100 Conversation Questions about Careers and Jobs

A job, or occupation, is a person’s role in society. More specifically, a job is an activity, often regular and often performed in exchange for payment.

Many people have multiple jobs. A person can begin a job by becoming an employee, volunteering, starting a business, or becoming a parent.

People have many questions about careers and jobs such as:

• How difficult is to have your own business?
• Do you have a problem working at night?
• Do dream jobs really exist?
• What jobs are fun / boring?

These are some common question to have an interesting conversation about careers and jobs

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General Questions about Careers and Jobs

These are some general questions about careers and jobs

1. What are some common occupations in your country?
2. What are some common job for men in your country?
3. What are some common job for women in your country?
4. What motivates a person to change his/ her job?
5. How much money do you consider a decent salary?
6. What skills and qualifications do you have?
7. At what age do people usually retire in your country?
8. How difficult is to have your own business?

Questions about Job Preferences

These are some questions to discuss your preferences about jobs

1. Do you like your job?
2. Do you like working alone or in group?
3. Do you like team work?
4. What shift do you like to work?
5. What’s your dream job?
6. Do you like working overtime?
7. Do you like to work indoors?
8. Do you like working outdoors?
9. Do you have a problem working at night?
10. Do you prefer the day shift or night shift?

Questions about Your Current Job

These are some discussion questions to learn more about your current job

1. Can you describe some of the people that you work with?
2. Can you describe your current job?
3. Do you like your boss?
4. How many days a week do you work?
5. How many hours a week do you work?
6. What time do your start and finish work?
7. What is the atmosphere like at your workplace?
8. How long do you plan to continue working where you are?
9. Do you have to work overtime? If so, how often?
10. Do you have to wear a uniform?
11. Do you have to do a lot of paperwork?
12. Do you have to work on weekends?

Questions about Unemployment

These are some conversation questions to understand more about what it feels to be unemployed

1. Have you ever been unemployed? How long for?
2. Have you ever been fired from a job? When? Why?
3. Is unemployment a great problem where you live now?
4. What are the best ways to look for a job?
5. Do you usually look for a job when you are looking for a job?

Questions about your First Job

These are some questions to learn more about your first job

1. What was your first job?
2. How old were you when you got your first job? 
3. Why did you quit your first job?
4. Did you like your first job?
5. What did you like the most about your first job?
6. What did you like the least about your first job?
7. How much money did you earn from your first job?
8. Do you have any advice for Job Seekers?

Opinions about Jobs

These are some discussion questions to understand your opinion about jobs

1. What jobs are fun / boring?
2. What jobs do you consider way too dangerous?
3. What are some of the worst jobs you can think of?
4. What are some of the best jobs you can think of?
5. In your opinion, which jobs are most prestigious? Why?

Questions about Dream Jobs

These are some questions about dream jobs

1. How long do you want to work?
2. How many hours a week do you want to work?
3. How many days a week do you want to work?
4. Where do you want to work?
5. How much money do you want to earn?
6. What job do you want to have?
7. Do you want to work on weekends?
8. Do dream jobs really exist?

Questions about Retirement

These are some questions related to retirement

1. What plans have you made for your retirement?
2. How much money do you think you need to retire?
3. How much should you be saving today?
4. Are you worried about the future?
5. Do you expect your retirement to be very different from the lifestyle today?
6. What do you expect to enjoy doing in your retirement?

Questions about Negative Aspects of a Job

These are some questions to explore some of the negative aspects of certain jobs

1. What negative things can be caused by working too long?
2. Do you work under pressure?
3. Do you know what a workaholic is?
4. Do you think that you work too much?
5. Would you describe yourself as a workaholic?
6. Have you ever wanted to quit from a job so badly

Questions for Job Interviews

These are some of the questions commonly used in Job Interviews

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself
2. What are your biggest weaknesses?
3. What are your biggest strengths?
4. Where do you see yourself in five years?
5. Why should we hire you?
6. Why do you want this job?
7. Why do you want to leave your current job?
8. What questions do you have for me?
9. did you talk to them about the position?
10. Do you know anyone that works here?
11. How does this role fit into your career plans?
12. What would you like to be doing in five years?
13. How does your experience relate to this job?