Refer to the sample IELTS Speaking Part 2 with the topic Describe a good decision you made recently below to practice effectively at home and conquer a high band score in the real Speaking exam!
Describe a good decision you made recently.
You should say:
- What it was
- When you made it
- What the result was
And explain how you felt about it
Sample Answer
I recently made a decision that I consider one of my best ever, that is to apply to where I’m working right now. It’s an ed-tech company that specializes in creating and selling education products. The name is Prep.vn. Most of the online courses that are being sold are IELTS-oriented, but TOEIC courses are getting published soon.
The story is, a few months ago, while I was working at my then workplace, a school whose name I rather not tell, I got a message from my friend, asking if I want to apply for a job at Prep.vn. She then proceeded to mail me the Job Description, and I have to say, the JD was pretty appealing. It had everything I could wish for, from the job itself to the salary. But I still had a hard time deciding, because my job at the time was still considered a dream job for many. But I guess you know what happened next, I changed my job anyway.
And that was the right call. My first impression was that it was such a supportive and friendly working environment. I was welcomed warmly the very first day at the office, as my manager promptly introduced me to the team and organized a game to break the ice. All of my new co-workers helped me a lot to get up to speed and ready for work. They are also pretty humorous though, and I cannot keep a straight face around them.
Oh, and the job, it is a fulfilling one, as I got the chance to do what I know best: education. The place is unlike many other traditional English centers, as it focuses less on money, and more on education and technology, which just happens to match my description of what my dream job should be.
All in all, I would say that I would never regret my decision to work at this office, and I am enjoying every single moment here.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 : Decision making
1. What kinds of decisions do people usually make in their daily life?
Deciding what to wear is one that most people have to make every day. what type of shirt, what color of pants, what kind of shoes, what accessories and everything. It often takes a considerable amount of time for many to pick and choose. The founder of Facebook, Mark Zukerberg is a rare exception, as he chooses to wear the same blue shirt, pair of jeans, and pair of running shoes daily so that he can shift his attention to the more important decisions.
2. What should people do when making a hard decision?
When facing a hard decision, people should really slow down and think it through. The reason is during such tough moment, human tends to get an adrenaline rush and cannot make the best decision. By slowing things down, they can curb the effect of hormones, and have more time to consider everything as well.
In addition, meditation is also another way of gaining mental clarity, as it cultivates awareness and clears the mind of other thoughts to help people make smarter choices.
3. Do you think it is easier to make a decision by yourself or by discussing it with others?
Most of the time, deciding by myself is easier since I don’t have to argue with anybody, I can just do things the way I like. But of course, it gets a little complicated when my decision affects people around me. For example, when I need to organize a trip for a group of friends, it is very difficult for me to single-handedly decide on what is best for everyone.
Some may like going somewhere near the city, some may prefer a budget hotel, and so on. In such cases, it is much easier to just discuss with everybody.
4. Why do you think many young people don’t like to follow their parents’ advice?
It is a natural tendency for the youth, especially during their teenage years, to resist their parents’ advice. This so-called teenage rebellion is part of growing up, when teens are trying to find their independence as well as their own identities. Breaking the law, driving fast, not obeying teachers, etc. Such insubordinate actions may push parents’ patience but sometimes they are needed for children to develop, and they will mostly fade away by the time teens reach adulthood.
5. What should people do to make better decisions?
Practicing mindfulness daily is a helpful exercise for better decision making. This is because people are constantly bombarded by a lot of information, ideas and thoughts that are irrelevant and could cloud their judgement.
For example, it would be very difficult for a manager to make a big financial investment if music, street noises, reports from other departments and unrelated phone calls kept on getting into his head. Practicing mindfulness, such as meditating, is a possible cure, as it clear the mind of all the irrelevant thoughts and help people make better judgement calls.
