口袋技能

Joshua Odgen-Davis/肝腦涂地

今時今日，很多人都認為學歷和工作經驗是求職的法寶，殊不知“口袋技能”才能讓他們在職場中所向披靡。其實所謂的“口袋技能”，就是無論身處哪一行業，哪些崗位，都能隨時拿出來用的技能。例如與客戶洽談時的溝通能力，在團隊中活躍氣氛的本事等等。

Connie： Hey， Solomon. Did you have a good lunch？

Solomon： Hey， Connie. Ive had better， but this one got the job done！

Connie： ①Cant ask for more than that！ Now， lets decide which one of our job applicants can “get the job done.”

Solomon： ②Easier said than done. ③These two applicants are miles above the rest， but theyre neck and neck！ Its impossible to choose between them.

Connie： You think so？ ④I think its a no-brainer.

Solomon： Really？ Its that simple for you？

Connie： Ive been in this business for a while now. I guess you could say I have “the sight；” I know what to look for.

Solomon： Well， then， dont hold back！ Let me in on your big secret and lets get this over with.

Connie： If you say so， Saul. In my expert opinion， we should hire the second applicant.

Solomon： Really？ Thats out of the blue to me.The first applicant has much more experience！

Connie： Thats true. But experience isnt everything， you know. Just because Ive been doing something for upteen-million years doesnt mean Im automatically the best at it.

Solomon： Well said， but what about the age difference？ The second applicant is fresh out of college. The first one has been in the workforce for five years； hes sure to have the edge in terms of maturity！

Connie： Right again. But older doesnt mean better. If that were true， then every forty-year-old would be smarter than every thirty-year-old！

Solomon： ⑤Touché. So， Connie whats your secret？

Connie： Though the first applicant is more accomplished， the second applicants edge is her pocket skills.

Solomon： Youve gotta be kidding me. I dont even know what that means.

Connie： Really？ Well， pocket skills are the little extra things that you know how to do， ⑥such as being a good 1）communicator， or having a great sense of humor， or being quick on your feet in a tough situation.

康妮：嘿，所羅門。你午餐吃得好嗎？所羅門：嘿，康妮。我以前吃得都不錯，但是今天我有工作要做！

康妮：你該滿意了！現在，讓我們來決定應聘者中的哪一位能夠受聘。

所羅門：說起來容易做起來難。這兩名應聘者比其他人都技高一籌，但是他們卻實力相當！不可能從他倆之間做選擇。

康妮：你覺得是這樣？我覺得這不難。

所羅門：真的嗎？對你來說簡單？

康妮：現在我干這行已經有一段時間了。我估計你會說我有那個眼光，我知道要選擇什么人。

所羅門：嗯，那好，別猶豫！讓我了解你（選擇）的秘訣，然后解決這件事。康妮：如果你這樣說，所羅門。從我專業的角度看來，我們應該聘請第二位應聘者。

所羅門：真的嗎？這出乎我意料。第一位應聘者有更多的經驗。

康妮：是的。但是你知道，經驗不能決定一切。只是因為我做了幾年某件事并不意味著我就能做得最好。

所羅門：說得好，但是年齡上的差距呢？第二位應聘者才剛大學畢業。第一位應聘者已經有五年的工作經驗；他在處事能力方面肯定有優勢。

康妮：對。但是年紀大并不代表更好。否則，每個40歲的人都會比30歲的人聰明！

所羅門：說得好！那么，康妮，你的秘訣是什么呢？

康妮：雖然第一位應聘者經驗更豐富，第二位應聘者的長處在于她的“口袋技能”。

所羅門：你肯定在跟我開玩笑。我甚至不知道這是什么意思。

康妮：真的嗎？好吧，“口袋技能”是你額外掌握的一些本領，例如懂得如何交流，或者有幽默感，或者面對困境能夠及時作出反應。

Solomon： Really？ Those dont sound so important to me. Or， at least， not as important as having experience and knowing the field well.

Connie： ⑦Sure， youve gotta pay your dues in this field before youre any good. But those pockets skills are what really make you an effective worker.

Solomon： Let me play devils advocate here. Its the middle of the night and we have to finish a big project before the morning. Who do you want on the job？ ⑧Someone whos been around the block a few times， or some 2）greenhorn with a good sense of humor？

Connie： I want someone whos good at thinking quickly. A designer with a lot of experience can do a good job， but not necessarily in a short amount of time. Your “greenhorn” might not do as good a job， but if shes fast on her feet， at least she can finish something before the deadline.

Solomon： Well， thats true. But what about that sense of humor thing？ Cant be that useful.

Connie： Lets go back to your story about finishing a project in the middle of the night. If the team has already been working overtime all evening， theyll be 3）cranky. Someone with a good sense of humor can get them laughing and get things back on track. Solomon： OK， OK， I see your point. And someone with good communication skills can build a good 4）rapport with the client. I get it now. Pocket skills can really be a game-changer！

Connie： ⑨You said it. So， were going with the second applicant， right？

Solomon： ⑩Im sold. Hey， persuasive speaking seems to be one of your pocket skills！

所羅門：真的嗎？這聽起來對我沒那么重要。或者，至少沒有經驗豐富和熟悉行情重要。

康妮：正確，在你做好之前你必須付出努力。但是那些“口袋技能”能夠真正讓你成為高效的員工。

所羅門：讓我來唱黑臉。假如現在是在半夜，我們必須在天亮前完成一個大項目。你想誰去做這個工作？一個涉世已深的老手還是一個有幽默感的新手？

康妮：我想要一個腦子靈活的人。一個有經驗的設計師能把工作做好，但是卻未必能在短時間內完成。你的“新手”也許不能做得很好，但是如果她反應夠快，至少能夠在截止日期前完成工作。

所羅門：嗯，對。那么幽默感呢？沒什么用吧。

康妮：讓我們回到你那個在半夜完成項目的故事。如果那個團隊的職員已經整夜在加班，他們會很煩躁。一個有幽默感的人能夠把他們逗樂而讓整個團隊振奮起來。所羅門：好的，好的，我明白你的意思了。有良好交際能力的人能夠與客戶建立密切的關系。我現在懂了。“口袋技能”真的能決定成敗。

康妮：你說得對。所以，我們準備聘請第二位應聘者，對吧？

所羅門：我被你說服了。嘿，行銷演講看起來是你的“口袋技能”之一

啊！CS

Smart Sentences

① Cant ask for more than that！ 你該滿意了！

Cant ask for more than that： used to indicate satisfaction about sth.（用以表示對某事的滿足）。例如：

I have a job that pays my room and board， pays back my college loan and gives me the opportunity to move forward. Well， cant ask for more than that.

我的工作解決了我的食宿問題，幫我償還大學貸款，還有向上發展的機會。嗯，我再滿意不過了。

② Easier said than done. 說起來容易做起來難。

easier said than done： actually doing sth. is more difficult than how it sounds（說起來容易做起來難）。例如：

Staying healthy and slim is easier said than done.

既要健康生活，又要保持身材，這說起來容易做起來難。

③ These two applicants are miles above the rest， but theyre neck and neck！ 這兩名應聘者比其他人都技高一籌，但是他們卻實力相當！

miles above the rest： much better than all the other people（比其他所有人都好很多）。例如：

Our team is a sure win. We are miles above the rest in all areas.

我們組贏定了，我們在各個方面都比其他組強多了。

neck and neck： very close， especially in a race or a contest（不分上下，難分高低）。例如：

Mary and Amy were neck and neck in the spelling contest. Their scores were tied.

瑪麗和艾米在拼寫比賽上難分高低，她們的成績相同。

④ I think its a no-brainer. 我覺得這不難。

no-brainer： sth. so simple or easy as to require no thought（小菜一碟）。例如：

The presentation PPT for Monday？ Thats a no-brainer. Leave it to me.

給周一做一個演示的PPT？太簡單了，交給我吧。

⑤ Touché. 說得好。

touché： used to express agreement on the other persons point during an argument（在討論中，用以表達對他人觀點的贊同）。例如：

—Newly graduated students are inexperienced， but can pick up new things quickly.

剛畢業的學生沒有經驗，但學新東西快。

—Touché.

說得好。

⑥ Such as being a good communicator， or having a great sense of humor， or being quick on your feet in a tough situation. 例如懂得如何交流，或者有幽默感，或者面對困境能夠及時作出反應。

quick on ones feet： come up with a good idea in a very short time（有急智）。例如：

Dont count on me in that type of situation—I have never been quick on my feet.

那種情況別指望我，我從來都沒有急才。

⑦ Sure， youve gotta pay your dues in this field before youre any good.正確，在你做好之前你必須付出努力。

pay dues： have earned ones right to sth. through hard work or suffering（盡責任，經受苦難）。例如：

John worked hard to get what he has today. He paid his dues.

約翰今天的所得是他自己努力得來的，這是他應得的。

⑧ Someone whos been around the block a few times， or some greenhorn with a good sense of humor？ 一個涉世已深的老手還是一個有幽默感的新手？

around the block： having been in the business/field for a while（在公司或某個行業有一段時間）。例如：

Mrs. Smith has been around the block and she knows whos who in the industry.

史密斯夫人在這行很長時間了，認識所有重要人物。

⑨ You said it. 你說得對。

You said it： used to express total agreement， same as “I agree with you completely”（用以表達完全同意，相當于“I agree with you completely”）。例如：

You said it， Mike， Oliver really is the best boss anyone can have.

你說得太對了，邁克，奧利佛確實是世界上最好的老板了。

⑩ Im sold. 我被你說服了。

Im sold： used to indicate you are convinced（用以表示你被說服了）。例如：

Sis， Im sold. I now believe Yale is not my type.

姐，我被你說服了，我現在相信耶魯大學不適合我。