Writing Question
You received an email from your cousin, Jane, regarding her decision to undergo plastic surgery. Write an email to persuade her not to do so. Write 200 words.

Dear Chris

Thank you for your letter. I just had my S6 graduation ceremony in June and I have been looking for a job in the service industry for months. However, I couldn’t find one so far. I think that one of the reasons is that I am not slim and pretty enough. So I am thinking about going to the cosmetic clinic for a surgery. I know it might sound crazy to you. But I think I can find a better job with a better appearance. I hope you would support me.

Write soon,
Jane

5B Arno Wong Lok Hang

Dear Jane,

Thank you for your letter. Congratulations on your graduation. I am happy for you but when I knew you were going to take plastic surgery, I got very worried. In my opinion, it is not wise to undergo a surgery just for changing your appearance and getting a job. Listen to me, it is not uncommon for a fresh graduate to encounter difficulties in getting a job in the first few months. I got through that before at the age of yours. I know it is tough. But what you need is in fact more time and more interview experiences and skills. So, I am here to give you some tips of getting a job.

First of all, taking a cosmetic surgery contains risks more than you think. After taking the surgery, your body will have a chance of getting infection and harms. It can also be fatal. There is much news on TV reporting the death of patients after the surgery. I don't want you to be the next. Because that means you are gambling the life that your parents give you. It is not worth it just for getting a job. Moreover, undergoing plastic surgery is very expensive. The price of a surgery is probably much higher than your monthly salary even if you successfully get a job in the service sector. It is not something you can easily afford. Even though you have enough money to do it once, you should think about your affordability of the maintenance of the artificial facial features or any other surgeries that might follow.

Second, there can be other reasons that you can't find a job, for example, experience and skills of specific aspect. I dare say all employers would rather choose an employee with experience and skills than an employee with only good look. Thus, you should try to improve your skills instead of your look. And remember to always stay confident in every interview. That is important as well. You should recall how your previous interviews went and think about what you can improve. Besides, appearance is not everything. There are many actors in Hong Kong who are popular and successful because of their outstanding acting skills but not their appearance, such as Stephen Chow and Eric Tsang. They are both well-known for their charismatic personality and for their talents at work. Therefore, if you have confidence and solid interview skills, you will definitely shine in job interviews.

To conclude, I hope you understand my concerns and stop correlating the difficulties that you encounter at the moment to your appearance. You should look for other sensible possibilities to boost your competitiveness in job search. I do believe that with your academic qualifications and cheerful personality, you will be able to get a place in the service industry. Let me know if you have any updates. I will always support you!          

Love,

Chris