Even capable, career-driven people need a leg up from time to time. Whether it's job advice from a former manager, a couple of industry tips from a colleague, or a pep talk from a friend, feedback and encouragement are crucial stepping stones to navigating to where you want to be in your career. There are a couple of tricks to asking for guidance to ensure that you obtain the information you need.

　　就算是有能力并且有明确职业方向的人有时也需要帮助。不管是从以前经理那儿获得的求职信息，从同事那儿获得的一些行业点睛，还是在朋友处获得的激励，反馈和鼓励是达到职业中的理想位置的重要一步。下面有一些在询问建议时的小技巧，可以确保你获得所需要的信息。

　　1. Provide some concise context.

　　1. 提供明确的情境。

　　Being asked for advice in a vacuum can be a frustrating experience for any adviser. Sure, she might know your current company and job title, but you shouldn't assume that she knows much more than that. Take a moment to frame up your situation and the problem you face. Briefly state your goal and the ways in which you have tried to achieve it. Providing a little context will help to steer her toward the subject matter you wish to cover and will guarantee that the conversation won't take more valuable time than it needs to.

　　对任何提供建议的人来说，不知道具体情况就被要求提供解决方案是一件让人很沮丧的事。当然，她可能知道你现在的公司和职位，但是不可能知道更多信息了。花点时间整理下你的情况和面临的问题。简单说下你的目标和为了实现目标已经试过的办法。提供具体情境可以帮她了解你希望解决的问题，而且可以确保谈话不会占用更多的宝贵时间。

　　2. Ask specific questions.

　　2. 提出明确的问题。

　　Even if you set up a contextual framework for your conundrum, the flow of the advice won't begin until you ask a question. Instead of posing a sweeping query like, "What advice do you have for me?" drill down to questions that get at the particulars of your circumstance such as, "What facets of my career should I work on to make myself more appealing for a promotion?" or, "How did you overcome setbacks to your career advancement?" Crafting questions specific to your situation will get you the guidance you need by providing your adviser direction on where you need help most.

　　即使你给困难做好了“具体框架”，但除非你开始询问，不然别人还是不会提供建议。别问类似于“你对我的情况有什么建议？”这样空泛的问题，而是针对你自己的情况提问：“为了能在升职时更有竞争力，我应该着重于工作的哪几个方面？”或者“在职业晋升的过程中你是如何克服障碍的？”根据情况提出明确的问题，可以让提意见的人明白你最需要帮助的地方，这样你才能获得想要的帮助。

　　3. Don't ask for proprietary information or trade secrets.

　　3. 别问专业资料或行业机密。

　　A request for work advice is just that: advice. It's not appropriate for you to think that she will hand over her own company's secrets to give you an advantage.Rather than requesting data you know is proprietary like revenue numbers, budgets, or salaries, ask her what you should research to get started on your own project. If your adviser tells you she's not comfortable divulging something, don't press her on it. You're looking to gain some meaningful insights into your own job, not get her in trouble.

　　对工作情况的询问仅仅是为了获得建议而已。你别以为别人会为了给你提供便利而泄露公司秘密。你可以问她为了开展自己的项目要做什么研究，而不是问有关收入、预算或薪酬之类的与公司情况相关的问题。如果对方说她不方便泄露某事，就别强迫她说了。你是希望获得关于自身工作的有用的见解，而不是让提意见的人陷入麻烦。

　　4. Show your appreciation.

　　4. 表达感激。

　　If you ask for advice over lunch or coffee, pick up the tab. And always send a thank you note after your talk with a mention of how your contact's advice helped you with your work. You may want her help again, so be polite and show your gratitude so that her door always remains open.

　　如果你是在午饭或喝咖啡时寻求对方建议，那就由你付钱吧。在谈话结束后要表示感谢，提一下对方的建议是如何帮助了你的工作。你可能会再次需要她的帮忙，所以请礼貌一些，表示感激，这样她会一直愿意帮助你。