口袋技能

Joshua Odgen-Davis/肝脑涂地

今时今日，很多人都认为学历和工作经验是求职的法宝，殊不知“口袋技能”才能让他们在职场中所向披靡。其实所谓的“口袋技能”，就是无论身处哪一行业，哪些岗位，都能随时拿出来用的技能。例如与客户洽谈时的沟通能力，在团队中活跃气氛的本事等等。

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，所罗门。你午餐吃得好吗？所罗门：嘿，康妮。我以前吃得都不错，但是今天我有工作要做！

康妮：你该满意了！现在，让我们来决定应聘者中的哪一位能够受聘。

所罗门：说起来容易做起来难。这两名应聘者比其他人都技高一筹，但是他们却实力相当！不可能从他俩之间做选择。

康妮：你觉得是这样？我觉得这不难。

所罗门：真的吗？对你来说简单？

康妮：现在我干这行已经有一段时间了。我估计你会说我有那个眼光，我知道要选择什么人。

所罗门：嗯，那好，别犹豫！让我了解你（选择）的秘诀，然后解决这件事。康妮：如果你这样说，所罗门。从我专业的角度看来，我们应该聘请第二位应聘者。

所罗门：真的吗？这出乎我意料。第一位应聘者有更多的经验。

康妮：是的。但是你知道，经验不能决定一切。只是因为我做了几年某件事并不意味着我就能做得最好。

所罗门：说得好，但是年龄上的差距呢？第二位应聘者才刚大学毕业。第一位应聘者已经有五年的工作经验；他在处事能力方面肯定有优势。

康妮：对。但是年纪大并不代表更好。否则，每个40岁的人都会比30岁的人聪明！

所罗门：说得好！那么，康妮，你的秘诀是什么呢？

康妮：虽然第一位应聘者经验更丰富，第二位应聘者的长处在于她的“口袋技能”。

所罗门：你肯定在跟我开玩笑。我甚至不知道这是什么意思。

康妮：真的吗？好吧，“口袋技能”是你额外掌握的一些本领，例如懂得如何交流，或者有幽默感，或者面对困境能够及时作出反应。

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！

所罗门：真的吗？这听起来对我没那么重要。或者，至少没有经验丰富和熟悉行情重要。

康妮：正确，在你做好之前你必须付出努力。但是那些“口袋技能”能够真正让你成为高效的员工。

所罗门：让我来唱黑脸。假如现在是在半夜，我们必须在天亮前完成一个大项目。你想谁去做这个工作？一个涉世已深的老手还是一个有幽默感的新手？

康妮：我想要一个脑子灵活的人。一个有经验的设计师能把工作做好，但是却未必能在短时间内完成。你的“新手”也许不能做得很好，但是如果她反应够快，至少能够在截止日期前完成工作。

所罗门：嗯，对。那么幽默感呢？没什么用吧。

康妮：让我们回到你那个在半夜完成项目的故事。如果那个团队的职员已经整夜在加班，他们会很烦躁。一个有幽默感的人能够把他们逗乐而让整个团队振奋起来。所罗门：好的，好的，我明白你的意思了。有良好交际能力的人能够与客户建立密切的关系。我现在懂了。“口袋技能”真的能决定成败。

康妮：你说得对。所以，我们准备聘请第二位应聘者，对吧？

所罗门：我被你说服了。嘿，行销演讲看起来是你的“口袋技能”之一

啊！CS

Smart Sentences

① Cant ask for more than that！ 你该满意了！

Cant ask for more than that： used to indicate satisfaction about sth.（用以表示对某事的满足）。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.

我的工作解决了我的食宿问题，帮我偿还大学贷款，还有向上发展的机会。嗯，我再满意不过了。

② Easier said than done. 说起来容易做起来难。

easier said than done： actually doing sth. is more difficult than how it sounds（说起来容易做起来难）。例如：

Staying healthy and slim is easier said than done.

既要健康生活，又要保持身材，这说起来容易做起来难。

③ These two applicants are miles above the rest， but theyre neck and neck！ 这两名应聘者比其他人都技高一筹，但是他们却实力相当！

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.

我们组赢定了，我们在各个方面都比其他组强多了。

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

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

玛丽和艾米在拼写比赛上难分高低，她们的成绩相同。

④ I think its a no-brainer. 我觉得这不难。

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.

给周一做一个演示的PPT？太简单了，交给我吧。

⑤ Touché. 说得好。

touché： used to express agreement on the other persons point during an argument（在讨论中，用以表达对他人观点的赞同）。例如：

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

刚毕业的学生没有经验，但学新东西快。

—Touché.

说得好。

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，或者面对困境能够及时作出反应。

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.

那种情况别指望我，我从来都没有急才。

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

pay dues： have earned ones right to sth. through hard work or suffering（尽责任，经受苦难）。例如：

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

约翰今天的所得是他自己努力得来的，这是他应得的。

⑧ Someone whos been around the block a few times， or some greenhorn with a good sense of humor？ 一个涉世已深的老手还是一个有幽默感的新手？

around the block： having been in the business/field for a while（在公司或某个行业有一段时间）。例如：

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

史密斯夫人在这行很长时间了，认识所有重要人物。

⑨ You said it. 你说得对。

You said it： used to express total agreement， same as “I agree with you completely”（用以表达完全同意，相当于“I agree with you completely”）。例如：

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

你说得太对了，迈克，奥利佛确实是世界上最好的老板了。

⑩ Im sold. 我被你说服了。

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

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

姐，我被你说服了，我现在相信耶鲁大学不适合我。