  This profession comes with a variety of tasks. Fashion stylists are often in charge of creating appropriate visual aesthetics for their clients - whether these clients are celebrities or just ordinary people wanting to look presentable and outstanding for a special occasion. In order to do this, they would incorporate different clothing items and accessories, some even go so far as to provide advice on the way in which makeup and hairstyling should go to create the perfect look. Well-trained fashion stylists can become directors for massive fashion shows and runways, or hired to prepare scripts for photoshoots. They must have a vast knowledge of fashion and fabric constructions, as well as a profound understanding of human’s body and face shapes. As for personal qualities, they should have an eye for art and are detail-oriented.  While this profession is incredibly fascinating, it is demanding with lots of unanticipated job hazards. First, keeping up with the latest fashion trends as micro-trends are becoming the norm in the industry can be quite taxing. Also, as body types, facial features, complexions and fashion senses vary from one person to the other, it can be a challenge to style each individual. Should you commit to a styling job, working within budget is also an obstacle in certain cases.  Despite everything, being a fashion stylist is still a dream of mine. I have always had a genuine passion for fashion, and I believe that every person deserves to become the best version of themselves through means of appropriate clothing choices. Clothes may not be everything, but they are strong self-expression tools and can explicitly define one’s personality and values. That’s why it would be an absolute dream come true to be a part of this wondrous profession.  

Having a strong vocabulary is crucial for performing well in IELTS Speaking Part 3. In this section, you are expected to engage in more complex discussions and express your opinions on various topics. A rich vocabulary allows you to articulate your thoughts effectively, convey precise meanings, and demonstrate a higher level of language proficiency. It enables you to accurately comprehend and respond to questions, express nuanced ideas, and provide detailed explanations. Moreover, a wide range of vocabulary helps you adapt your language style to different contexts and appropriately convey your intended message. Overall, a strong vocabulary enhances your fluency, coherence, and lexical resource, playing a significant role in achieving a higher score in IELTS Speaking Part 3.

Highlighted Vocabulary in the sample "Talk about your dream job":

• a plethora of: a large number of, often more than necessary
• immerse oneself in: deeply involve oneself in, fully become a part of a certain job
• stumble upon: accidentally come across, encounter
• boutique: a fashion store
• wedding gowns: wedding dresses
• have the time of his life: have an extremely enjoyable and exciting experience
• visual aesthetics: visual art, visual impressions (in this context, it can be understood as style)
• presentable: well-groomed, neat
• outstanding: remarkable, exceptional
• incorporate: combine, integrate
• fabric constructions: textile structures
• a profound understanding of: extensive knowledge and understanding of a particular field
• have an eye for art: have a good sense of art
• detail-oriented: paying attention to details
• unanticipated job hazards: unforeseen job risks
• micro-trends: short-term fashion trends
• become the norm: become common, widespread
• taxing: demanding, tiring
• facial features: facial characteristics
• complexions: skin tones
• working within budget: completing tasks within a specified budget
• self-expression tools: tools for expressing oneself
• define one's personality and values: shape one's personality and values
• wondrous: marvelous, extraordinary

For more information, refer to the article:

• Sample Speaking Part 2: Describe an event that changed your life
• Sample Speaking Part 2, 3: Describe a law on environmental protection
• Sample Speaking Part 2, 3: Describe a person you follow on social media

II. Sample Answer for IELTS Speaking Part 3 - Talk about your dream job

I think it really depends. Each person has his or her own strengths and weaknesses so it’s very difficult to just name a few “challenging” careers. Personally, I believe that every profession is demanding in its own way, and we should not subjectively generalize that some are more difficult than others. Not to mention that we all have different work ethics and performance standards. For example, considering the same job tasks at the same level in the same organization, some staff might find them manageable, whereas many others may be stressed out.

• Subjectively: in a subjective manner
• Generalize: to make general statements or conclusions
• Work ethics: the principles and values that guide one's behavior and attitude towards work
• Performance standards: the criteria or expectations for evaluating the quality or effectiveness of work
• Stressed out: feeling overwhelmed or under pressure, experiencing high levels of stress

As an adventurous person myself, I can partly understand why some people would decide to pursue a more challenging career path. Sometimes a difficult and unpredictable job would give some of us the satisfaction we need in our career. Passion is also a determining factor when we choose our future profession. Yes, it might be more challenging, but as long as we’re motivated and living with a sense of purpose, I think that would make our lives much more fulfilling.

• adventurous: enjoying or seeking adventure
• pursue a career path: to actively follow or choose a specific career trajectory
• determining factor: a factor or element that influences or decides something
• a sense of purpose: a feeling of having a clear aim or goal in life
• fulfilling: satisfying, bringing a sense of accomplishment or contentment

No doubt. Some jobs might be more physically demanding than the others, such as athletes and nurses, but it’s undoubtedly that at some points any job can become mentally exhausting, no matter how easy it seems. Rather than saying it is completely because of the work’s nature, I’d say that it’s a part of our lives that we have to deal with tons of things, ranging from professional to personal issues. Sometimes, when we lose our work-life balance, our performance at work and even motivation to work can easily deteriorate. So yes, every profession is straining at times.

• physically demanding: requiring a lot of physical effort or strength
• work's nature: the inherent characteristics or qualities of a job
• tons of: a large amount of, a great quantity of
• work-life balance: the equilibrium between one's personal life and professional/work life
• deteriorate: to decline or worsen in quality or condition
• straining: putting excessive pressure or stress on something or someone

It’s not necessarily the case for everyone. Some people have the innate talent needed to fly high in their careers. But for the majority of us, hard work is more or less the key to success. And that also doesn’t mean to invalidate born-gifted people’s hard work. I think the effort they put into their jobs might not be what we expect from ourselves, but objectively speaking, so long as we’re working towards our personal goals, every success, small or big, is the result of hard work.

• Not necessarily the case for everyone: Not true for everyone
• innate talent: natural talent
• fly high: achieve great success in one's career
• more or less: to some extent, more or less
• invalidate: deny or negate
• born-gifted: naturally talented individual
• objectively speaking: speaking in a neutral and unbiased manner
• working towards: making efforts or striving towards something

This article has provided the most detailed sample for IELTS Speaking Part 2 + 3 on the topic "Talk about your dream job." You should refer to the sample article and avoid copying it entirely. If you want to learn more about generating ideas for writing, consider taking the IELTS course at PREP.

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Best Elevator Pitch With Examples For Job Seekers

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Interview Preparation | Networking

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

In this article, I’m going to quickly show you some great elevator pitch examples for job seekers, plus how to go create your own quickly and easily so you can find a job faster.

What Is An Elevator Pitch?

Essentially it’s a short summary about yourself and what you do, in the time it takes to ride an elevator. You have to be able to deliver and convince in that time frame. That’s the famous 30-second “elevator pitch.” And it can be for anything. Finding a new job, going to a networking event, starting a sales relationship, etc. Here’s the thing about an elevator pitch- you have one whether you know it or not.  Any time somebody asks you about your work or asks what you do, you’re saying something… right? And if you’re looking for a new job, your elevator pitch is going to be a big part of how you respond when they ask, “tell me about yourself” . This could be a phone conversation with a recruiter , or an in-person interview when you first sit down. If you’re at a networking event , your elevator pitch will be the information you share when somebody asks what type of work you do. It’s your one and only chance to get their attention and set the tone for how they view the rest of what you tell them. That’s why it’s so important.

Here are the 2 best elevator pitch methods, with examples…

Method 1: Elevator Pitch for Job Seekers

There are a few key pieces that your elevator pitch should contain. This is assuming you are looking for a job or looking to grow your network. If you’re trying to create an elevator pitch while working in sales , it’ll be a bit different and you should read the alternate method below this first method.

Here are the key pieces to creating a perfect elevator pitch…

1. Who Are You And What Do You Do?

The first piece of what you actually say needs to tell them who you are. This might include a bit about your background, what you do, what your skills and interests are, etc. This is where you need to tailor your answer to fit the outcome you want. If you describe yourself as an expert in finance, do you think people will pay attention to you on financial topics? Yes! But what if you made yourself sound more like a generalist who knows a little about many areas, and finance is just one of them? Nobody is going to respect your opinion nearly as much, and they might not even remember you mentioned it. That’s why it’s important to tailor your answer to fit the result you’re hoping to achieve and what you want to be known/remembered for.

To recap, the first part of your elevator pitch might sound like this example: “Hi,  I’m David. I’m a Scientist with a background in chemistry. I specialize in research and development, and new product discovery. ”

2. Why Should They Care?

Now you want to get a bit more specific and draw their attention in. What are you working on right now or what have you accomplished recently?

Here’s an example:

“I currently work at Johnson & Johnson and my team is working on developing a new antibacterial cream that’s set to go into clinical trials this month.”

Now they know your expertise, and assuming it’s relevant to them, you’ve caught their attention and opened up the conversation. This is why the first step was so important though… if you don’t decide what you want to be known for, and tailor your answer to emphasize those strengths, you’ve lost them!The same goes for job interviews . If you’re applying to be a supervisor, don’t talk about how you love focusing on your individual goals in your job interview answers . Talk about how you’re a good manager or how you take the lead on projects.

I can’t emphasize this enough- it’s all about deciding what you want your audience to remember you for. And you need to pick only one or two things. If you mention more, they’ll assume you’re not particularly talented in any!

3. What Do You Want?

After the two steps above, you need to conclude your elevator pitch and this is your chance to be upfront and tell them your objective. Why are you in this conversation to begin with? If you’re at a networking event because you’re starting a job search soon, say something like this:

“So, I’m interested in meeting people with similar backgrounds, and I’m considering changing jobs this year so I’m curious to learn about the work environments in different companies.”

It’s rare that someone would turn down the chance to hear about how another company does things, so you’ve offered a pretty good trade-off! They might also ask why you’re considering a job change. Either way, you’ve opened up multiple ways for them to expand the conversation. Get comfortable with these three steps and you will have a MUCH easier time answering basic interview questions , introducing yourself at networking events, and more.

Full Elevator Pitch Example Based On The 3 Steps Above:

“I’m a Scientist specializing in chemistry and new product discovery. I currently work at Johnson & Johnson and my team is working on developing a new antibacterial cream that’s set to go into clinical trials this month. So, I’m interested in meeting people with similar backgrounds, and I’m also considering changing jobs this year so I’m hoping to learn about the work environments in different companies.”

Method 2: For Business Owners, Salespeople, And Job Seekers Who Want A More Direct Elevator Pitch

The method above can work for pretty much anybody, but it’s really designed to create the best elevator pitch possible for job seekers. But if you own a business or you work in sales, you should be much more direct… I recently came across a great formula and have yet to find anything better in terms of a very specific, direct elevator pitch. So I’ll share the formula here and then give you some elevator pitch examples with this method.

I suggest you try it if you want a more direct approach.

The Basic Formula/Template:

I help who wants to get without having to . Do you know any who wants to get ?

Elevator Pitch Example With This Method:

“I help job seekers who want to advance their careers and find a job in 60 days or less, without having to memorize hundreds of answers or spend hours studying. Do you know any job seekers who want to find a job in 60 days or less?”

Use a definitive period of time if possible. Don’t just say “fast.” And narrow down your market as much as possible. I didn’t say “working professionals.” I said, “job seekers who want to advance their careers.”

Another Example:

“I help restaurants with multiple locations organize their customer data and boost their sales up to 10%, without having to spend any additional time or money on advertising. Do you know any restaurants with multiple locations that want to boost their sales up to 10%?”

This direct approach could be adapted back to your job search too. Let’s look at one final example of this second method for a job search:

“I’m an R&D Scientist who helps companies use their existing patents and technologies to develop new skincare products. Right now at Johnson & Johnson, I’m finishing a successful project for an antibacterial cream and I’m looking for my next challenge. Do you know any companies that are involved in discovering and developing new skincare products?”

How To Deliver Your Elevator Pitch

Now that we covered how to create the best possible elevator pitch… with plenty of elevator pitch examples… there’s something just as important we should talk about.

You need to be convincing and memorable. Without this, the content won’t matter.

The First Impression

People want to know they are talking to a good, honest, reliable person that they can trust and perhaps even like. They won’t get this by looking at your resume. You need to open up by having great body language and being confident and excited about what you’re saying. You have to appear like you know they’ll be interested. You cannot be hesitant here so practice. And pay attention to body language too. Smile, look confident, and stand or sit up straight. When you’re slouched over, not only are you not using the full potential of your brain (yes, there’s been research ), you also look untrustworthy.

Make Them Feel Important

Who doesn’t like to hear that their own background or story is interesting? Or that you feel their opinion is needed on something! So, here are ways to make the other person feel important, which will help you be more memorable and convincing to them!

• Ask Questions When they tell you something about their background or give their own elevator pitch, show interest and ask a follow-up question. Don’t just sit there waiting for your turn to talk.
• Compliment Their Expertise If you are asking them a question or hoping to get information from them, compliment their experience first and give a reason why you’d value their response. Example (in a job interview): “You mentioned working here for ten years and rising from an entry level position to Manager. What tips for success can you offer if I were to start in this role?”
• Remember The Facts Don’t make somebody repeat important pieces about their background. How do you feel if somebody can’t remember your name or a story you just shared? So if they’re taking the time to tell you about their latest project, try to capture the details. You don’t want to be standing there two minutes later asking, “wait, you said you were involved in a research project, right?” It’ll immediately make them take less interest in what you’re saying as well.

When you’re nervous or anxious, you breathe with short, shallow breaths in the upper chest. Here’s how you should breathe:

Use your stomach and take long, deep breaths. I had to teach myself this, it didn’t feel natural at first. I couldn’t figure out how to breathe in a way that’d get my stomach to go in and out, at least not when I was paying attention and “trying.” I was filling my upper chest with as much air as possible but my stomach wasn’t moving. That’s not the right way.

Practice, figure it out, and then use it as a way to relax when you’re waiting for a job interview or a meeting.

Nothing comes out perfect the first time. Having the best elevator pitch is useless if you don’t practice. Give it a test run a few times and make sure you’re hitting the key points and keeping it short. 30 or 60 seconds is about as long as your elevator speech should take. It’s a good idea to practice job interview questions and answers, too. In general, practicing makes your responses better. Don’t try to memorize your elevator pitch or interview answers word-for-word, though. It’ll come out sounding scripted and rehearsed (not good). Instead, focus on hitting the key points you want to mention. It might sound a bit different each time but if you have three key points to hit, and you go through a few elevator pitch practice runs and hit all three, you’re ready to go!

What Happens If You Don’t Prepare An Elevator Pitch?

You only get one chance to make a first impression. If you sound unsure of yourself and don’t have a clear story of what it is you do, you’re going to be less convincing and immediately turn people off! And they’ll be less likely to remember you when you follow-up by email after an interview , or after meeting them at any type of networking event.

I’ve learned this myself the hard way. I’ve met new people, mentioned five different things I do, and just came across like I was average (or worse) at all five. People want to meet experts that they can feel confident in, not generalists that know a bit about everything but can’t really lead the way on any given topic! Your elevator pitch needs to come out smoothly and be designed to share your strengths and facts that relate to the direction you’re heading in. And that doesn’t happen without practice. Even if you outline an average elevator pitch and just practice it a few times in your head, it will be so much better than making it up on the spot!

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

36 thoughts on “Best Elevator Pitch With Examples For Job Seekers”

Very helpful. After being out of the workforce for a while it’s a big help.

Excellent information with examples. Great and effective approach. Even I was consumed with the initial intro and info (about you). Although I am prepping for a far different career, and have a basic bus mgmnt degree under my belt, I shall follow your examples here. Starting a new career and haven’t interviewed in years, oh my. But, maybe I will make it now, gulp. Not sunk yet, shiver, (lol). You’re one of the best teachers for this kind of stuff. Thank you, thank you.

Hey, i saw your video and i have this question – i am a undergraduate and want to go for a consulting interview and i dont have much internships so how can i make my answer more interesting

Talk about what you’ve studied, projects you’ve led or participated in, etc. You just have to do the best you can and talk about the most relevant/interesting things you have done in your elevator pitch.

We’re all searching for that almost PERFECT, direct, clear, concise and TOTALLY USABLE place/template of advice. We rarely find it. , Most of the time, it’s not even close. YET this material is the best I have seen” it is PERFECT in terms of the message, need, delivery and ease of use.

Thanks, These were useful

This was awesome.

Very good information on the small ins and out on the interviewing process( especially on the elevator part of the interview).

A sincere thank you! You are precise, to the point and relevant. Your integrity shows so again, thank you, Biron

Can somebody give a good engaging pitch of IT field Student

Thanks for sharing, some really good suggestions

I’m so nervous about interviewing and Biron’s advice makes me feel like I can do it. I especially like when he comments about being nervous, i.e. even if I only remember 70% … I am so much more prepared for the whole process.

Thank you Biron. It was really helpful. I am looking for a job, would you please share some tips or do’s and don’s.

My background is customer service representative in call centers. My last job is a phone banker. I’ve worked in different call centers so I have experience in different fields. Do you have examples that I can use for my elevator pitch along with the question on why I want to work for the company I’m applying for? I’ve been on several interviews where I have the experience but I’m getting turned down a lot.

Thank you so much for the help this I will sure use to my advantage on my next interview, greatly appreciated

This is wonderful advice and so practical . What about those of is who haven’t worked in a long time? I have been a SAHM for 18 years , always meaning to go back to work but always was busy w my son’s sports , academics or Church . I have a master’s degree but not had an interview in 4 years . I have applied for over 40 jobs at my Alma mater , all entry level jobs except a handful that required my degree . I can’t afford to retrain . I wanted to to an accelerated BSN program but can’t afford the 50k price tag . We need to move to pay instate tuition, but my husband refuses . I’m in a hole feeling quite hopeless . Thanks

Great guide! Thank you!

I’m this kid with good grades in class but so naive about the real world. this info is just incredible for me.

very helpful..

I hate these standard interview questions.It is really meaningless.When I had interview I asked from recruiter please dont ask me standard interview questions:)

How did that turn out for you? Telling the recruiter which questions they can ask? :)

I’m an unemployed top producing sales executive re-entering the workforce. I need your help, for a fee, to develop my elevator pitch.

Hi Paula, I appreciate the request. Unfortunately I’m not available for one-on-one consulting/coaching right now, or in the near future. Sorry I couldn’t help more directly on this.

You are never ready for any interview until you have read through Biron’s work!!!!!

Haha thanks, appreciate that :)

What if your resume looks like a jumper. You’ve held temp jobs for the last five years. How do you answer to get out of the stigma while at a job career fair?

Biron, thank you very much for the excellent tips! Examples you provide make it very clear how a good elevator pitch should look like, and are a great help to write my own. Kudos! :)

Thank you Biron you the best :) .

Glad it helped Darin :) Good luck!

What are most common interview questions and answers

You can find a lot of them in this article:

https://careersidekick.com/what-to-say-in-a-job-interview-questions-and-answers/

Great information and thanks for sharing.

You’re welcome, Angela. Glad you found it helpful!

Thanks Biron

I was an hour away from blowing up my chance … thanks,you saved the planet

This video was extremely helpful ! It helped me understand what I really want in a job more towards a career. Thank you so much

Comments are closed.

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Dream Jobs. Speaking exercise

Many kids dream of becoming an astronaut.

In this lesson we will be talking about Dream Jobs in English , and looking at adjectives ending in -ed and -ing (e.g. Bored v Boring )

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." — Confucius

We all have a dream job when we’re children, whether that’s an astronaut, a rock star, a football player, or a princess. However, before we’re even teenagers, we usually realise that this is not going to happen, and change our goals to something a little more realistic. However, the concept of a ‘dream job’ is very much still alive, and many people agree that if you can make money doing something you love, you are in the minority, and can consider yourself very fortunate!

Before we get started with this conversation lesson, here is a list of vocabulary that will help you talk about your dream job, with your native English-speaking teacher in your online classes via Skype.

Dream job vocabulary in English

English vocabulary related to Dream Jobs

• backup plan
• realise a dream
• qualifications
• work-life balance

Grammar to use in your online English conversation class

Adjectives ending in -ed and –ing

Ajectives ending in -ed and -ing are often confused by students learning English, but the explanation of the difference between the two is very simple.

First let’s look at some commonly confused adjectives:

And here’s the simple rule!

• Adjectives ending in -ed are used to describe how a person feels.
• Adjectives ending in -ing are used for a person’s opinion of something or someone.
• Feeling: The children were so bored .
• Opinion: Their uncle was telling them stories, and he’s terribly boring .
• Feeling: I am tired .
• Opinion: I’ve had a really tiring week.
• Feeling: The crowd were excited .
• Opinion: The football match was very exciting .
• Feeling: The staff are really motivated .
• Opinion: Their job is highly motivating .
• Feeling: I was shocked to hear the news.
• Opinion: The news was really shocking .

Useful verb forms:

• Dream - dreamt - dreamt
• Win - won - won
• Sell - sold - sold

Common mistakes:

X Doctors win a lot of money √ Doctors EARN a lot of money X He paid to test computer games √ He IS paid to test computer games X She does a lot of money √ She MAKES a lot of money

Common pronunciation problems:

• Astronaut /ˈæstɹəˌnɔːt/
• Bored /'bɔ:d/
• Idea /aɪ'dɪə/

What's your dream job now?

Questions we will discuss in your online English conversation class:

• When people talk about a dream job, what do they mean?
• What was your dream job when you were a young child?
• What was your dream job when you were a teenager?
• What’s your dream job now?
• If you won the lottery would you continue working? Would you do a different job? Would you retire?
• If you could do any job in the world, would you do what you’re doing now?
• What do you encourage your kids to do when they’re older? (Something reasonably well paid? Something well paid? Something fun, but badly paid?)
• What career advice did your parents give you when you were a kid?
• Have things changed since the credit crunch hit? Is people’s ‘dream job’ just ‘any job’?
• Should people refuse jobs that aren’t ‘perfect’ for them, rather than take any job and continue looking while working?

Practice reading and listening before speaking with your native English-speaking teacher:

We often think that the dream job involves earning a lot of money for doing something we love, or for doing very little. In this article, rich people talk about how happy money actually makes them, and you might reconsider prioritising money so much when thinking of your dream job

“ There's an oft-cited study out there that says money does buy you happiness — but only up until a certain point. It says that after you make $75,000 per year, increasing your income is not going to make you any happier…” Read more…

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Now book your online English conversation class with one of our native   English-speaking teachers to put into practice what you’ve learned in this lesson.

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Speech on My Dream

Dreams are like stars in your personal universe, guiding the path to life’s greatest journeys. They represent your aspirations, hopes, and desires that inspire you every day.

Your dream could be big or small, but it’s your unique heart’s desire. It’s like a sneak peek into your future, showing what you truly want to achieve.

1-minute Speech on My Dream

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls,

Let’s talk about dreams. Not the ones that visit us in sleep, but the dreams that keep us awake, that make our hearts beat faster. I have a dream. It’s a simple dream, yet it’s as big as the sky.

My dream is to build a world where every child gets a chance to go to school. You see, education is a powerful tool. It’s like a magic wand that can open new doors, bring light into dark places, and spark the flame of change. But sadly, many children around the world don’t have this magic wand. They don’t go to school.

Imagine a world where all children, whether they live in a big city or a tiny village, whether they are rich or poor, can learn and grow in a school. They can read books, solve math problems, and understand the world around them. This is the world of my dreams.

In the end, my dream is not just about building schools. It’s about building a future, a better future for all children. Because when children learn, they can dream. And when they dream, they can change the world.

Also check:

2-minute Speech on My Dream

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The second part of my dream is a world without hunger. Think of a place where no one goes to bed with an empty stomach. A world where food is not a luxury but a given. Every plate filled with nutritious food, every child growing up healthy, every stomach satisfied. I dream of a world where hunger is a thing of the past.

Next, I dream of a world filled with kindness. Just imagine a place where every person has a heart full of love. A place where people help each other without a second thought. Where kindness is the language that every heart speaks. I dream of a world where hate has lost its way and love leads the way.

Lastly, I dare to dream of a world where peace reigns. Think of a place where every child can play without fear. A world free of wars and violence. Where the sound of bullets is replaced by the laughter of children. I dream of a world where peace is not a distant dream but a living reality.

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Words at Ease

6 Motivational Speech Examples

Do you need inspiration for your next motivational speech?

Look no further!

Motivational Speech Examples

We’ve compiled six powerful examples of motivational speeches that are sure to resonate with your audience.

From short and sweet to longer and more in-depth, these speeches cover a range of topics and styles.

So, whether you’re looking to motivate a team, inspire a crowd, or simply share some words of wisdom, keep reading to discover six motivational speech examples that will leave a lasting impact.

1. The Power of Perseverance

Good morning, everyone. Today, I want to talk about the power of perseverance. Life is full of challenges, setbacks, and obstacles. But it’s not about how many times you get knocked down; it’s about how many times you get back up.

The truth is that success rarely comes easily. It requires hard work, dedication, and a willingness to keep pushing forward, even when things get tough. But here’s the good news: every one of us has the strength and resilience within us to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.

Think about a time in your life when you faced a challenge that seemed insurmountable. Maybe it was a difficult project at work, a personal struggle, or a goal that seemed out of reach. Now, think about how you felt when you finally overcame that challenge. The sense of pride, accomplishment, and empowerment that comes with persevering through adversity is unlike anything else.

So, my challenge to you today is this: embrace perseverance. When you face a setback, don’t give up. When you encounter an obstacle, find a way around it. And when you feel like quitting, recall why you started in the first place. Because the power of perseverance isn’t just about reaching your goals; it’s about becoming the best version of yourself along the way.

— END OF SPEECH —

Commentary: This short motivational speech focuses on the power of perseverance and encourages the audience to embrace challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth. It’s suitable for a variety of occasions, such as a team-building event, a graduation ceremony, or a personal development seminar.

2. The Importance of Kindness

Kindness. It’s a simple word, but it holds so much power. In a society that can often feel divided and disconnected, kindness can bring us together and make a real difference in the lives of those around us.

But what does it mean to be kind? It’s more than just being polite or doing the occasional good deed. True kindness comes from a place of empathy, compassion, and understanding. It’s about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and treating them with the same respect and care that you would want for yourself.

Kindness can take many forms. It can be a smile to a stranger on the street, a helping hand to a friend in need, or a simple word of encouragement to someone who is struggling. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture or a heroic act. Even the smallest acts of kindness can have a ripple effect, spreading positivity and goodwill far beyond the initial interaction.

But kindness isn’t just about making others feel good; it’s also about the impact it has on our own lives. When we choose to be kind, we create a sense of connection and belonging that can boost our happiness and well-being. We become part of something bigger than ourselves, contributing to a more compassionate and caring community.

So, my challenge to you today is to make kindness a priority in your life. Look for opportunities to show empathy and compassion to those around you. Be the person who lifts others, and spreads positivity and light wherever you go. Because in a society that can often feel dark and uncertain, kindness is the spark that can ignite change and make a real difference.

Commentary: This medium-length motivational speech emphasizes the importance of kindness and encourages the audience to make empathy and compassion a priority in their lives. It’s suitable for events focused on community-building, social responsibility, or personal growth.

3. Embracing Change

Change. It’s a word that can evoke feelings of fear, uncertainty, and discomfort. But what if I told you that change is also the key to growth, progress, and personal transformation?

Think about the most significant moments of growth and development in your life. Chances are, they all involved some element of change. Whether it is starting a new job, moving to a new city, or taking on a new challenge, change is what pushes us out of our comfort zones and forces us to adapt, learn, and evolve.

But embracing change isn’t always easy. It requires courage, resilience, and a willingness to step into the unknown. It means letting go of the familiar and comfortable to make room for something new and potentially better.

However, the rewards of embracing change are immeasurable. When we open ourselves up to new experiences and opportunities, we expand our horizons and discover new possibilities. We learn more about ourselves, our strengths, and our potential. We become more adaptable, more resilient, and more capable of handling whatever life throws our way.

So, how can we learn to embrace change in our lives? It starts with shifting our mindset. Instead of viewing change as a threat or a burden, try to see it as an opportunity for growth and adventure. Surround yourself with people who support and encourage you to step outside your comfort zone. And most importantly, trust in your ability to handle whatever comes your way.

Keep in mind, that change is a natural and inevitable part of life. By learning to embrace it, we open ourselves up to a lifetime of endless possibilities and personal growth. So, don’t be afraid to take that leap of faith and step into the unknown. Who knows what incredible things await you on the other side?

Commentary: This long motivational speech encourages the audience to embrace change as an opportunity for growth and personal development. It’s suitable for events focused on leadership, career development, or life transitions.

4. The Power of Gratitude

Gratitude. It’s a simple concept, but one that has the power to transform our lives in profound ways. When we make a conscious effort to focus on the things we’re grateful for, we shift our perspective from one of scarcity and lack to one of abundance and appreciation.

But practicing gratitude isn’t always easy, especially when life gets tough. It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind, the challenges and setbacks, and forget to take a step back and appreciate all the good in our lives.

However, the benefits of cultivating a gratitude practice are well-documented. Studies have shown that people who regularly express gratitude experience greater happiness, improved relationships, better physical health, and even increased resilience when faced with adversity.

So, how can we make gratitude a regular part of our lives? It starts with small, simple actions. Take a few minutes each day to reflect on the things you’re grateful for, whether it’s a supportive friend, a warm cup of coffee, or a beautiful sunset. Keep a gratitude journal and write down a few things you’re thankful for each day. Express your appreciation to the people in your life who make a positive impact.

But gratitude isn’t just about feeling good; it’s also about taking action. When we feel grateful, we’re more likely to pay it forward and make a positive difference in the lives of others. We become more generous, more compassionate, and more connected to the people around us.

So, my challenge to you today is to make gratitude a daily practice. Start small, but be consistent. Notice the good in your life, and express your appreciation for it. And watch as your perspective shifts and your life begins to transform in ways you never thought possible.

Keep in mind, that gratitude is a choice. It’s a powerful tool that we all have access to, no matter what challenges we face. By choosing to focus on the good, we open ourselves up to a lifetime of positivity, abundance, and joy. So, let’s make gratitude a priority and watch as our lives, and the lives of those around us, begin to flourish.

Commentary: This lengthy motivational speech highlights the transformative power of gratitude and offers practical tips for incorporating it into daily life. It’s suitable for events focused on personal development, mindfulness, or cultivating a positive mindset.

5. Finding Your Purpose

Purpose. It’s a word that carries a lot of weight. It’s the driving force behind our actions, the fuel that propels us forward, and the compass that guides us through life’s twists and turns. But for many of us, finding our purpose can feel like an elusive and intimidating task.

We live in a society that often tells us that our worth is measured by external success and validation. We’re bombarded with messages about climbing the corporate ladder, achieving financial abundance, and living up to society’s expectations. But what if our true purpose lies beyond these superficial markers of success?

The truth is, our purpose is deeply personal and unique to each of us. It’s not about fitting into a predetermined mold or following someone else’s path. It’s about tapping into our passions, values, and talents, and using them to make a positive impact on the people around us.

So, how do we begin the journey of finding our purpose? It starts with self-reflection and introspection. Take time to explore your interests, your strengths, and the things that bring you joy. Ask yourself what kind of legacy you want to leave behind, and what makes you feel truly alive and fulfilled.

But finding your purpose isn’t just an internal process; it also involves taking action. Experiment with different paths and possibilities. Volunteer for causes that align with your values. Surround yourself with people who inspire and support you. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to take risks and step outside your comfort zone.

Keep in mind, that finding your purpose is a lifelong journey. It’s not about reaching a final destination, but rather about embracing the process of growth and self-discovery. It’s about staying true to yourself, even when faced with challenges and setbacks. And it’s about using your unique gifts and talents to make a positive difference in the world.

So, my challenge to you today is to start the journey of finding your purpose. Take the first step, no matter how small or uncertain it may feel. Trust in the process, and have faith that your purpose will reveal itself in due time. And know that by living a life of purpose and meaning, you have the power to create a ripple effect of positivity and change that extends far beyond yourself.

Commentary: This lengthy motivational speech encourages the audience to embark on a journey of self-discovery to find their unique purpose in life. It’s suitable for events focused on personal growth, career development, or life transitions.

6. The Importance of Resilience

Resilience. It’s a quality that we all possess, but one that is often tested by the challenges and setbacks of life. It’s the ability to bounce back from adversity, to adapt to change, and to persevere when faced with obstacles. And in a society that is constantly shifting and evolving, resilience has never been more important.

But what does it mean to be resilient? It’s not about being invincible or immune to pain and struggle. It’s about having the courage to face our fears, the strength to pick ourselves up when we fall, and the wisdom to learn from our experiences.

Resilience is a muscle that we can all develop and strengthen over time. It’s about cultivating a mindset of growth and adaptability, and recognizing that setbacks and failures are not the end of the story, but rather opportunities for learning and growth.

So, how can we build our resilience when faced with life’s challenges? It starts with self-awareness and self-care. Take time to understand your strengths and limitations, and prioritize your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Surround yourself with a supportive network of friends and loved ones who can offer encouragement and guidance when you need it most.

But resilience isn’t just about surviving challenges; it’s also about thriving despite them. It’s about finding meaning and purpose when faced with adversity and using our experiences to fuel our growth and development. It’s about recognizing that we are all works in progress and that every challenge we face is an opportunity to become a stronger, wiser, and more compassionate version of ourselves.

So, my challenge to you today is to embrace resilience as a way of life. When faced with a setback or challenge, don’t give up or give in to despair. Instead, tap into your inner strength and resources, and trust in your ability to overcome and grow from the experience.

Keep in mind that resilience is not about being perfect or invincible. It’s about being human, and recognizing that we all can adapt, evolve, and thrive when faced with life’s challenges. So, let’s cultivate our resilience, and use it as a tool for personal and collective growth and transformation.

Commentary: This lengthy motivational speech emphasizes the importance of resilience in life’s challenges and offers strategies for building and strengthening this essential quality. It’s suitable for events focused on personal development, overcoming adversity, or cultivating mental and emotional well-being.

Summing Up: Motivational Speeches to Inspire and Empower

Motivational speeches have the power to inspire, empower, and transform lives.

Whether you’re looking to motivate a team, encourage personal growth, or simply share some words of wisdom, these six examples demonstrate the diverse range of topics and styles that can be used to deliver a powerful and impactful message.

From embracing change and cultivating gratitude to finding purpose and building resilience, these speeches offer valuable insights and strategies for life’s challenges and opportunities.

By incorporating these themes and techniques into your motivational speeches, you can create a lasting impact on your audience and help them unlock their full potential.

So, the next time you’re called upon to deliver a motivational speech, remember the power of your words to inspire, empower, and transform.

Draw upon these examples as a source of guidance and inspiration, and trust in your ability to deliver a message that resonates with your audience and leaves a lasting impact.

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What is your dream job?

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Ielts cue card sample 412 - describe your dream job, describe your dream job that you want to have in the future..

• what qualification or experience you would need for this job
• what the job would involve
• what the most difficult thing about the job would be
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I. Introduction

• Briefly introduce the topic and mention that the dream job is to become a teacher.

II. Description of the job

• Explain that the job of a teacher is to impart knowledge and help students develop their intellectual and social skills.
• Mention that the job is fulfilling and rewarding as teachers play a significant role in shaping the next generation.
• Emphasize that teachers also provide guidance and support to students, acting as role models and mentors.

III. Qualifications required

• Mention that a teacher must have a bachelor’s degree in education or a related field, along with a teaching certification.
• Emphasize that excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as well as a passion for teaching and learning, are also necessary qualifications.

IV. Why teaching is the perfect job

• Explain that teaching aligns with personal values and interests.
• Emphasize that education is important and every child deserves a high-quality education.
• Mention that as a teacher, there would be an opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of students and contribute to society in a meaningful way.

Sample Answer

My dream job is to become a teacher. It is a profession that I have always admired and aspired to.

To begin with, a teacher’s job is to impart knowledge and help students develop their intellectual and social skills. As a teacher, I would have the opportunity to educate young minds and shape their future. This is a fulfilling and rewarding career as teachers play a significant role in shaping the next generation.

Moreover, a teacher’s job is not only about teaching academic subjects but also about providing guidance and support to students. Teachers act as role models and mentors, helping students to navigate their personal and academic lives. This aspect of the job is what makes it so unique and essential.

In terms of the job’s qualifications, a teacher must have a bachelor’s degree in education or a related field, along with a teaching certification. In addition, a teacher should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and a passion for teaching and learning.

Finally, the reason why I believe teaching is the perfect job for me is that it aligns with my values and personal interests. I am passionate about education and believe that every child deserves a high-quality education. As a teacher, I would have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of my students and contribute to society in a meaningful way.

In short, I look forward to pursuing this career path and making a positive impact on the lives of my future students.

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