Some people believe a job should be chosen for the salary it pays. Others think it matters more that the work itself is enjoyable.
A full IELTS Writing Task 2 answer to this question, with a paragraph plan, ideas you can use, and the vocabulary that fits this topic.
The question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Some people believe a job should be chosen for the salary it pays. Others think it matters more that the work itself is enjoyable.
Discuss both opinions and give your own view.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
How to read this question
The trap in this very common question is that both views are so easy to state that essays become a list of obvious points. The way to lift it is to notice that the choice only exists above a certain income: below the level where bills are covered, there is no trade-off to discuss. Making that condition explicit turns a bland comparison into an argument, and it lets you answer the question rather than sit between the two views.
Paragraph plan
Introduction — Paraphrase both views, then state a position: salary matters absolutely up to sufficiency and much less beyond it, so enjoyment should decide once basic security is met.
Body 1 — The case for salary — it buys security, options and the ability to support others, and financial stress damages everything else.
Body 2 — The case for enjoyment — the sheer quantity of hours involved, and the fact that satisfaction, unlike pay, does not lose its effect over time.
Conclusion — Salary first to a threshold, enjoyment after it — the two views are right about different income levels.
Model essay
Band 8.5–9.0 model essay
323 words
Some people believe that a job should be selected primarily for its salary, while others maintain that enjoying the work itself matters more. In my view, although financial considerations are unavoidable, especially early in one's career, long-term job satisfaction ultimately outweighs salary in determining overall wellbeing.
On the one hand, those who prioritise salary argue that financial security underpins nearly every other aspect of life. To clarify, a stable, well-paying income allows individuals to meet essential needs such as housing and healthcare, save for the future, and support their families, considerations that often take precedence, particularly for those facing financial pressure or supporting dependents, especially in societies where the cost of housing and essential services continues to rise steadily. For many, especially early in their careers, accepting a higher-paying but less enjoyable role can be a pragmatic necessity rather than a genuine preference.
On the other hand, advocates of prioritising enjoyment argue that job satisfaction has a more profound effect on long-term wellbeing and performance. To illustrate, employees who find genuine fulfilment in their work tend to exhibit greater motivation, creativity, and resilience in the face of professional challenges, whereas those who remain in high-paying but unfulfilling roles often experience burnout and diminished mental health over time. Sustained dissatisfaction can gradually erode a person's overall quality of life, regardless of their income level.
From my perspective, while salary considerations are entirely reasonable, particularly for those with immediate financial obligations, enjoyable work becomes increasingly important as a determinant of long-term happiness and career longevity. Once basic financial security has been achieved, continuing to endure an unfulfilling job purely for monetary gain is rarely sustainable, as accumulating stress and disengagement tend to outweigh whatever comfort a higher salary initially provides.
To conclude, although salary plays a legitimate and sometimes necessary role in career decisions, I believe that job satisfaction should ultimately take precedence, as it more directly shapes an individual's long-term wellbeing and professional fulfilment.
Created by a Band 8.5–9.0 IELTS Writing achiever — Premium. Sign up free to read the rest of this essay and unlock every model on the site.
This is a discussion (discuss both views) question. The essay above shows you what a strong answer looks like when it is finished. What it cannot show you is how to get there from a blank page in forty minutes.
That is what our Writing Study Library is for: the structure we teach for this exact question type, the paragraph pattern that goes with it, and the sentence openers for each stage — so the essay is planned before you start writing rather than assembled as you go.
Introduction: Paraphrase both views on choosing a job for salary versus enjoyment, and state the opinion that job satisfaction ultimately outweighs salary in the long run.
Body 1: Explain the salary-first view: financial security underpins housing, healthcare and family support, making it a pragmatic necessity, especially early in a career or where living costs are rising.
Body 2: Explain the enjoyment-first view: job satisfaction drives motivation, creativity and resilience, while unfulfilling but high-paying roles risk burnout and declining mental health over time.
Body 3: Give the writer's own opinion: once basic financial security is achieved, continuing an unfulfilling job purely for money becomes unsustainable as stress and disengagement outweigh the benefit.
Conclusion: Restate that job satisfaction should ultimately take precedence over salary because it more directly shapes long-term wellbeing.
Word or phrase
Meaning
Used in a sentence
underpins
forms the basis or support for something
financial security underpins nearly every other aspect of life
dependents
people who rely on someone else for financial support
supporting dependents, especially in societies where the cost of housing and essential services continues to rise steadily
pragmatic
dealing with things sensibly and practically
accepting a higher-paying but less enjoyable role can be a pragmatic necessity
fulfilment
satisfaction or happiness gained from fully developing one's abilities
employees who find genuine fulfilment in their work
resilience
the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties
greater motivation, creativity, and resilience in the face of professional challenges
burnout
physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress
often experience burnout and diminished mental health over time
longevity
long duration, especially of life or career
a determinant of long-term happiness and career longevity
disengagement
the state of no longer being involved or committed
accumulating stress and disengagement tend to outweigh whatever comfort a higher salary initially provides
Created by a Band 8.5–9.0 IELTS Writing achiever — Premium. Sign up free to see the ideas and vocabulary for this topic and unlock every model on the site.
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Common questions
This topic feels obvious. How do I avoid a generic essay?
Add a condition. Instead of arguing that money matters and enjoyment matters, specify when each dominates — here, a threshold of financial sufficiency. A conditional position gives each paragraph a distinct job and immediately separates your answer from the hundreds of essays that conclude "both are important".
Is "both are important" ever an acceptable conclusion?
Only if you have said in what respect and under what conditions. Unqualified, it is the classic Band 6 ending: technically a position, but one the examiner cannot distinguish from having no view. Say which dominates and when.
Can I mention that not everyone gets this choice?
Yes, and it is a mature point that few candidates make. Keep it to a sentence or two near the end so it qualifies your answer rather than replacing it. Raised too early it can look like you are avoiding the question.
Should I use numbers like "eighty thousand hours"?
A rough illustrative figure is fine and adds force, provided you present it as approximate. Avoid precise statistics you cannot support — IELTS does not check them, but an over-specific claim tends to invite complicated grammar and adds no marks.
