Listening: “The Search for the Perfect Job- Does It Exist?”

REALIA

3 years ago

Active Listening

Listen to an interview about finding the perfect job. Then answer the questions to see how much you understood.

What is this podcast about?

In this podcast, Simone Stolzoff talks about the idea of finding the perfect job that will fulfill and complete us. Through his own research and interviews, he shares some of the negative consequences of making work the most important part of our lives. He then contrasts the way work was viewed in the past with how it is seen today. Let’s listen to what he has to say about finding the perfect job.

Before you listen…

Take this personality test to find out what your job means to you. Is it the central part of your identity or something you do to make money? There are no right or wrong answers, but this will teach you new vocabulary words and help prepare you for the listening.

<section><h2></h2><p> </p><h2>Is your job the central part of your identity, or something you do to make money?</h2><p>Take this personality test to find out.</p></section><section><h2><h2><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">You spend a lot of time working. Even though you are passionate and enjoy your job, you sometimes feel overwhelmed and burnt-out. You might not have time for other hobbies you enjoy or enough time with friends and family. </span></h2><h2><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b"> </span></h2><h2><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Listen below to learn different ways to think about the “perfect job.”</span></h2></h2><p></p><p> </p></section><section><h3><h2><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">You have many hobbies and interests outside of work. Although you may enjoy your work, it is not the most important thing about you. You usually have time for friends and family and see your job as a way to do other things you love.</span></h2><h2><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b"> </span></h2><h2><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Listen below to learn different ways to think about the “perfect job.”</span></h2></h3><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b"> </span></p><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b"> </span></p><h2><strong> </strong></h2><p></p></section><section><h2><h2><strong>I spend most of my free time working.</strong></h2></h2></section><section><h3><h2><strong>When I get home from work, I sometimes don’t have any energy left for my friends or family.</strong></h2></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>I see my job as a <span data-amp-original-style="text-decoration:underline;" class="amp-wp-69ded7c">means to an end</span>, so I can do other things I love.</strong></h2></h3><p> </p><p>**something done to achieve another goal you have. For example, maybe your job isn’t your passion, but you want to use it to make money, so you can travel the world.</p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>My <span data-amp-original-style="text-decoration:underline;" class="amp-wp-69ded7c">vocation</span> is the most important thing about me. </strong></h2></h3><p> </p><p>**My job, work, occupation</p></section><section><h3><h2>I often feel <span data-amp-original-style="font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;" class="amp-wp-bc0486a">overwhelmed</span> and <span data-amp-original-style="text-decoration:underline;" class="amp-wp-69ded7c">burnt-out</span> at work. </h2></h3><p> </p><p>**overwhelmed- a feeling of helplessness and something being too difficult to handle.</p><p>**burnt-out- tired and depleted from emotional and physical stress</p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>I have many hobbies and interests outside of work. </strong></h2></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>I am very passionate about my work. It is a <span data-amp-original-style="text-decoration:underline;" class="amp-wp-69ded7c">higher calling</span>. </strong></h2></h3><p> </p><p>**has a greater purpose; is meaningful </p></section>

Quiz Maker – powered by Riddle

Listen to the search for the perfect job…

Study Tips!

Listen to the audio. You may want to take notes if it doesn’t interfere with your comprehension. In general, focus on the main ideas and key points of the listening segment.
Are there questions you missed or parts you didn’t understand? Go back and listen to where each question is located in the audio (see quiz below).

Listen from 1:15-8:56 min. (One minute and fifteen seconds until eight minutes and fifty-six seconds) to take the quiz.

Take the quiz…

<section><h2><h2><strong>Listening questions- Stop looking for the perfect job</strong></h2></h2></section><section><h2><h2><strong>What is this listening segment mainly about?</strong></h2></h2></section><section><h3><h2><strong>What is implied by asking, “What do you do?” when first meeting someone at a social event?</strong></h2></h3><p> </p><p><em>Tip! Find this answer at 1:35 on the audio</em></p></section><section><h3><h2><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:12px;" class="amp-wp-9bd93d3"><strong data-amp-original-style="font-size:1.5em;" class="amp-wp-bf1d7e4"> How does the poet, Anis Mojgani, feel about the mantra,</strong><strong data-amp-original-style="font-size:1.5em;" class="amp-wp-bf1d7e4"> “love what you do and never work a day in your life?”</strong></span></h2></h3><p> </p><p><em>Tip! Find this answer at 4:26 on the audio</em></p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>Why does the man say that he did not “<span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>heed</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>&lt;!-- wp:paragraph {&quot;fontSize&quot;:&quot;large&quot;} --&gt; &lt;p class=&quot;has-large-font-size&quot;&gt;pay attention to something; following someone&#039;s advice&lt;/p&gt; &lt;!-- /wp:paragraph --&gt;</div>" data-mobile-support="0" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex="0" role="link">heed</span> his advice?”</strong></h2></h3><p> </p><p><em>Tip! Find this answer at 5:09 on the audio</em></p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>Why did the man’s decision about choosing between a job as a journalist and a job at a high paying design firm feel <span data-amp-original-style="text-decoration:underline;" class="amp-wp-69ded7c">overwhelming</span>?</strong></h2></h3><p> </p><p>**an overwhelming decision – a difficult and huge decision</p><p><em>Tip! Find this answer at 5:38 on the audio</em></p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>What was different about his grandmother’s job?</strong></h2></h3><p> </p><p><em>Tip! Find this answer at 6:32 on the audio</em></p></section><section><h3><h2>According to the speaker, what <span data-amp-original-style="font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;" class="amp-wp-bc0486a">scripts</span> was the millennial generation raised with?</h2></h3><p> </p><p>**Scripts- what they would tell themselves</p><p> </p><p><em>Tip! Find this answer at 7:05 on the audio</em></p><p> </p></section><section><h3><h2>What does the speaker say about the dangers of “workism?”</h2></h3><p> </p><p><em>Tip! Find this answer at 7:35 on the audio</em></p></section><section><h2></h2><p><h2>Great job! You took the first step just by DOING it! :blush:</h2><button></button><h2>If you did well, give yourself a pat on the back! Even if you didn’t do as well as you would have like; don’t worry, just by listening and interacting with English, you are acquiring new words, sentence structures, and sounds that you didn’t know before.</h2><h2><br></h2><h2>By listening to English regularly, you’ll understand more and be able to USE it faster than you think!! You can’t go wrong with that 😉</h2><p> </p><p> </p><p>*Give yourself a pat on the back- Congratulate yourself for doing a good job!</p><p> </p><h2>Tips for further learning:</h2><p> </p><h2>1) Practice the Grammar and Vocabulary found in this listening in the “Grammar Flash” and Word Corner” below.</h2><h2>2) Continue the conversation and practice sharing your opinion in English and interacting with others.</h2><h2>3) Go back through the answers, and listen to where each answer is located and read the transcript.</h2><h2><br></h2></p><h2>Score 0% – 100%</h2></section><section><h3></h3></section>

Quiz Maker – powered by Riddle

Your hard work is paying off! You improved your listening skills today, nice job!

Come back to “www.gorealia.com” every week to practice English and listen to stories that inspire!

What do you think about finding the perfect job? Keep practicing English and learn even more new words by joining the conversation and sharing your thoughts with learners from around the world.

Join the conversation with other English learners

Join the conversation!

Continue learning! Learn new academic vocabulary words and expressions from this podcast.

Vocabulary…Applied

Vocabulary practice

Practice giving advice while looking at examples from the interview. Then take a quiz to check your understanding.

Grammar Flash

Learn Grammar

Try the complete practice with everything included. Let us take you through the listening, vocabulary, grammar, and joining in the conversation. Here, all English skills are integrated with a real topic! You’ve got this!

Learn English with the complete practice

Practice all English skills together!

Sources

Dr. Laurie Santos, host. “Stop Looking for the Perfect Job – a “Good Enough Job” is Just Fine.” The Happiness Lab, Pushkin, 22 Jan. 2023,

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stop-looking-for-the-perfect-job-a-good-enough-job/id1474245040?i=1000595961715