成人高等教育英语教材第四册03

UNIT 3
Job Hunting
Integrated Skills Development

Passage Fruitful Interview

The coming early summer is again the time when college students are busy with job interviews in the hope that four years high priced education was not in vain.
A job hunter can have the best credentials¹ in the world and still fail the job interview. If that happens, his dreams of employment are shattered at least with one employer.
Some people are naturally better at interviews than others, thanks to an outgoing personality. But it takes more than smooth talk to a job.
Personnel experts say that preparation is the thing. Learn how to play the game of hard questions, which is what a job interview is all about. Interviewers may differ in technique, but there are some common questions most of them always ask.
"The first 60 to 80 seconds are the most important part of an interview," Ed Morsier, a director of the Graduate School in Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh said.
"This occurs during the small talk before the hard questions begin. If you can relate some unique experience that will make the interviewer remember you, you may clinch² a job," he said.
But it must be done without appearing to be contrived⁴. I remember a girl who mentioned that she did macrame. So did the interviewer's wife.
Some of the questions seem harmless enough. Actually, they are tricks designed to bring out your weaknesses and strengths.
"Tell me about your life" is almost always asked. It is a trap for ramblers. The interviewer wants to see how quickly you organize your thoughts and how well you communicate. Someone who rambles⁶ a lot is on shaky ground.
Your answer also provides a glimpse of your character and interest. Morsier recalled an episode about a lawyer being interviewed for trial work with a large firm. "She talked about a skiing medal she had won. It showed she liked to win." So she was given the position.
Another question that usually catches people off guard: What is your weakness?
It's a most difficult question. One should always try to present a weakness in a positive light. You might say: "One of my problems is that I'm a perfectionist. It interferes⁸ with my personal life because I'm always taking work home."
Perhaps the most dangerous booby trap is the inquiry⁹: What do you think of your former boss or company?
"Never bad-mouth anyone", advises Morsier. If you were fired, try to owe it to personality conflicts rather than to some other people. But always stress that the conflicts didn't prevent you from doing your job well.
Be more careful about the presentation of your former boss. It might be noted¹⁰ that "he helped me learn specific skills" or "he was under a lot of pressures". You might add, "But I would have handled it differently and shown more compassion¹¹ to the employees."

New Words and Expressions

booby
n. 笨蛋，呆子

clinch
V. 扭住；拥抱

compassion
n. 同情

conflict
n. 冲突

contrive³
V. 设计，策划，发明

credentials
n. 凭证，证明

episode
n. 一段情节，一个事件

glimpse
n. 一瞥，一眼

interfere⁷
V. 干扰

macrame
n. （装饰家具用的）花边

naturally
ad. 天生地，自然地

occur
V. 发生

outgoing
a. 外向的

positive
a. 积极的，建设性的，肯定的

ramble⁵
V. 闲聊，漫谈；闲逛

rambler
n. 闲聊者，漫谈者；闲逛的人

recall
V. 回忆

relate
V. 联系

shatter
V. 使破碎，震落

trap
n. 陷阱

trial
a. 实习的，实验的

trick
n. 计谋，诡计

unique
a. 特别的，唯一的

booby trap
陷阱

in vain
徒劳

interfere with
妨碍，干扰

off guard
不提防，不警惕

owe to
归于

Merry Learning

One day, the wind and the Sun had an argument.
"I'm stronger than you," said the wind, and blew as hard as he could.
"Nonsense," said the Sun.
Just then they saw a man walking along wearing a hat and a coat.
"I'll show you how strong I am," said the wind. "Watch me blow that man's hat and coat off." He blew and blew, but the man only pulled his hat over his ears and held onto his coat.
"Now it's my turn," said the Sun, and he came out from behind a cloud and shone down on the man.
"Whew, it's getting hot!" said the man. He took his hat and coat off, and lay down on the ground and fell asleep.
"I've won," said the Sun, quietly.

1 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

2 clinch   

v.敲弯，钉牢；确定；扭住对方 [参]clench

参考例句：

• Clinch the boards together.用钉子把木板钉牢在一起。
• We don't accept us dollars,please Swiss francs to clinch a deal business.我方不收美元，请最好用瑞士法郎来成交生意。

3 contrive   

vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出

参考例句：

• Can you contrive to be here a little earlier?你能不能早一点来？
• How could you contrive to make such a mess of things?你怎么把事情弄得一团糟呢？

4 contrived   

adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的

参考例句：

• There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。
• The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。

5 ramble   

v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延

参考例句：

• This is the best season for a ramble in the suburbs.这是去郊区漫游的最好季节。
• I like to ramble about the street after work.我下班后在街上漫步。

6 rambles   

（无目的地）漫游( ramble的第三人称单数 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论

参考例句：

• He rambles in his talk. 他谈话时漫无中心。
• You will have such nice rambles on the moors. 你可以在旷野里好好地溜达溜达。

7 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

8 interferes   

vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉

参考例句：

• The noise interferes with my work. 这噪音妨碍我的工作。
• That interferes with my plan. 那干扰了我的计划。

9 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。