怎样巧妙谈自己的缺点

 Worldwide Panel LLC, a small market-research firm, is getting flooded with resumes for four vacancies¹ in sales and information technology.

　　小型市场研究公司Worldwide Panel LLC准备招聘4名销售和IT技术人员，结果收到了大量简历。

　　However, officials expect to reject numerous applicants² after asking them: 'What is your greatest weakness?' Candidates often respond 'with something that is not a weakness,' say Christopher Morrow, senior vice³ president of the Calabasas, Calif., concern. 'It is a deal breaker.'

　　不过，招聘人员预计，在向应聘者发问“你最大的缺点是什么？”之后，会有很多人被淘汰。Worldwide高级副总裁莫罗（Christopher Morrow）说，对这个问题，应聘者的回答往往并非缺点，他们因此过不了关。

　　The weakness question represents the most common and most stressful one posed during interviews. Yet in today's weak job market, the wrong answer weakens your chances of winning employment.

　　“缺点”问题是求职面试中最常见也最让人头痛的一个问题。而在眼下就业市场疲软的情况下，不恰当的回答将降低你赢得工作的机会。

　　Some people offer replies they mistakenly assume that bosses love, such as 'I am a perfectionist.' That response 'will be used against you' because you appear incapable⁴ of delegating, warns Joshua Ehrlich, dean of a master's program in executive coaching sponsored by BeamPines Inc., a New York coaching firm and Middlesex University in London.

　　一些应聘者会给出误以为老板会喜欢的答案，比如，“我的缺点是过于追求完美”。对此埃里奇（Joshua Ehrlich）提醒说，这个回答会对你求职不利，因为它显得你似乎没有能力授权给他人。埃里奇是一个由纽约职业培训机构BeamPines Inc.和伦敦米德塞克斯大学（Middlesex University）合办的经理人硕士班培训项目的负责人。

　　A careful game plan could help you cope with the shortcoming query⁵ in a way that highlights your fit for a desired position. Job seekers who field the question well demonstrate that they can 'take initiative and improve themselves,' Mr. Morrow says.

　　为对付这个问题，可事先精心设计好一个答案，以凸显你适合所申请的这个职位。莫罗说，出色回答这个问题的求职者表现出他们能够“主动行动，改善自己”。

　　The key? Thorough preparation. Career specialists suggest you take stock of your weaknesses, focusing on job-related ones that won't impede⁶ your ability to perform your duties. Tony Santora, an executive vice president for Right Management, a major outplacement firm in Philadelphia, says an information-technology manager flubbed a 2007 interview by choosing a personal foible as his reply: 'My true weakness is that I am a terrible cook.'

　　关键在哪里？那就是充分的准备。职场专家建议，你可以整理一下自己的缺点，挑出其中跟工作有关、但又不会妨碍你行使工作职责的方面。费城大型职业介绍机构Right Management执行副总裁桑特拉（Tony Santora）说，2007年一位IT经理在参加面试时，在有关缺点的问题上败下阵来：他的回答居然是，“我真正的缺点是，我的烹饪技术很糟糕。”

　　Rehearse your responses aloud, role play with a friend or videotape yourself —— but don't memorize your words. As you review the video, look for aspects 'you would like to change so you can continue to get better as you practice,' says Peggy Klaus, a leadership coach in Berkeley, Calif.

　　大声朗读答案，可以找朋友或自己用录像来一番角色扮演。不过，不要背诵自己的答案。加州管理培训师克劳斯（Peggy Klaus）说，回头看录像的时候，找出你觉得可以改善的地方，这样在练习时可以做得更好。

　　The IT manager changed his tune⁷ after practice sessions with fellow job seekers and a counselor⁸ in Cincinnati for Right Management. He instead said he worked such long hours that he found it difficult to stay current with world events. So, he spent 30 minutes every evening catching⁹ up at home.

　　那位IT经理在辛辛那提和其他求职者及咨询师一起参加Right Management的训练课程后改变了思路。他后来的回答是，由于每天长时间忙于工作，他发现自己很难及时了解世界大事。因此，他每天晚上在家花30分钟恶补这方面的信息。

　　When the manager pursued an opportunity at a global drug maker¹⁰, his revamped response 'really resonated with the interviewer,' says Mr. Santora. The manufacturer hired the man.

　　桑特拉说，当他后来在一家全球性制药企业求职时，他的回答让面试官很有共鸣。这家公司最后雇用了他。

　　It's equally important that you consider an employer's corporate¹¹ culture. While being interviewed by a start-up, 'you could say, 'My weakness is I get bored by routine,'' says Ben Dattner, a New York industrial psychologist.

1 vacancies   

n.空房间( vacancy的名词复数 )；空虚；空白；空缺

参考例句：

• job vacancies 职位空缺
• The sign outside the motel said \"No Vacancies\". 汽车旅馆外的招牌显示“客满”。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 incapable   

adj.无能力的，不能做某事的

参考例句：

• He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
• Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

5 query   

n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑

参考例句：

• I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily.我真怀疑如此操之过急地行动是否明智。
• They raised a query on his sincerity.他们对他是否真诚提出质疑。

6 impede   

v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止

参考例句：

• One shouldn't impede other's progress.一个人不应该妨碍他人进步。
• The muddy roads impede our journey.我们的旅游被泥泞的道路阻挠了。

7 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

8 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

9 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

10 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

11 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。