Question

Interviewing someone for a job is not as easy as it looks. First, as the interviewer, you’re tasked with finding the person who will not only do the job well but also fit in well with the other employees.

You have to make an evaluation of abstract qualities that can’t be found on a résumé. Because you have to repeat the process for every potential employee, you end up asking question after question, applicant after applicant.

Still, interviewers need to be told something: “What is your biggest weakness?” is not a good question. It just isn’t.

Now, job seekers have to understand that interviewers want to find some way to know what makes an applicant different from others. Asking questions that are seemingly impossible to answer is one way to see who can think creatively. Then what may be a proper way to respond to such a question?

Honesty, with a twist(新手法)

“‘What are your three strengths and three weaknesses?’ is a classic, but not too many people know how to answer this,” says Kenneth C. Wisnefski, founder and CEO of WebiMax, an online marketing company.

“As an interviewer, we want to hear strengths that describe initiative(主動(dòng)性), motivation and dedication. The best way to respond is to include these qualities into specific ‘personal statements.’

“Similarly, weaknesses should be positioned as a strength that can benefit the employer.”

“I like to hear applicants state an exaggerated strength, and put an interesting twist on it. An example of this is, ‘My initiative is so strong, that sometimes I take on too many projects at a time.’”

This answer leads with a strength that employers want —initiative —and still acknowledges that you’re not perfect.

Although you might consider this acknowledgement too honest, it works because it proves you’re being honest.

Honesty, with progress

When you consider what your weaknesses are, think about how you have attempted to overcome them. No one is perfect, so pretending that you are a perfectionist will come across as insincere.

Debra Davenport, author of “Career Shuffle,” believes citing(引用) examples are the best approach.

“My preferred response for this question is to tell the truth without damaging the applicant’s image.” Davenport explains.

“A better response might be, ‘I’ve had some challenges with work-life balance in the past and I realize that a life out of balance isn’t good for me, my family or my employer. I’ve taken the time to learn better time and project management, and I’m also committed to my overall wellness.’”

The answer adds some dimension to the question, and proves you’ve thought beyond the answer. You’ve actually changed your behavior to address the situation, even if you haven’t completely overcome the weakness.

Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes

However you decide to answer, Debra Yergen, author of “Creating Job Security Resource Guide,” recommends job seekers imagine themselves sitting on the other side of the desk.

“If you were doing the hiring, what would you be looking for? What would be your motivation for asking certain questions? Who would you be trying to weed out? If you can empathize (共鳴) with the interviewer, you can better understand what they want and need, and then frame your qualifications to meet their needs for the position you seek.”

Once you consider what the goal of the question is and figure out what your honest answer is, you’ll be able to give the best possible answer to a tricky question.

Job Interviews
Tasks for a job interviewer	☆ Find the person both doing the job well and 1.       along well with other employees. ☆2.      abstract qualities of applicants by asking one question after another.
3.       to interviewees for replying to a tricky question	☆ Understand that the interviewers want to 4.       between applicants and that asking a question seemingly impossible to answer is one way to see an applicant’s 5.       . ☆ Be 6.       and inventive when asked about your weaknesses, and respond properly. ☆ Never 7.       you are perfect, which may be believed to be insincere. ☆Try to show that you’ve changed a lot 8.        you haven’t completely get rid of your weaknesses. ☆ Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes and have a better  9.          of their needs for the job.
Conclusion	☆ With the goal of the question 10.       into account and the honest answer in your mind, you will be able to give the best possible answer.

 

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.getting   

2. Evaluate     

3.Tips / Suggestions    

4.distinguish   

5.Creativity 

6.honest   

7.pretend  

8.though / although 

9.understanding

10.taken

【解析】

試題分析：

1. getting  同義詞轉(zhuǎn)換。根據(jù)第一段最后but also fit in well with the other employees.可知是指能夠和別人友好相處。故使用get along well with…。

2.Evaluate 詞性轉(zhuǎn)換。根據(jù)第二段第一句make an evaluation中的名詞evaluation。表格中要使用動(dòng)詞evaluate.

3.Tips / Suggestions    總結(jié)歸納。接下來的都是作者在文章指提出的建議。

4.distinguish 同義詞轉(zhuǎn)換。根據(jù)文章第四段Now, job seekers have to understand that interviewers want to find some way to know what makes an applicant different from others可知面試是讓我們區(qū)別不同的申請人的差別。使用動(dòng)詞distinguish。

5. Creativity 詞性轉(zhuǎn)換。根據(jù)第四段第3行who can think creatively中的副詞creatively轉(zhuǎn)換成表格里的名詞creativity。

6.honest   詞性轉(zhuǎn)換。根據(jù)Honesty, with progress中的名詞honesty，轉(zhuǎn)換成這里的形容詞honest。

7.pretend  詞義轉(zhuǎn)換。根據(jù)No one is perfect, so pretending that you are a perfectionist will come across as insincere.可知我們不需要假裝完美。使用pretend。

8.though / although 句意轉(zhuǎn)換。根據(jù)I’ve taken the time to learn better time and project management, and I’m also committed to my overall wellness.’”可知要表達(dá)出：盡管并沒有完全改變自己的缺點(diǎn)，但是已經(jīng)有了很大的改變了。

9.understanding 同義詞轉(zhuǎn)換。根據(jù)Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes

可知是指要多理解對方。

10. taken 同義詞轉(zhuǎn)換。根據(jù)最后一段Once you consider what the goal of the question is and figure out what your honest answer is可知所選之詞與consider是近義詞，同時(shí)還要注意詞形的變化。

考點(diǎn)：考查任務(wù)型閱讀

點(diǎn)評(píng)：本文屬于任務(wù)型閱讀，在完成此類題目時(shí)，要仔細(xì)閱讀短文和表格，根據(jù)文章的篇章結(jié)構(gòu)找出原文中的相應(yīng)的語群，從同義詞，近義詞，反義詞等角度出發(fā)，尋找原詞再現(xiàn)，進(jìn)行歸納總結(jié)，確定合適的答案。