Completing university education is thought by some to be the best way to get a job. On the other hand, other people think getting experience and developing soft skills is more important. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
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Sample Response
In this day and age, individuals are considered ineligible for a high paying job if they lack a strong academic recordremarkable educational record from reputable educational institutionsreputed academic institutes. The significance of having relevant qualificationsbeing qualified as a person has become paramount in today’s corporate world. At the same time, simply attaining theoretical knowledge without practical experience is also a disadvantagean unsuitable trait. Many believe that having more work experience makes a candidate stand out from the crowd. In my opinion, having practical knowledge is more importantconsequential when it comes to job-hunting.
It is a well-known fact that every organisation currently demandspresently every organisation demands a well-educated candidate, even for entry-level positions. The first impression recruiters have of candidates is greatly influenced by a person’s CV, which mainly comprises a person’s qualifications. Consequently, students tend to take several certificate coursestake on several certificate courses whilst pursuing a university education to help gain an edge over other candidates. Moreover, in most high-paying professions such as medicine, law or engineeringjobs like a doctor, lawyer or engineer, having adequate knowledge and training is crucial for professional competencefor betterment. More importantly,What is more important is that, nowadays, university education provides theoretical knowledge and sufficient practical exposureenough exposure that aids in the holistic development of an individual.
Nevertheless, we must also acknowledge that work experience holds significant value when seeking high-profile job roles. MerelyOnly being aware of theories and concepts without any practical ability to apply themany practical idea of utilising them is completely futile. Due to this fact, work experience is a determining factor when applying for a master’s degree like MBA and clearly demonstrates the advantageis an undeniable indicator of the advantage experienced individuals have over the rest. FurthermoreApart from that, the rationale behind preferring experienced professionals is that such individuals will require less time and effort to learn and adapt to an organisation and their responsibilitiesadapt to an organisation and the type of work they are responsible for, as opposed to new graduatesfreshers who need to be trained to be productive.
In conclusion, I would like to say that having a decent education and relevant practical competency are both vitalboth equally vital for securing lucrative employment. However, experiential learning is indeed more indicative of a person’s capabilities.
Why this response received Band 7.5
The response discusses both perspectives in a clear, logically staged argument and maintains a consistent preference for practical experience, using varied sentence structures and a broad vocabulary. Its main limitation is that soft skills receive little direct attention, while some claims and word choices sound overstated or imprecise. The priority is to address every element of the second viewpoint explicitly and support the final preference with a more balanced comparison.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both sides are addressed and the writer's opinion is clear, but soft skills are largely omitted and some supporting points are only generally relevant.
Discuss specific soft skills alongside experience and compare their employment value directly with that of university education.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay progresses logically through a clear introduction, contrasting body paragraphs, and a consistent conclusion.
Shorten the introduction and sharpen topic sentences so each paragraph's central comparison is immediately apparent.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a broad range of vocabulary, though several choices are overly emphatic or collocationally awkward.
Prefer precise, natural wording over inflated phrases such as 'paramount' or 'completely futile' when the claim is more qualified.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex sentence structures is handled with strong control, and errors are infrequent and non-impeding.
Refine occasional noun-pattern and article choices, particularly in lists of professions and references to degree programmes.