又到了一年的畢業(yè)求職季,許多學生都會為此感到壓力重重,工作的面試結果成為他們?nèi)粘=徽勚凶钇毡榈脑掝}。由于擔心找不到稱心的工作,一些學生寢食難安。有人甚至還出現(xiàn)了抑郁癥的癥狀。來自北京的知名教育心理專家兼顧問溫方(音譯)建議學生不要被那些有關就業(yè)市場不景氣的調(diào)查與報道所誤導?!笆I(yè)率與個人求職成功概率之間并無關聯(lián),”他說道,“一個人求職成功概率主要由個人能力決定?!?/p>
Bill: Are you alright Hill? I couldn’t help but notice that you’ve seemed a bit down in the dumps of late.
Hillary: It’s that obvious huh?
Bill: What’s got you so down?
Hillary: All these stupid job interviews, that’s what. I mean, I’m having trouble sleeping, my 1)appetite’s all but disappeared, and it feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders.
Bill: Well, I’m not sure if this helps, but you’re not alone.
Hillary: Really, you too?
Bill: Mmm…①Not me, per se, but I read in some job-hunting magazine that three out of every four graduates experience symptoms of stress or even 2)full-fledged depression in the first few years out of school. So it’s quite common.
Hillary: OK. But that doesn’t help much. What else have you heard?
Bill: Have you ever considered lowering your standards a bit, and not aiming so high right out of the gate?
Hillary: Not yet. I know it’d be the 3)prudent choice to lower my expectations, but that’s not how I was brought up. My parents always told me I should shoot for the stars, and not settle for anything less. They said that if I set seemingly 4)unattainable goals of myself, that I’d be able to accomplish more in life and live up to my true potential.
Bill: There is certainly a lot of truth and wisdom in your parents’ words. But you’ve also gotta remember that you’re still young. ②And what you might consider settling for an 5)undesirable job is really just a means to an end. If you want to make your long-term dreams come true, you need experience and a steady income to serve as the foundation for your future career.
Hillary: That’s all well and good, but it’s a 6)moot point if I can’t even land a job at the grassroots level. And all the rejections are starting to take a toll on me. I’ve been getting the 7)jitters both before and after interviews. It’s like I’m overcome with this feeling of dread as soon as I set foot in the office.
Bill: Maybe, next time, you could try some 8)rhythmic breathing or 9)visualization techniques to relax yourself beforehand.③That way, when you go in for the interview, you won’t seem so stressed and on edge when they ask you questions.
Hillary: Does that really work?
Bill: ④It worked for me, but don’t take my word for it. The other day, I heard this 10)renowned psychologist on some show say that clearing all those doubts and gloomy employment figures out of your head is the best way to relieve pre-interview anxiety.
Hillary: That’s actually a great idea. I’ll definitely try it next time. Thank you Bill!
Bill: Don’t mention it. And good luck!
比爾:你還好嗎,希爾?我發(fā)現(xiàn)你最近都很失落。
希拉里:有那么明顯嗎?
比爾:什么事讓你那么沮喪?
希拉里:就是這些可惡的求職面試。我的意思是,我失眠且胃口差,感覺全世界的壓力都在我一個人身上。
比爾:好吧,我不知道這樣說對你有沒有幫助,但是不只你一個人這樣。
希拉里:真的嗎?你也是?
比爾:呃……不是我本人,但是我在某本求職雜志上看到,在剛離校的頭幾年,有四分之三的畢業(yè)生都會出現(xiàn)焦慮或者極度沮喪的癥狀。所以這是很正常的。
希拉里:好吧,但這沒有多大幫助。你還聽說了什么?
比爾:你有想過把你的標準降低一點,別一開始就期望那么高嗎?
希拉里:我還不打算這樣。我知道降低我的期待會是謹慎的選擇,但這不是我從小到大接受的教育。我爸媽總是告訴我要銳意進取,不要將就任何事情。他們說如果我給自己設定了一個看似難以達到的目標,那么我的人生就能得到更多,不辜負我真正的潛能。
比爾:你父母的話肯定有很多真理和智慧。但是你也必須記著你還年輕。你也許認為接受不理想的工作其實真的只是一種達到目的的手段。如果你想實現(xiàn)你的長期理想,你就需要經(jīng)驗和穩(wěn)定的收入為你未來的事業(yè)作鋪墊。
希拉里:這樣做是沒錯,但是如果我甚至連一份最基層的工作都找不到的話,那么這些事就是無意義的。而一次次被拒已經(jīng)開始折磨我。我在面試前后都會戰(zhàn)戰(zhàn)兢兢。就像我一踏進(面試的)辦公室,就有一種難以抗拒的恐懼感。
比爾:也許,下次,你可以在事前試著有節(jié)奏地呼吸或者臆想來放松自己。這樣的話,當你進去面試,面試官提問的時候,你就不會看起來那么緊張不安了。
希拉里:那真的有用嗎?
比爾:對我來說有用,但是別信我的話。幾天前我聽到這位著名的心理學家在某個節(jié)目上說,將腦子里的所有疑慮和有關就業(yè)市場不景氣的數(shù)據(jù)清除,就是緩解面試前焦慮的最好方式。
希拉里:這確實是一個很好的主意。我下次一定會嘗試的。謝謝你,比爾!
比爾:別客氣。祝你好運!
Smart Sentences
① Not me, per se, but I read in some jobhunting magazine that three out of every four graduates experience symptoms of stress or even full-fledged depression in the first few years out of school. 不是我本人,但是我在某本求職雜志上看到,在剛離校的頭幾年,有四分之三的畢業(yè)生都會出現(xiàn)焦慮或者極度沮喪的癥狀。
per se: by or in itself(親身,本身,自身)。例如:
I have nothing against selfie sticks per se, but I deemed the selfie maniacs insane.
我對自拍神器本身并沒有什么意見,只不過我覺得那些自拍狂有點不正常。
② And what you might consider settling for an undesirable job is really just a means to an end. 你也許認為接受不理想的工作其實真的只是一種達到目的的手段。
a means to an end: sth. that you are not interested in but you do because it will help you to achieve sth. else(達到目的的方法)。例如:
Sometimes, we seem to forget that technology is only a means to an end.
有的時候,我們似乎忘了科學技術只不過是一種工具罷了。
③ That way, when you go in for the interview, you won’t seem so stressed and on edge when they ask you questions. 這樣的話,當你進去面試,面試官提問的時候,你就不會看起來那么緊張不安了。
on edge: tense, nervous, irritable(緊張不安,煩躁)。例如:
You’re always on edge waiting for an important call, because you don’t really know when that phone will ring.在等一個重要電話時人總是焦慮不安,因為誰也不知道電話什么時候會響。
④ It worked for me, but don’t take my word for it. 對我來說有用,但是別信我的話。
take sb.’s word for it: believe sb. without checking the facts(相信某人說的是真話)。例如:
If she says she’s sick, you just have to take her word for it.如果她說自己病了,那你也只有相信她的話。