Work in groups. Choose one of the two texts. Read through

Work in groups. Choose one of the two texts. Read through it quickly and answer the following questions. Consult the Linguistic and Cultural Guide in Appendix 4, page 198 to help you with the words in bold.
Which options do the authors give for choosing a career?
What are the traditional requirements for a job?
Having been a fan of detective and courtroom dramas on TV, I was keen to learn more and had an ambition to become a lawyer. After my GCSEs, I didnt know which way to turn but I suppose I really wanted to find out if I was suited to this profession.
To begin with, I left school after my GCSEs to look for work in a law firm. I put my CV together, мейд lots of copies and posted them to as many law firms as I could find. I knew that all 1 could do was basic office duties, such as what an office junior or a runner would do, but at least I would be getting experience and finding out if 1 liked this working environment. I managed to get an interview and was accepted as an office junior at a law firm only a 15-minute bus ride from my home.
I loved it. I was seeing for real how cases were being solved, how evidence was gathered... the whole process. I learnt it was very hard work but the rewards were worth it. I could see that this job offered me all the traditional job requirements: job satisfaction, career possibilities, good working conditions and stability. This assured me that I wanted to go into this profession.
I went back to school to do my A Levels. I was still able to keep a relationship with the law firm that I had been working for. They were encouraging me to study and they also offered me work during my school holiday. I completed my A Levels, went on to university and got my degree in law.
Now I am a successful lawyer in the same firm 1 worked for at 16 years old. 1 was lucky to know at an early age what I wanted as a career. It is only through experience that you find out what you really enjoy and are able to do well.
Gary: What to do after the GCSEs...
I always wanted to work. I had dreams of earning my own money and I had ambitions. So after my GCSEs, I left school. I didnt think about a higher education. All I wanted was to go out into the world, feel independent and start working.
One of the valuable lessons I learned at school was how to write a CV. I dug up some examples from my old text books and compiled my CV. I must have given out about 20 copies to local supermarkets, coffee shops, offices, restaurants, bars, building companies, garden centres and clothing shops.
After two weeks of waiting, I got a positive reply and so my first job was filing documents as an office junior. I had to sort all of their files and keep them in alphabetical order. OK, so I learnt the alphabet and lots of new names, but after two weeks, I was starting to get headaches. And I was not getting any job satisfaction.
Next I got a part-time job in a coffee shop. I used to come home with burnt fingers nearly every day! Then I stocked the shelves with food products in a supermarket. My working hours were 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. That didnt last long. I must have had ten jobs in one year but I didnt fit in. I had fun but that was about all. I needed some help... or some direction. I spoke to my parents and they asked me to think about what I wanted from a job. We decided to write down a list of jobs I thought might be most suitable for me and see which best fit the traditional requirements: job satisfaction, good working conditions, stability and career possibilities. Then I rewrote my CV with all my experience and started looking for a job again. Three weeks passed and nothing came up. This was hard on me.
Then my dad offered me a job to help him out at his bakery. He was getting very busy and needed some extra help. When I started out, I was the night baker. I had to get there by 4 a.m. I learnt quickly about the different types of bread and cakes. I got used to the hours and I realised I was enjoying the job. I was producing food for our local community, meeting new people, making friends and feeling useful. Now thats job satisfaction!
I am now the manager of our shop, so my dad is able to rest a bit. I feel proud to be continuing in the family business. Just think that this bakery was started by my greatgrandfather and its been selling bread in our town for over 100 years!
As you can see, it took me a while to find and understand what I really wanted for a career. For some people, choosing a career is the easiest choice they ever make. My sister knew that she wanted to be a dancer at the age of six.