With unemployment hovering near eight percent, even landing a job interview can be difficult these days. So once you do, you want to make the most of it. Being prepared helps, of course, but the words you choose during the interview can be equally important.

近來失業率久久徘徊在8%左右，甚至得到一個面試機會都已經變得相當困難。所以一旦你獲得了面試的機會，你一定希望盡最大的努力。準備充分當然很重要，但你在面試中的措辭也同樣重要。

Use the wrong ones, warns Success For Hire author and career consultant Alexandra Levit, and you can kill your chances at advancement — even if you’re well-qualified for the job. We asked recruiters for five of the most common culprits and what to say instead.

《成功聘用》的作者，同時也是求職顧問的Alexandra Levit警告說，若是用了錯誤的措辭你就可能扼殺你受聘的機會——即使你完全符合獲得這份工作的條件。我們詢問了一些招聘者，得出了5句最常見的會導致你面試失敗的罪首，以及應該如何代替。

"I can do anything."

“我什么都能做。”

Saying this shows you're an up-for-anything go-getter, right? Not so, say recruiters. If you’re one of many candidates for the position (and you probably are), this vague response will just get you lost in the shuffle. It doesn't give the recruiter a clear idea of what you can do to meet the needs of the job. Instead, be specific. Try: "You said you're looking for someone who can do X. Let me tell you about my experience with that."

這么說說明了你是個愿意做任何事的積極能干的人，對嗎？招聘者們說，事實并非如此。假如你是某個職位的候選人之一（你可能確實是），這種模糊不清的回復只會令你在混亂中迷失。這樣的回答并不能明確地告訴招聘官你能為這份工作做什么。相反，你應該說得具體一點，試試這么說：“你們說你們在尋找一個能做X工作的人，我來說說我在這方面的經驗吧。”

"I can try . . . "

“我可以試試……”

If a hiring manager asks if you feel comfortable doing something you've never done before, it’s tempting to respond: “I can try.” Resist the urge. It suggests that you don't feel confident that you can pull it off. Opt instead for more decisive phrases like "I do" or "I will" and keep the focus on what you know you can bring to the job.

假如一位人事部經理問你，讓你做一件從未做過的事你是否感到舒服，你可能會回答：“我可以試試。”你要忍住這么回答的沖動。這句話暗示了你對于能把這件事做好并不自信。你可以選擇更堅定的言辭，比如“我能做”或者“我會做”并把重點關注于你知道你能為這個工作帶來些什么。

"I remember we used to . . . "

“我記得我們曾經……”

Whether you're 25 or 55, reminiscing about the way you used to do things in your industry can make you seem inflexible and dated. To prevent a hiring manager from assuming you aren’t adept at adapting and to assure her (or him) that you're up-to-date with the latest innovations in your field, try saying, "I think [insert new technology here] is the best thing that's happened to our industry." Then you can give an example of the way you used to do things — and how you transitioned to the new technology.

不論你是25歲還是55歲，回憶你在行業中曾經如何做事會令你顯得頑固并且過時。為了防止人事部經理認為你不善于做出改變，也為了向她/他證明你對業內最新的研究都有及時的了解，試著這么說，“我認為[此處插入一種新技術]是我們行業內發生的最好的事情。”接著你可以舉出你曾經怎樣做事的例子——以及你怎樣開始使用新技術。

"Why do you..."

“你為什么……”

It may seem like it shows initiative to ask a hiring manager why the company does things a certain way, but to her, it can sound judgmental and put her on the defensive. A better way to get the answer you're looking for? Try: "I see what you're doing with X. What's the reason for doing it this way?" This will also give you more insight into their strategies and processes — and an opportunity to let the recruiter know how you could support or improve on them.

或許向一位人事部經理詢問公司為什么用某種方式辦事會顯得比較主動，但是對她而言，那也會顯得像在審判她并把她置于防御姿態。有什么更好的辦法來得到你想要的回答呢？這么試試：“我看到了你們是怎么做X的。你們為什么要用這種方式做這件事呢？”這也會給你提供對該公司戰略和流程的深入了解——也會給你一個機會來讓招聘者知道你能如何在這些方面提供支持和改進。

"I didn't get an opportunity to grow."

“我并沒有得到成長的機會。”

Sure, it sounds like a diplomatic way of explaining why you want to (or did) leave your job, but to a recruiter, it can suggest that you weren’t proactive in seeking out new challenges or a promotion. That can raise questions about whether you'll jump ship at their company if you feel bored or frustrated. Even if you’re unhappy in your current job, always avoid any negativity when you talk about why you want to leave. Instead focus on the positive. Say: "I'm interested in growing in this area . . . ” That will also give you the chance to explain why you find this opportunity so exciting.

是的，這聽上去是解釋你為什么要離開前一份工作的老練說法。但是對招聘者而言，那也會暗示你并沒有積極主動地尋找新的挑戰或者晉升機會。這也會引發如下的問題：假如你在本公司也感到無聊或者失意，你會不會又要跳槽。即使你對你當前的工作感到不開心，你在談到為什么你要離開時也總應該避免流露出消極態度。相反要關注于積極的一面。比如：“我對在這個領域發展非常感興趣……”這也為你提供了一個機會去解釋為什么你覺得這次面試會讓你覺得很激動。

（來源：滬江英語? 編輯：Julie）