IELTS Writing Task 2 essay with model answer

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic

Employers sometimes ask people applying for jobs for personal information, such as their hobbies and interests, and whether they are married or single. Some people say this information may be relevant and useful. Others disagree.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

The contentious argument that whether organizations can solicit personal information from job seekers in an employment application has sparked a heated debate among many. In this essay, I will illustrate the merits and demerits of such practice by employers and then provide my own opinion.

On the one hand, there are benefits to organizations in acquiring information about a prospective employee, including his hobbies, marital status, et cetera. The primary advantage is that the multinational corporations can gauge whether an applicant is a best-fit or not for a vacancy by asking for his or her personal data. For instance, a position that requires travelling frequently to various metropolitan cities in the world will not be a good-fit for married people because of their marital commitment. In addition, an organization can increase its employee retention rate by enquiring about a potential hire’s hobbies and interests. For example, a financial analyst who is fond of latest gadgets would be excited to work for a high tech corporation rather than another applicant who despises an advanced device.

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On the other hand, there are some cons in employers seeking personal information from job applicants. First of all, an organization may inadvertently drive away the best qualified candidate who has privacy concerns by asking for one’s hobbies, interests, marital status, et cetera. Moreover, some employers may resort to discriminatory practices by selecting potential hires based on their personal preferences. For instance, an interviewer who despises a game of cricket may overlook an applicant whose passion is to play with a bat and ball.

Having considered a range of arguments, I firmly believe that the merits of an organization seeking personal information from job candidates outweigh the drawbacks; employers can match applicants to the vacancies and increase employee retention rates.

Total Words: 288

Task Achievement: 9

Coherence & Cohesion: 9

Lexical resources: 9

Grammar: 9

Overall Score: Band 9

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