商务英语中级阅读材料：找工作前不得不知的10件事

　　Certainly, 2012 is a tough year to graduate – but there is still a great deal that jobseekers can do to boost their chances of finding employment.

　　当然，2012年对毕业生来说是艰难的一年，但仍然有许多事求职者可以做，从而提高他们找到工作的几率。

　　Many say they found their university careers service uninspiring and unhelpful – that's if they made it through the door. So what are the things the class of 2012 really needs to know?

　　许多人说他们发现他们的大学就业服务既无趣又无益——假如他们要通过它来找到工作。那么，哪些事是2012届毕业生真正需要知道的?

　　1 Unpaid internships are illegal

　　The biggest issue for today's graduates isn't joblessness – it is unpaid internships. There is no legal definition of an intern, but national minimum wage law states anybody who qualifies as a worker must be paid at least ￡6.08 an hour (if aged 21 and over) unless their employer is a charity.

　　1 无报酬的实习是非法的

　　对今天的大学毕业生来说最大的问题不是没有工作，而是无报酬的实习。没有法律定义实习生，但国家最低工资的法律规定任何有工作资格的人必须获得至少6.08英镑每小时的报酬(如果21岁以上)，除非他们的雇主是慈善机构。

　　2 Ignore the headlines – there are still jobs out there

　　News that 83 graduates apply for every job is eye-catching, but is it really true? Are graduates only applying to the big names, via adverts they've seen in the most obvious places?

　　2 忽略头条新闻 – 除那之外还有工作

　　有消息称83个毕业生申请一份工作是引人注目的，但它是真的吗?通过他们在最显眼的地方看到的广告，难道大学毕业生只申请那些大公司吗?

　　3 Doing more education isn't the answer

　　A second degree means a better job – or at least a better chance of getting a job. Right? Wrong. Think carefully before you sign up for an expensive postgraduate course that may be of little interest to employers – and beware of the increasingly slick marketing methods used by universities (remember, education is a business now).

　　3 接受更多地教育并不是解决之道

　　第二学位意味着更好的工作——或者至少是一个找到工作更好机会，对吗?这是错误的。在你签署那些你的雇主并不感兴趣的昂贵研究生课程之前仔细想想，同时提防大学日益华而不实的营销方式(记住，现在教育是一桩生意)。

　　4 Give the industry you have chosen a health check

　　The digital revolution has turned many industries upside down. The music industry, book publishing and print journalism are obvious examples, but other industries are suffering, too. This means the "dream jobs" you've set your heart on may not even exist in a few years – and if they do, they could be poorly paid and insecure.

　　Graduates often hope that if they want their goal badly enough, they'll get there. Sadly, this isn't true. Look around. If people established in your chosen industry are bailing out, what does that tell you? Think laterally and take your skills to a growing sector. Your career spans 40 years. Don't pick an industry that will be dead in five.

　　4 给你选择的行业一个健康检查

　　数字革命已经让许多行业倒闭。音乐产业、图书出版和平面媒体是明显的例子，但其他行业也在经历阵痛。这意味着你全心投入的“梦想工作”在未来几年内可能根本不存在 - 如果他们这样做，他们可能会获得低报酬和不安全感。

　　应届毕业生往往希望有志者事竟成。可悲的是，这是不正确的。看看你的周围。如果在你选择的行业里创建者想逃出来，这告诉你什么?正确地思考，把你的技能用在有发展的部门。你的职业生涯跨越40年。不要选择一个5年内会衰亡的行业。

　　5 The perfect CV is a myth

　　Graduates obsess about crafting the perfect CV, but there's no such thing. If yours is clear and concise, stop fiddling. And forget about trying to stand out. If your application is really good, it will get noticed.

　　5 完美的简历是神话

　　毕业生过分注重制作完美的简历，但没有这样的事情。如果你的简历简洁明了、停止花哨。忘记试图脱颖而出。如果你的简历真的很好，它就会被注意。

　　6 Don't forget the little guys

　　Don't dismiss small- to medium-sized companies (SMEs, with less than 250 employees) – that's where the bulk of graduate vacancies lie. Thousands of SMEs are desperate to hire bright young graduates – but they may not advertise in the obvious places as it's expensive, so do some extra sleuthing to track them down.

　　6 别忘了那些小企业

　　不要忽视中小型企业(中小型企业，雇员少于250人)——那里有大量为毕业生准备的空缺职位。成千上万中小型企业都在拼命聘请有前途的年轻毕业生 - 但它们可能不在明显的地方做广告，因为太贵了，所以花一些额外的功夫记下他们。

　　7 Offer to help – but don't beg an employer for experience

　　Don't use your covering letter to tell a sob story about why you need a job to give you experience – however desperate you feel. And don't emphasise your potential – it sounds like you have nothing　to offer (which isn't true). Instead, underline what you do have. Employers will hire you if they think you can help them – not because you need experience. And never offer to work for free. It looks as if you don't value your own contribution.

　　7 提供帮助 - 但不求雇主经验

　　不要用你的求职信来讲诉一个关于你需要一份工作来给予你经验的哽咽故事，不论你多么绝望。不用强调你的潜力 - 这听起来像你没什么可提供的(这是不正确的)。相反，强调你确实有的东西。如果他们认为你能帮助到他们，雇主就会雇用你——不是因为你需要经验。永远不要提供免费的工作。这看起来像你不珍惜自己的贡献。

　　8 If it's really not working, it's time to stop doing it

　　The biggest mistake graduates make is repeating one job-hunting strategy again and again before wailing. Different industries require different approaches. Have the courage to ditch what isn't working – and try something new which might. What have you got to lose?

　　8 如果这真的不起作用，现在就是时候停止这样做

　　毕业生犯的最大错误就是在嚎啕大哭之前一遍又一遍地重复一种求职策略。不同的行业需要不同的策略。要勇敢地放弃一些不奏效的方式，以及尝试一些新的可能。你有什么可损失的呢?

　　9 All the experience you have gained is good experience

　　Spent last summer litter-picking at Glastonbury? However lame you think your experience sounds, anything is better than nothing. "The key is to make it sound relevant for the job you're applying for," says Hawes. "Think back and see the job through the eyes of an employer. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? What skills did you develop? What training did you have? This is all great stuff for applications and interviews."

　　9 所有你已获得的经验都是很好的经验

　　去年夏天在格拉斯顿伯里拣垃圾?不论你认为你的经历听起来多逊，任何事都比没有好。 “关键是让它听起来和你申请的工作有关，”霍斯说。 “回头想想，从雇主的角度看任务的完成。你面临了什么样的挑战，你是怎么克服的?你发展了什么样的技能?你获得了什么样的培训?这对申请和面试来说都是很棒的东西。”

　　10 Nobody wants to hire a robot

　　Yes, be professional when you're applying for jobs, but be yourself. Stiff, robotic graduates using business buzzwords incorrectly is a big no-no for recruiters.

　　10 没人愿意雇用一个机器人

　　是的，当你申请工作时要专业点，但要做自己。僵硬、机器人般的毕业生不正确地使用专业用语对招聘人员来说就直接是拒绝。