A "Career-Life" Crisis
In the new movie Up in the Air, Anna Kendrick stars opposite George Clooney as Natalie Keener, an ambitious new college graduate who takes a job at a company whose business is to fire people.
Natalie quickly gets to work developing a videoconferencing system that saves the company millions by performing terminations online. While on a cross-country trip to learn the rope,however, Natalie is shaken by the emotional implications of her prized job and quits.
These days, many people---young and old---are experiencing a career-life crisis, asking: "What do I do when I realize my dream job isn't so wonderful after all?"
Not long after Christine Hassler, 33 years old, of Los Angeles landed a prestigious and lucrative job as a Hollywood agent, she found herself arriving at work with knots in her stomach and counting the minutes until the weekend.
"I didn't like the job, and I didn't like the person I was becoming while doing it-stressed out, irritable and unmotivated," she says.
Recognize the Impact
Securing a position in your most desired field is a major achievement, and when the day-to-day work doesn't turn out to be as great as you thought it would be, it's normal to feel depressed,disappointed and confused.
You may feel powerless to make a decision, and this state of limbo can cause you to experience physical symptoms like insomnia, malaise and stomachaches.
Examine Expectations
The way to cope is first to examine your expectations. Says Ms. Hassler:"Often, the first few years at a job aren't the most thrilling because you're learning the ropes, and it may be unreasonable to think that you'll be jumping out of bed to go to work every day, or that you'll get promoted before you've had time to prove yourself."
Plan on the Sidelines
If you're certain that you've made a wrong turn not to get mired in feelings of negativity. "If you go to work every day with a woe-is-me attitude, you are going to feel even worse," says Ms. Hassler, who eventually left Hollywood to become a life coach and book author. She suggests talking about your feelings with a friend or mentor, but keeping your game face on at work.
Maintain your work reputation and in your free time you can start putting plans in place to transition your career. Begin researching positions that are a better fit for your skills and interests, start saving money, and attend networking activities in different industries so that you can get plugged into their communities.
Take the Pressure Off
And don't do anything rash. Although it's normal to make a career detour, it's also hard work, so you'll be well served to consider your next move carefully. Putting pressure on yourself to find the perfect career right now will not make it happen any faster, so remove the sense of urgency.
"Relax and spend some time getting to know yourself," says Ms. Hassler. "As we get a clearer picture of who we are, then what we want to do becomes easier to identify."
四级阅读原文翻译:
职业生涯的危机
在zui新影片《在云端》中,安娜·肯德里克与乔治·克鲁尼演对手戏。她饰演娜塔莉·基纳一一一位刚刚在一家替其他企业裁员的公司谋到一份职位的充满抱负的大学毕业生。
娜塔莉很快就适应了新工作,并且通过开发一种视频电话会议系统,可以在网上般人就鱼,从而帮她所在的公司节省了数百万美元的资金。然而,在一次为熟悉业务的全国旅行中,她为自己本来引以为傲的这份工作给别人的情感带来的重大影响感到震惊,并且zui终提出了辞呈。
眼下,很多人一一无论老少,都在经历着一场职业生涯的危机。他们都在扪心自问:当我意识到自己一直梦想的那份工作其实不怎么样的时候,我该怎么办?
今年33岁、来自洛杉矶的克里斯汀·哈斯勒在一家好莱坞代理机构谋得一份令人羡慕、报酬丰厚的职位。但是不久之后,她就发现自己每次来上班的时候总是充满不安,上班后分分衫、秒都在盼望周末快点到来。
她说,"我根本不喜欢这份工作,也不喜欢因为这份工作而逐渐改变的自己一一顿疲力尽、暴躁易怒、没有斗志。"
认识影响
在你梦想的领域获得一份工作是一项重要的成就,而当日常工作结果并非你想象的那么完美的时候,感到沮丧、失望和困惑是非常正常的现象。
你可能会感到无力作出决定,而这种没着没落的感觉可能会使你经历种种症状,比如失眠、莫名的不适和胃痛。
审视期望值
“应对这种状况的办法,首先就是审视自己的期望值。”哈斯勒女士说。一般来说,每份新工作的zui初几年都不会那么令人兴奋,原因是你还在熟悉业务当中。这时候,要求自己每天都很积极地起床上班,或者希望自己在有时间证明自身价值之前就得到提升,可能都是不合情理的的想法。
自我规划
如果你肯定自己的职业选择是错误的一步,那么也要试着不让自己陷在负面情绪里无法自拔。哈斯勒女士说,如果你每天去上班的时候都抱着我很倒霉的态度,那么你会感觉更差。哈斯勒女士zui终离开了好莱坞,成为了一位生活指导和作家。她建议和朋友或者导师畅谈自己的感想,但是在工作的时候则要保持正常心态。
一方面保持在工作上的声望,一方面在闲暇的时候开始自我规划,为职业转型做好准备。不妨开始研究更加适合自己技能和兴趣的职位,开始存钱,参加不同行业的社交活动,以便将来能够进入它们的领域。
消除压力
不要行事鲁莽。虽然职业转型遇挫是很正常的事情,但是这也意味着要付出努力,因此仔细考虑自己的下一步行动有利无害。给自己太多压力,要求自己马上找到完美的职业,只会适得其反,因此不要有紧迫感。
哈斯勒女士说,“不妨放松心情,花些时间了解自己。随着我们越来越清楚自己是谁,那么也就更加容易找到我们到底想做什么。”
四级阅读句型讲解:
1. Natalie quickly gets to work developing a videoconferencing system that saves the company millions by performing terminations online.
本句是一个复合句,主句是Natalie quickly gets to work。 developing a videoconferencing system现在分词短语作方式状语。that 引导限制性定语从句,修饰system。
四级阅读语法重点:分词短语作状语,定语从句
2. Securing a position in your most desired field is a major achievement, and when the day-to-day work doesn't turn out to be as great as you thought it would be, it's normal to feel depressed,disappointed and confused.
本句是一个复合句,主句是Securing a position …major achievement 和it's normal to feel depressed, disappointed and confused。第一个句子中 securing a position...field动名词短语作主语。when引导时间状语从句。
四级阅读语法重点:动名词短语作主语,时间状语从句
3. "Often, the first few years at a job aren't the most thrilling because you're learning the ropes, and it may be unreasonable to think that you'll be jumping out of bed to go to work every day, or that you'll get promoted before you've had time to prove yourself."
本句是一个复合句。because引导原因状语从句。it是形式主语,真正的主语是后面的不定式短语,to think…prove yourself. 其中两个that引导两个宾语从句,作think的宾语。第二个从句中, before引导时间状语从句。
四级阅读语法重点:原因状语从句,形式主语,宾语从句,时间状语从句
4. Begin researching positions that are a better fit for your skills and interests, start saving money, and attend networking activities in different industries so that you can get plugged into their communities.
本句是一个复合句。 Begin researching positions, start saving money和attend networking activities in different industries是三个并列的祈使句。that引导限制性定语从句,修饰positions. so that引导目的状语从句。
四级阅读语法重点:祈使句,定语从句,目的状语从句
5. Putting pressure on yourself to find the perfect career right now will not make it happen any faster, so remove the sense of urgency.
本句是两个简单句。第一个句子中. Putting pressure...right now 动名词短语作主语,其中to find...right now不定式短语作目的状语。 happen any faster是make的宾语补足语。
四级阅读语法重点:动名词作主语,不定式短语作状语,宾语补足语