向前一步:第70期 职业生涯中的长远梦想及短期目标(2)

 　　The most common metaphor¹ for careers is a ladder, but this concept no longer applies to most workers. 人们最常用“梯子”来比喻职业生涯，但这个概念已不再适用于大多数人。

　　As of 2010, the average American had eleven jobs from the ages of eighteen to forty-six alone. 据统计，2010至今，美国人在18-44岁之间会换11次工作。

　　This means that the days of joining an organization or corporation and staying there to climb that one ladder are long gone. 这就意味着加入一个组织或进入一个公司，待在那里一步步往上爬的时代已经过去了。

　　Lori often quotes Pattie Sellers, who conceived a much better metaphor: "Careers are a jungle gym, not a ladder." 戈勒引用了帕蒂·塞勒斯那个更为恰当的比喻：“职业生涯是方格架，而不是竖梯。”

　　As Lori describes it, ladders are limiting—people can move up or down, on or off. 正如洛里所描述的，竖梯会限制人的行动——要么往上爬要么往下退，要么站在梯阶上要么跌下来；

　　Jungle gyms offer more creative exploration. 而方格架能让一个人拥有更多探索的可能。

　　There's only one way to get to the top of a ladder, but there are many ways to get to the top of a jungle gym. 要爬到梯子的顶端只有一种方式，但要爬到方格架的顶端则会有很多方式。

　　The jungle gym model benefits everyone, 方格架的比喻适用于每个人，

　　but especially women who might be starting careers, switching careers, getting blocked by external barriers, or reentering the workforce² after taking time off. 尤其适合那些处于事业初期、转行阶段、由于外部障碍止步不前，或休息一段时间准备重新进入职场的女性。

　　The ability to forge a unique path with occasional dips, detours³, and even dead ends presents a better chance for fulfillment. 和僵直的梯子相比，女性若能够走出一条时上时下、迂回曲折甚至偶尔会误入死胡同的独特路线，才会为自我实现提供更好的机会。

　　Plus, a jungle gym provides great views for many people, not just those at the top. 此外，方格架可以为更多人提供更宽广的视野，而不是只有那些站在最顶端的人才能看到最美的风景。

　　On a ladder, most climbers are stuck staring at the butt⁴ of the person above. 但是在竖梯上，大多数攀爬者都不得不盯着上面一个人的屁股。

　　A jungle gym scramble⁵ is the best description of my career. 用“在方格架上攀爬”来描述我的职业发展是再合适不过的了。

1 metaphor   

n.隐喻，暗喻

参考例句：

• Using metaphor,we say that computers have senses and a memory.打个比方，我们可以说计算机有感觉和记忆力。
• In poetry the rose is often a metaphor for love.玫瑰在诗中通常作为爱的象征。

2 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

3 detours   

绕行的路( detour的名词复数 )； 绕道，兜圈子

参考例句：

• Local wars and bandits often blocked their travel, making countless detours necessary. 内战和盗匪也常阻挡他们前进，迫使他们绕了无数弯路。
• Could it be that all these detours had brought them to Moshi Pass? 难道绕来绕去，绕到磨石口来了吗？ 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

4 butt   

n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶

参考例句：

• The water butt catches the overflow from this pipe.大水桶盛接管子里流出的东西。
• He was the butt of their jokes.他是他们的笑柄。

5 scramble   

v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料

参考例句：

• He broke his leg in his scramble down the wall.他爬墙摔断了腿。
• It was a long scramble to the top of the hill.到山顶须要爬登一段长路。