Work (or our occupation) plays an important role in our life. People work because they want to earn money for their living.

THE LABOUR MARKET

The labour market includes:

• employees  –  workers, people who are paid by an employer
• employer – a person who employs/hires employees and pay for their work
• self – employed person – a person who works for himself/herself
• businessman/ businesswoman – a person who works in business, especially one who has a high position in a company 

• the unemployed
• the disabled 
• the sick
• the retired

There are many exciting jobs that we can mention:

• a doctor – looks after ill people, prescribes medicine
• a butcher – sells meat
• a dentist  – pulls or drills our teeth 
• a plumber – fixes dripping taps
• a post lady/postman – delivers letters
• a journalist  –  writes for newspapers 
• a baker –  makes bread
• a pilot  –  flies planes
• an accountant  –  does the accounts 
• a hairdresser – cuts our hair
• a waiter/ a waitress/ a server – looks after people in restaurants 
• a nurse – takes our blood pressure, checks our urine, takes blood
• a teacher – a teacher educates students. It´s a very responsible job. Teaching is a very time-consuming profession. Teachers always bring work home. They work on the weekends checking hundreds of papers, preparing various kinds of tests, and planning the next lesson.
• a security officer  – security work/job belongs to dangerous professions. The working environment is not safe. People drink alcohol, get out of/lose control and get aggressive – this may lead to fights. 
• a lifeguard  – a lifeguard looks after people in a swimming pool/beach.
• a cook/ a chef  – he/she prepares meals in a restaurant.
• a shop assistant  – he/she helps customers in shops.

BLUE-COLLAR JOBS & WHITE-COLLAR JOBS

Traditionally, jobs have been divided into TWO TYPES according to the clothes that people wear to work:

A BLUE-COLLAR JOB

A MANUAL JOB = A PHYSICAL JOB – People who do this job, work with their hands, especially in the building industry (a construction worker, a painter/decorator, a housekeeper, a welder, a plumber, a firefighter, an electrician…).

A WHITE-COLLAR JOB

AN OFFICE JOB = AN INTELECTUAL JOB – People who do this job, work in an office (an office manager, an office clerk, an insurance agent…).

A MANUAL JOB or BLUE COLLAR JOB, e.g., a MECHANIC.

A mechanic works with his hands. They should be physically strong because it’s usually hard work. They don‘t have to study at university. This job is skilled. Mechanics often work shifts.

AN OFFICE JOB or WHITE COLLAR JOB, e.g., a SECRETARY.

Nowadays the name for this job is an ASSISTANT. It is often very dull and monotonous – each day is the same, but sometimes very stressful. 

An assistant’s duties: answering the telephone, sitting at a computer, typing letters and reports, making phone calls, sending lots of e-mails, faxes, invoices, doing a lot of paperwork, making appointments for the boss, making reservations at restaurants. They make polite conversations with guests and help the boss with organising his/her time. 

Each secretary should have a positive image – a nice appearance, they must be kind, polite, with friendly manner and speech. They create a perfect impression. Assistants don’t usually work shifts.

QUESTION TIME
part 1

1. Who is an employer, an employee, a self-employed person, a businessman?
2. Give reasons why some people don‘t work.
3. Can you name at least 10 jobs in English? Which jobs are typically done by
   men/women in Slovakia?
4. What‘s the difference between ´a blue-collar job´ and ´a white-collar job´?

BONUS QUESTION: What jobs are becoming more popular nowadays? Why? What jobs are losing their popularity? Why?