人教全日制普通高中英语（必修）高三UNIT16-4

 In my experience as a human resources manager, many job applicants¹ are unsuccessful because they fail to prepare for interviews. If you want to get that job, you must do your "homework"!
 
       First of all, learn as much as you can about the employer. It is essential that you know what the company produces or sells, who its customers are, its size, and whether it has recently expanded or is planning to. If you also understand the culture of the organisation², you can give yourself a competitive³ advantage by ensuring you are "on message" during the interview. By culture, I mean the company's principles and ideals. Look out for words like "mission statement" and "vision" when you are doing your research; that is where you will find them.
 
       Most of the information you need is quite easy to get hold of. The company may have a brochure -- it is worth calling to ask -- or the Internet is an excellent source and most companies have websites these days. You should also look at the products yourself, if possible, by going to a local branch or supplier.
 
       The next step is to get information about the job itself. You need to discover what exactly the job will involve, what sort of person the company wants and how your skills will fit the position. This is less easy, but the general information about the company will give you some clues. I suggest you search online for the job title. There are so many websites giving information about different occupations that you are sure to find something useful. You could also ask friends if they know anyone doing a similar job that you could talk to.
 
       Finally, plan for the questions you will be asked and practise your answers. You can find lists of questions on various career websites. Have a look at these and think about how you would reply. Some of the questions will be quite straightforward⁴. Others, however, are tricky⁵ and could catch you out if you have not thought them through ahead of time. For example, you might be asked, "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" It is not easy to give an honest answer to the "weaknesses" part without sounding negative unless you are well prepared in advance.
 
                                                                                       A BUSINESS DECISION
       After a long and heavy week at work Gao Tian is feeling tired and a bit fed up. As the bus moves slowly through the Friday evening traffic, she thinks about her future and the difficult decision she has to make. Gao Tian has a good job in a national media corporation, but for some time the idea of starting her own advertising⁶ agency has been developing in her mind. Should she give up her job security and salary to risk starting her own business?
 
      Many people like Gao Tian dream of being their own boss. Being self-employed offers the chance to be in control, to be an employer rather than an employee, and to have the freedom to be creative. Of course, the possibility of financial success and future wealth is also very attractive. With such obvious advantages it is hardly surprising that hundreds of thousands of people every year choose to pursue their business dream.
 
      Gao Tian, however, has not decided⁷. She knows it is a big financial commitment to set up a business and that she would have to be flexible and work long hours at the beginning. Until she could afford an accountant and other staff, she alone would do all the paperwork, marketing⁸ and design, and probably take on the roles of receptionist and office cleaner as well. Gao Tian would not mind this, because she sees it as an exciting part of the challenge. What is holding her back is the possibility that the business might not be successful.
 
       Gao Tian has read that the two most common mistakes that cause new businesses to close are poor market research and weak financial planning. Concerned that she has no qualifications in these areas, she plans to gain the necessary skills by taking a part-time course. But she still wonders if going into business is the right decision.
 
       About half of new companies fail in their first three years, often because in their enthusiasm to get started, business people do not pay enough attention to the potential problems. Gao Tian is right to be cautious⁹ and in fact, spending time assessing her strengths and weaknesses has already increased her chances of doing well. If she does decide to go ahead with her business, her careful and professional approach may well lead to something very big in the future. After all, Bill Gates started a small business that achieved outstanding success, why not Gao Tian?

1 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

2 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

3 competitive   

adj.竞争的，比赛的，好竞争的，有竞争力的

参考例句：

• Some kinds of business are competitive.有些商业是要竞争的。
• These businessmen are both competitive and honourable.这些商人既有竞争性又很诚实。

4 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

5 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

6 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

9 cautious   

adj.十分小心的，谨慎的

参考例句：

• We should not only be bold,but also be cautious.我们不仅要大胆，而且要谨慎。
• He was cautious about his work.他对工作非常谨慎。