IELTS Speaking Part-2 A Piece of Advice You Recently Received / Advice you received at work or for your studies

Describe a piece of advice you recently received

You should say:

• when this happened

• who gave you the advice

• what the advice was

• and explain how you felt about the advice.

Recently, I found myself grappling with a challenging decision at work, and it was during a team meeting last month that a colleague of mine, Sarah, gave me a piece of advice that truly resonated with me. The situation unfolded when our team was brainstorming ideas for a critical project. Sarah, who has been with the company for several years, noticed my dilemma and took a moment to share her wisdom.

Sarah advised me to "take a step back and look at the bigger picture." She emphasized the importance of considering long-term outcomes rather than getting bogged down by immediate challenges. The simplicity of her advice struck me – it was like a light bulb moment. Sometimes, in the midst of stress, we tend to lose sight of the broader context, and her words served as a reminder to maintain perspective.

The advice not only helped me navigate the project more effectively but also relieved some of the stress I was feeling. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Sarah's guidance made me realize the value of seeking input from experienced colleagues, and it reaffirmed the significance of teamwork in a professional setting. I now approach challenges with a more strategic mindset, thanks to her valuable advice.

In conclusion, the timely advice from Sarah, my experienced colleague, played a crucial role in shaping my approach to work-related challenges. The incident highlighted the importance of seeking guidance from seasoned individuals in the workplace, and I am grateful for the impact it had on my decision-making process.

Model Answer: 2

Well, just a couple of weeks ago, I found myself in a bit of a dilemma at work. I was contemplating whether to take on a new project or not. The advice came my way during a casual conversation in the office cafeteria. It was my colleague, Sarah, who gave me the advice. She suggested, "Don't bite off more than you can chew." Essentially, she was cautioning me against overcommitting and spreading myself too thin. The timing was impeccable, considering the potential workload of the new project. Hearing this advice made me pause and think about the practicality of the situation.

Sarah's advice resonated with me because it was straightforward and based on common sense. She used this classic idiom, and it hit home. I realized that in the past, I had taken on too much and ended up feeling overwhelmed. Her words were a gentle reminder to prioritize and manage my workload effectively. It made me feel grateful for having colleagues who genuinely cared about my well-being and professional growth.

What struck me the most was the simplicity and wisdom in Sarah's words. It wasn't a groundbreaking revelation, but sometimes, the most valuable advice comes in the form of practical, everyday expressions. Sarah's advice was like a guiding light, helping me navigate a potential pitfall. It made me reassess my priorities and approach the new project with a more balanced perspective.

In the end, I decided to take Sarah's advice to heart. I communicated with my supervisor, expressing my concerns and discussing a more realistic timeline for the project. This not only relieved some of the pressure but also strengthened my professional relationship with my supervisor. Overall, the experience taught me the importance of seeking and heeding advice, especially when it comes from someone with experience and a genuine interest in your success.

Describe a piece of advice you received at work or for your studies

You should say:

·         What it was

·         Who you received it from

·         What you did after receiving it

·         And explain how you felt about it

There is one piece of advice that I was given a while back and it is something that I try to follow whenever I am doing anything and that is ‘done is better than perfect’. For as long as I can remember I have been a perfectionist. I’m never satisfied with anything and I have to re-do it or tweak it to make it better. The problem with this is that often things never get finished because I’m too busy striving for perfection.

I can’t remember precisely when it was, but when I was working on a project with a former colleague, I was becoming increasingly stressed because the deadline was looming and we still had loads to do. The reason why we weren’t making much progress was because I kept going back and tweaking what we had done rather than moving forward and finishing the project. My perfectionism was driving my colleague mad and so he said to me ‘you know, I really admire your desire to have the perfect end product, but done is better than perfect’.

When he first said it, I thought to myself ‘what utter nonsense’ but then when I reflected on it later, I realised he was right and this was incredibly useful and constructive advice. If I carried on changing minor details, it wasn’t going to add much to the finished product, but an unfinished project would certainly get us in trouble with our superiors/the higher-ups.

When I went into work the next day, I had a much more positive attitude and focused on the finish line. Thanks to my workmate’s sage advice, we got everything done with a day to spare and then I was able to make some final adjustments. I now try to follow this advice as a rule*. Previously, I suffered from a fear of failure and that stopped me from finishing things. Some days I do need to repeat the mantra** ‘done is better than perfect’ many times, but I am a million times better than I was at getting things done.