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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 credentials 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 clinch a job," he said.
But it must be done without appearing to be contrived. 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 rambles 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 interferes with my personal life because I'm always taking work home."
Perhaps the most dangerous booby trap is the inquiry: 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 noted 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 compassion 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
contrive
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
interfere
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
ramble
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.
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