• What do most people consider when finding/ accepting a job?

Obviously, the most important criteria for many people are attractive salaries and generous fringe benefits including insurance and paid holidays. Apart from this, a healthy & supportive working environment is also a must. Particularly, for highly driven and ambitious individuals, promotion prospect and career advancement might be given priority.

• What is more important? Job satisfaction or a high salary?

Well, I’d choose job satisfaction. People spend a large part of their life working, so I believe it’s extremely important to be happy with what they do. When they are satisfied and enthusiastic about work, they tend to be more creative, innovative and productive. This could eventually boost their performance and make them an expert in their field.

• What kinds of job do people in your country prefer?

Well, in the past, being a teacher or a doctor used to be the most widely-chosen professions in Vietnam but now there is a much wider range of trendy jobs people wish to pursue. Travel and hospitality, fashion & lifestyle, media and IT are currently the most appealing and desirable sectors for those seeking a career in service industries. Also, most people now prefer to work as a freelancer or for themselves, I mean being self-employed. They’d love to run their own business by selling items online, especially on social media and many have achieved enormous success.

• Do you think we need less physical work due to technology development?

Absolutely. Technology has turned a lot of labour-intensive jobs into a walk in the park. For example, machines and household appliances have replaced human in doing chores and farm work. I believe this ongoing trend will continue in the long run.

• Do you think robots will take over man’s jobs in the future?

What an interesting question! Certainly robots and computers can perform any tasks that require only human’s labour or brain. However, it’s very unlikely that they will take over jobs that involve creative skills, compassion, empathy or love. Robots can never replace human hearts and souls, I believe.

• What kinds of jobs are most likely to be taken over by robots?

As I mentioned, all technical and physical work could be done easily and effortlessly by them. A great number of existing jobs such as shop keepers, accountants, bank tellers, stock brokers and many others might become a thing of the past in the near future and human would focus on what they are excellent at: creativity and compassion.