Category: Homework

B2 — Upper Intermediate 

Nearly half of Australians feel overqualified for their jobs, with this mismatch linked to lower levels of job and life satisfaction.

Meanwhile, one in four Australians say their current roles do not allow them to fully use their skills and abilities.

Read the article and find out more about the alignment between Australians’ education, skills and abilities and the jobs they hold.

https://theconversation.com/many-australians-are-overqualified-for-their-jobs-which-comes-at-a-price-new-data-shows-291868

Vocabulary Questions:

1. Explain the meaning of “labor market mismatch”. “So the overall proportion of people experiencing labour market mismatches has remained roughly stable.”  Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
2. What does it mean “to merely keep up with someone/something”? “But that growth has merely kept up with the growth in people’s actual levels of education.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym.
3. What does “mixed-use zoning“ mean? “This requires coordinated urban policy, such as mixed-use zoning and affordable housing, as well as investments in transport infrastructure.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some possible reasons why people accept jobs that require less education or skills than they have?
2. What might be the implications when half of workers in a country are overeducated for their jobs?
3. Do you think your country faces the same issue with overeducation and overskilling? Discuss.
4. How might being overqualified affect a person’s motivation and attitude toward work?
5. How can job matches be improved?

B2 — Upper Intermediate 

What was once seen as a career setback is now becoming a more accepted aspect of professional life. Career breaks and periods between jobs, once considered undesirable, are becoming increasingly normal in today’s workplace.

In the past, changing jobs frequently or taking a break from work was often viewed negatively by employers. Today, however, many people take career breaks, change industries, or leave jobs to pursue further education, personal interests, or better opportunities. As the workplace continues to evolve, employment discontinuity is increasingly seen as part of a modern career path rather than a sign of instability.

Read the article and find out how employment discontinuity is no longer a career taboo.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/worklife/article/20230127-are-we-done-with-the-cv-gap-taboo

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does it mean “to take stock“? “In some instances, these CV gaps are being rebranded as ‘career breaks’ – a time where a worker takes stock, re-charges and returns to the workplace anew.” Use this idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
2. What does “to be met with open curiosity” mean? “Missing time in a CV is now generally met with open curiosity rather than an assumption of a person’s poor performance or reliability.” Use the expression in a sentence. Give a synonym.
3. What does “dearth” mean? “Additionally, even though layoffs are proliferating in some sectors, many companies are still in a hiring crisis. This may mean that in some situations, CV gaps may not even matter. “There’s a dearth of talent across sectors.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why has continuous employment traditionally been valued by employers?
2. Is it better to have continuous employment or take career breaks? Support your stance.
3. How is a CV gap viewed in your country now? How is different from before? What do you think lead to this shift in mentality about career breaks?
4. Should employers judge candidates based on CV gaps? Talk about your opinion on this. Should employers focus more on skills than employment history?
5. Have you ever taken a break from work or study? Share about that time.

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever opened a job website just to “look around” and suddenly spent an hour scrolling through job openings? You see interesting positions, imagine yourself doing something new, and think about applying—but somehow, you never click the apply button. This habit now has a name: doomjobbing.

Doomjobbing is more than simply looking for a new job. It can happen when people feel frustrated, anxious, or uncertain about their careers and the job market. With AI changing the way companies hire and increasing competition among applicants, finding a job can feel overwhelming.

The article explores why people keep scrolling through job ads even when they don’t actually apply—and what this behavior says about the modern hiring process.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/apr/27/doomjobbing-how-modern-job-hunt-became-vicious-loop-scrolling

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does “to sink into a rabbit hole” mean? “It’s where you find yourself sinking into a rabbit hole of short-form content designed to reinforce your worst perceptions of the world.” Use it in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.
2. What does “cookie-cutter application” mean? “Most experts agree that the best thing to do is to stop blitzing arbitrary jobs with cookie-cutter applications and instead drill down on a handful of roles that you really want.” Construct a sentence using this term. Give a synonym or similar expression.
3. What does “to be sucked into a pit of despair” mean? “Set a time limit to stop yourself being sucked into a pit of despair.” Use it in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can doomjobbing affect a person’s mental well-being and motivation?
2. How might doomjobbing affect a person’s career development in the long term?
3. Why do you think people keep looking at job advertisements even when they are not planning to change jobs?
4. How has technology changed the way people look for jobs?
5. What makes a job advertisement stand out to you?