IELTS Speaking Part 3

Workplace relationships and career changes: Part 3 questions and answers

Part 3 is a four-to-five-minute discussion that takes the Part 2 topic into wider ideas. Here are 5 questions on workplace relationships and career changes, each with a Band 8 model answer, plus how to handle this theme and the words that lift it.
  • 5 questions
  • Band 8 model answers
  • 4 to 5 minutes

These questions follow the cue card Describe a farewell party for a colleague. Do that card first for the full Part 2 to Part 3 flow.

5 questions

Questions and Band 8 answers

1

Why do people often choose to change jobs rather than stay with one company long-term?

Well, I think the primary reason is career advancement. Nowadays, staying at a single firm for decades rarely guarantees rapid promotion or substantial pay rises. In contrast, moving to a new employer often allows professionals to negotiate better salaries and take on fresh challenges. For instance, in the tech sector, people regularly switch firms every few years to broaden their skill sets. However, excessive job-hopping can occasionally make someone look unreliable to potential employers.

2

In what ways can strong relationships between colleagues benefit an organisation?

Close interpersonal bonds definitely boost collaboration and morale. When colleagues genuinely get along, they tend to communicate more openly and support each other during high-stress periods. A good example is during major project deadlines, where a tight-knit team can resolve misunderstandings much faster than people who barely know one another. That said, overly tight social cliques can sometimes unintentionally alienate newcomers or create friction within wider departments.

3

Do you think remote working has made it harder to maintain a healthy workplace culture?

I'd say it has, to a certain extent. Remote work offers tremendous flexibility, but it tends to strip away spontaneous interactions, such as chatting over a coffee or sharing a quick joke by the desk. This can lead to employees feeling isolated and viewing work as purely transactional. While regular video calls and virtual social events help bridge this gap, they rarely replicate the organic camaraderie of working together in the same physical space.

4

Should managers maintain a close personal relationship with their team members?

There needs to be a delicate balance, in my view. Being approachable and empathetic helps leaders build trust and understand their staff's day-to-day struggles, which certainly improves overall engagement. For example, a supportive manager is much easier to approach when someone faces burnout. Nevertheless, becoming too informal can blur professional boundaries, making it uncomfortable to deliver critical feedback or make tough managerial decisions when performance dips.

5

How might attitudes towards job loyalty change in the future?

Looking ahead, I suspect traditional loyalty towards a single organisation will decline even further. Younger generations increasingly prioritise personal well-being, continuous learning, and work-life balance over corporate allegiance. Consequently, workers will likely view their careers as a series of short-term collaborative projects rather than lifelong commitments. Even so, companies that offer exceptional working conditions and strong ethical values might still manage to retain dedicated staff over longer periods.

Use the shape, not the sentences: a view, a reason, an example, a limit. Examiners mark memorised answers down.

Say your answers and get a band

The AI examiner asks Part 3 questions after your cue card, listens, and scores fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, with the words that cost you.

Log in to practise this with AI scoring — free →

Strategy

How to discuss workplace relationships and career changes

  1. 1

    Weigh both advantages and drawbacks when evaluating workplace trends like remote working.

  2. 2

    Use concrete workplace scenarios to illustrate abstract points about teamwork and leadership.

  3. 3

    Apply modal verbs and qualifying phrases to present measured, balanced opinions.

6 words

Vocabulary for this discussion

  • interpersonal bonds

    close connections and relationships between individuals

  • alienate

    to make someone feel isolated or excluded

  • transactional

    focused strictly on duty without personal warmth

  • camaraderie

    mutual trust and friendship among people working together

  • empathetic

    able to understand and share the feelings of others

  • corporate allegiance

    loyalty and commitment to a specific business organisation

Frequently asked questions

How long should a Part 3 answer be?+

Usually four to six sentences, or 30 to 60 seconds. Give a clear view, a reason, an example and, where it fits, a limit or an exception. The examiner will interrupt if you go on too long, which is normal.

Does Part 3 follow the cue card?+

Yes. Part 3 takes the theme of your Part 2 card and makes it abstract: society, comparisons, causes and the future. These questions follow the card "Describe a farewell party for a colleague".

Can I say I don't know?+

You can say you haven't thought about it much, but then give your best guess with a reason. Examiners score your language, not your knowledge.

Keep practising

More Part 3 discussions: an event

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy

Log in to practise free