規(guī)劃職業(yè)生涯，把握絢麗人生

Ｊｏｎａｔｈａｎ　Ｓｔｅｌｌｉｎｇ

What should I do with my life? A question that every one of us will face at some time or another. A fortunate few will already have an answer, but the majority of us struggle with this dilemma, ever unsure which path to take. Whether you know which career path you wish to ascend or are completely stumped, it's important to start making a plan.

我該如何度過此生?這是我們每個(gè)人總會(huì)遇到的一個(gè)問題。少數(shù)的幸運(yùn)兒已經(jīng)有了答案,但大多數(shù)人仍內(nèi)心掙扎,左右為難,不確定應(yīng)該走什么道路。不管你知道自己想走哪條職業(yè)道路,還是躊躇不前,重要的是現(xiàn)在就開始訂立計(jì)劃。

People take different paths through life, that's a given. We don't even start in the same place, metaphorically or physically. The scales are always weighted in or against our favour, that's life. Genetic gifts from our parents immediately alter that even playing field, followed no less swiftly by our home environments, parents' social status etc, all giving some lucky few a head start in life. Each of us has our own desires and experiences, yet our final goals might very well be the same. While many decide to study and gain formal qualifications, some even earning a PHD, others will leave school with little or no qualifications at all. Take a quick glance at a list of CEO's running major corporations and you will see not only highly educated university post-graduates, but also many who never finished or even went to university. I'm sure you've heard of Michael Dell and Richard Branson to name two of the most famous. Gifted businessmen, neither having gained a degree, yet both went on to found and run corporations that spanned the globe. So while a formal education is very important and desirable, if you don't have one, there is no reason to despair.

眾所周知,各人的人生道路是不同的。無論是從字面意思來說,從還是隱喻意思來看,我們的起點(diǎn)都是不同的。生活中我們總有得志或失意的時(shí)候,這就是人生。父母遺傳給我們的基因就不同。緊接著,在家庭環(huán)境、父母的社會(huì)地位等因素的作用下,部分幸運(yùn)兒搶占了先機(jī)。我們每個(gè)人都有自己的志向與經(jīng)驗(yàn),但我們最終的目標(biāo)可能大同小異。許多人通過學(xué)習(xí),獲得正式的學(xué)位,有些人還取得博士學(xué)位,而有的人沒有掌握太多本領(lǐng)就離開了學(xué)校。瀏覽一下經(jīng)營著大公司的首席執(zhí)行官名單,你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn),有的人是研究生畢業(yè),而有的人大學(xué)肄業(yè),還有的人甚至連大學(xué)都沒上。舉出其中最著名的兩個(gè)人,你肯定知道邁克爾?戴爾和理查德?布蘭森。天生的商人沒有學(xué)位,也一樣可以創(chuàng)立并經(jīng)營覆蓋全球的企業(yè)。正規(guī)教育誠然非常重要,也很珍貴,但如果你沒有接受過,也不必絕望。

The happiest people in the world are those who have taken their passion and turned it into their career. You would be surprised by how most of the things we enjoy doing for free or even pay to do, can become a valid career choice. For example, people who grew up playing computer games for fun might become programmers, game designers, script writers or perhaps game reviewers. A lucky few might have honed their gaming skills to the point, where they're good enough to become professional gamers and compete in tournaments for large cash prizes. Don't be afraid to chase your dream, as long as you can figure out a way for it to give you the lifestyle that you desire.

世界上最快樂的人是帶著激情投入事業(yè)的人。你可能感到奇怪,但大多數(shù)我們不計(jì)報(bào)酬而樂于做的事,甚至肯花錢去做的事都可以成為我們的正當(dāng)職業(yè)。例如,玩電腦游戲長大的人可能成為程序員、游戲設(shè)計(jì)人員、編劇,還可能是游戲評論員。個(gè)別幸運(yùn)的人將游戲練得爐火純青,成為職業(yè)游戲玩家,參加巡回賽,爭奪巨額獎(jiǎng)金。只要你能找出實(shí)現(xiàn)夢想的方法,過上你渴望的生活方式,就不要害怕追逐你的夢想。

It's important to divide a career plan into three sections: short term, medium term and long term. With a short term plan it's crucial to make sure that your goals are realistic and achievable. Being positive and optimistic whilst setting down your aims is certainly beneficial in moderation, just don't get carried away. Becoming a CEO might be achievable in the future, but unless you're founding your own company, it's not something that's achieved in just a couple of years.

重要的是將職業(yè)計(jì)劃分為三部分:短期、中期和長期。對于短期計(jì)劃,應(yīng)確保目標(biāo)務(wù)實(shí),要能夠?qū)崿F(xiàn)。確定自己的目標(biāo)之后,積極而樂觀是很重要的,但也不要忘乎所以。未來你可能成為一名首席執(zhí)行官,但除非你開辦自己的公司,否則短短幾年內(nèi)是實(shí)現(xiàn)不了的。

If you've fantasised what your future will entail, then researching the practical steps needed to get you there, is the first move. With that information in hand, you can then start out on your professional career. For example - if you want to be a lawyer, a well respected and high paying profession in the developed world, then you will need to first get a Bachelor Degree, then gain a place at Law School, graduate Law School and finally get accepted at a Law Firm. Long-term you might want to be made a partner and retire rich in your forties.

如果你對未來充滿幻想,那首先要找出實(shí)現(xiàn)夢想的具體步驟。知道這個(gè)之后,你就可以開始自己的職業(yè)生涯了。例如,如果你想成為一名律師——在發(fā)達(dá)國家備受尊重,且收入也高的職業(yè)——那你首先應(yīng)取得學(xué)士學(xué)位,然后攻讀法學(xué)院,畢業(yè)后到律師事務(wù)所工作。你最終可以成為一名合伙人,等賺夠了錢,四十歲就可以退休。

If circumstances don't allow for that though, you might first seek an entry level job in a law firm and start by gaining in house experience over a number of years. Your long-term aim being, to be promoted up the company ladder and have the company pay for any necessary qualifications you need. It does happen.

但是如果情況并非如此,你可以先到律師事務(wù)所做幾年的基礎(chǔ)工作,積累經(jīng)驗(yàn)。你長期的目標(biāo)是升職,讓公司付你進(jìn)修的費(fèi)用。這種情況也會(huì)有。

Before putting the finishing touches to your plan, make sure you didn't forget to account for all the possible problems and obstacles in the way. Do you plan to work in your native land or abroad? It will make a huge difference. Your qualifications may not be officially recognised by the government of your new abode or they may require a higher degree and depth of skill in your chosen field. Are your skills even desirable there? What other new obstacles might suddenly be in your way? Do you speak the language?

在完成你的計(jì)劃之前,不要忘了考慮可能面對的一切問題和困難。你的計(jì)劃在國內(nèi)外都有效嗎?國內(nèi)外情況可能迥異。去了一個(gè)新地方后,你的能力或許不被當(dāng)?shù)卣J(rèn)可,你若要從事某領(lǐng)域,他們或許會(huì)要求需要有更高的學(xué)歷和更強(qiáng)的技能。你的能力能達(dá)到那里的要求嗎?你會(huì)碰到什么意想不到的新麻煩?你會(huì)說當(dāng)?shù)卦拞?

While for some, making a decision or forming an opinion is the end of it, for most of us it's not so simple. Life is gloriously dynamic and anything we believe or desire can change in a moment given the right circumstances. For instance, meet the right woman or man and get married, suddenly goals that were once very important can seem trivial. Throughout life we will have many periods of introspection and come to the realisation that we desire change. Moments, where we stand at the 'crossroads', aware of the different opportunities waiting down each road. You may find after you become an accountant, lawyer or doctor, that the job does not offer the enjoyment you thought it would or that the working hours make it unbearable. You may want a job that improves your health or that you can do part-time, so you can have more time for your kids. So don't be afraid to make alterations to your career plan or change it completely. A career plan should be looked at every year and revised if necessary.

對于一些人來說,做出決定或者有了想法,就萬事大吉了。但對于我們大多數(shù)人來說,并非如此簡單。人生變幻莫測,只要有適合的條件,我們所有的信仰和夢想都可能在一瞬間改變。比如,遇到合適的對象,然后結(jié)婚, 曾經(jīng)無比重要的目標(biāo)似乎立即變得無足輕重了。一生當(dāng)中,我們會(huì)經(jīng)常反省,意識到我們渴望改變。有時(shí)我們站在“十字路口”,意識到不同的選擇會(huì)賦予不同的機(jī)會(huì)。在成為會(huì)計(jì)、律師,或者醫(yī)生后,你也許會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)工作并不會(huì)帶來你想象的快樂,甚至(工作時(shí)間)令人難以忍受?；蛟S,你希望得到一份可以改善自己健康的工作,或者兼職,這樣就可以有跟多時(shí)間陪孩子。不要害怕修正、甚至完全改變自己的職業(yè)計(jì)劃。每年都應(yīng)該審視自己的職業(yè)計(jì)劃,必要時(shí)進(jìn)行修訂。

Perhaps the hardest and most important part of both drafting and following a career path is knowing when it just isn't possible to achieve. No matter who you are, at some time or another the chances that someone has said to you, 'you can't do It', are quite high. They might have said it in a softer, kinder, more gentle manner, but the meaning is the same - don't do it because you can't succeed. There is always an exception to every rule, so I would say if you really want it, go for it! But, and this is a big one, know when to quit. If you want to be a professional footballer, have two left feet, never kicked a football in your life and your already twenty years old, it's not very likely that you will be playing for Manchester United. That said, tryout for the local team and see if you are the next David Beckham, but if it turns out, that you won't set the world alight with your football skills, sit down and decide on a different career goal. Yes, there are going to be some difficulties that can be overcome with effort and determination. Some lawyers took twelve times or more to pass the bar exam refusing to give up on their dream.

在制定并遵循職業(yè)道路過程中,最難、最重要的部分可能是知道何時(shí)無法實(shí)現(xiàn)計(jì)劃。無論你是誰,總有可能有人對你說“這你做不了。”他們可能語氣和善,但意思是一樣的,即你不要去做,因?yàn)槟悴粫?huì)取得成功。但凡事總會(huì)有例外,所以我要說,如果你真的想做,那就去做!不過你要知道應(yīng)該什么時(shí)候放棄,這很重要。如果你想成為一名職業(yè)足球運(yùn)動(dòng)員,但你笨手笨腳,已經(jīng)二十歲了還從未踢過足球,那你就不大可能為曼聯(lián)隊(duì)效力了。你可以參加地方一家球隊(duì)的選拔賽,看看你是不是貝克漢姆第二,但如果你的足球技藝不足以令世界驚奇,那就坐下好好想想,確定一個(gè)新的職業(yè)目標(biāo)。你會(huì)遇到一些困難,但下了決心,經(jīng)過努力是可以克服的。有些律師不放棄自己的夢想,參加了12次,甚至更多次的考試,才拿到律師從業(yè)證書。

We can't all be CEOs but we can all be happy with our careers.

不是每個(gè)人都能當(dāng)首席執(zhí)行官,但我們都可以快樂地工作。