Work and the individual - Munka és egyén

• working hours (part-time, casual work, shift work, several jobs)

• fashionable jobs / dream jobs
• ways of finding a job
• working abroad (advantages, disadvantages)
• career and/or family

Jobs are traditionally divided up into two large categories: blue collar and white
collar. Blue collar jobs are generally the manual labour type, such as factory
work, road crews, building and construction, etc. The white collar jobs are the
office jobs such as bank clerks, office workers, teachers, computer operators,
etc. They are called blue and white collar because of the colour of the shirt
traditionally worn in those jobs. Wearing a uniform is still required for
numerous jobs, such as police officers, hotel doormen, nurses and many
others.

While many jobs have regular hours – typically 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and called
“nine-to-five” jobs – some require shift work. There is usually a hierarchy in a
work place, and at the top is employer, usually called the boss, who is
generally a type of executive of manger. Below this are other supervisors and
then the other employees. Sometimes there is a labour union in the work place
to protect the rights of the workers.

Full-time jobs mean that you work 8 hours a day. If you have a part-time job,
you work less, usually 4 or 6 hours a day.

Employer can work more – two or three – shifts. There are day- or nighshift
and swing shift too.
Odd job is valid to occasions or seasons, for example, snow scoop in winter or
farmhand in summer.
Some people have more jobs called accumulation, such as the politicians. It’s
possible that they have other functions beside the function of political.

Salaries are fixed monthly payments especially for professional employees or

people working in an office.
These days a lot of young people would like to become lawyers or economists,
or they would like to find a job in connection with computer science. The main
reason why these jobs are so popular is that they are well-paid. Most young
people would like to work for a big company and get a company car, a mobile
phone and a laptop, and where they can travel abroad on business. There are
some young people who choose a popular job, no matter whether they are
interested in that field or not. Others try to find work that suits their abilities and
interest. There are families where the parents tell their children what to
become.
Nowadays it’s easier to gain admission to an institution of higher education,
but it’s more difficult to find a lucrative job after graduation. There are many
more students in higher education than some years ago, so the job market is
getting full.

In my opinion, a good job must be challenging and motivating. I would like to

work with people and help them. It’s very important for me to enjoy what I do
and be a member of a good team.

Employee provides job security, good salary and fringe benefits, such as free
health insurance, travel subsidies and sports facilities. A good employer
constantly tries to motivate the employees and creates ideal working
conditions. He or she should organize activities for the employees outside
work, like sightseeing tours and evening programmes.

A good employee is efficient, loyal to the employer and reliable. He or she has
to adapt to changing work conditions and has to be able to cooperate with
others.

Women have become more career-oriented. They don’t have to stay at home
and look after their children as there are crèches and nursery schools. They
can take care of housework more easily because there are labour-saving
household devices. Another reason why they go to work is that the family
needs the money.
I think we don’t have to choose between family and career if we can map out
and we have family support.
In my opinion the middle-aged and elderly people are at a disadvantage when
they are looking for a job because most companies advertise jobs for people
under 35. In turn these people can work very well and they don’t have to go on
sick leave because they haven’t got little children.

According to the law, women and men get the same salary for the same job,
but as far as I know, especially in blue-collar jobs, women are paid less
because they are considered weaker than men.

Traditionally there are men’s jobs and women’s jobs. For example, turners are
mostly men, and kindergarten teachers are mostly women.

The most frequent reason is that an employee is made redundant and has to
find another job. He or she has to leave either because the firm goes bankrupt
or closes down, or because the employer is not satisfied with his or her work.
There might be family reasons as well. Some people have to change jobs
because of their health. There are people who change for a better-paid job or
a job with better benefits. Other change jobs just because their tasks have
become monotonous and they need a change.
Unfortunately, in today’s economic hard times a lot of people don’t have jobs
and can’t find the kind of work they were trained for. These people are
unemployed, and it’s sad to say their numbers are growing.

If I’m search of a job I ask my friends whether they know about vacancies. I
read job advertisement, surf the net and go to a job agent. I found all of my
jobs by TopSec, so I’m pleased with them. Firstly I called this company, we
made an appointment, and went to the office with my CV. I was done some
exercises and talked a lot. They took on me to their database, and after a
week they called me that I could go to an appraisal interview. It was
successful.

A CV contains personal details, such as the candidate’s name, address, phone

number, nationality, date of birth and marital status. You must give details of
your education and qualifications, your previous experience, your language
and other skills. You may also include a list of your interests. It’s advisable to
add names of people who can provide references.

Some people think that their life will be easier and more interesting abroad.
They also hope to earn much more money than in Hungary, but they might not
consider that life is more expensive abroad.

The advantages of working abroad are that you can learn the local language,
get to know interesting people, and acquire the most recent technologies.
Probably you earn more, although your expenditures can be higher too. The
disadvantages include that you might feel like an outsider, have language
problems and find the people around you and their customs strange. You
might often feel lonely as you are far from your family and friends.

Work and society - Munka és társadalom

• job prestige
• unemployment, benefits
• telework
• graduates entering the labour market
Jobs are traditionally divided up into two large categories: blue collar and white
collar. Blue collar jobs are generally the manual labour type, such as factory
work, road crews, building and construction, etc. The white collar jobs are the
office jobs such as bank clerks, office workers, teachers, computer operators,
etc. They are called blue and white collar because of the colour of the shirt
traditionally worn in those jobs. Wearing a uniform is still required for
numerous jobs, such as police officers, hotel doormen, nurses and many
others.

These days a lot of young people would like to become lawyers or economists,
or they would like to find a job in connection with computer science. The main
reason why these jobs are so popular is that they are well-paid. Most young
people would like to work for a big company and get a company car, a mobile
phone and a laptop, and where they can travel abroad on business. There are
some young people who choose a popular job, no matter whether they are
interested in that field or not. Others try to find work that suits their abilities and
interest. There are families where the parents tell their children what to
become.

Nowadays it’s easier to gain admission to an institution of higher education,

but it’s more difficult to find a lucrative job after graduation. There are many
more students in higher education than some years ago, so the job market is
getting full.

I think the middle-aged and elderly people are at a disadvantage when they
are looking for a job because most companies advertise jobs for people under
35. In turn these people can work very well and they don’t have to go on sick
leave because they haven’t got little children.

According to the law, women and men get the same salary for the same job,
but as far as I know, especially in blue-collar jobs, women are paid less
because they are considered weaker than men.

Traditionally there are men’s jobs and women’s jobs. For example, turners are
mostly men, and kindergarten teachers are mostly women.

The most frequent reason is that an employee is made redundant and has to
find another job. He or she has to leave either because the firm goes bankrupt
or closes down, or because the employer is not satisfied with his or her work.
There might be family reasons as well. Some people have to change jobs
because of their health. There are people who change for a better-paid job or
a job with better benefits. Other change jobs just because their tasks have
become monotonous and they need a change.
Unfortunately, in today’s economic hard times a lot of people don’t have jobs
and can’t find the kind of work they were trained for. These people are
unemployed, and it’s sad to say their numbers are growing.

Unemployment is a serious social problem all over the world. Unemployed

means that somebody hasn’t worked for a month, and he or she’s looking for a
job. I think most of them are middle-aged and elder. Of course there are
entrant unemployed too, because lots of employee want a young, well-
educated but well-practised employers.

The state and the government assure social supplies to the indigents. For
example, pensioners get pension, parents get family allowance, everybody get
medical assurance and unemployed people get dole. Of course, therefore
people have to pay several taxes when they work.

In my opinion the state has to solve the problem, for example, with free re-
trainings and odd job or jobs of public utility. Of course, people have to change
their habits. Change of residence and workplace or profession may be often a
good resolution.