我们知道有份理想的工作是可能的，即便我们没读过《The Four-Hour Work Week》这本书。在街坊里、在电视上，我们认识或见过那些拥有理想工作的人，所以，我们知道，"理想工作"是存在的。这就是"后千年"时代下的职场幻想：做自己喜欢的、抱有激情的工作，有丰厚的收入，同事们要聪明，会支持我们，领导要明智、有道德感。听上去合情合理。可现实的生活中，找到理想的工作怎么就那么难？ 　　For starters, it's helpful to remember that our dream-job requirements often change over time. One job I held in my youth was a dream job at the time but would be impossible for me now because of the working hours. When I was twenty-something and single, I was perfectly happy to sit in a conference room with my workmates, eating pizza and talking shop at 11 p.m. Couldn't, wouldn't consider that now. 对于刚开始工作的人来说，要记住我们对理想工作的要求往往会随着时间发生变化。年轻时的工作在那时是理想工作，但是现在由于工作时长则一点都不理想。当我二十来岁、单身的时候，我可以晚上11点和同事们坐在会议室一起吃着比萨，兴致勃勃地讨论公事。现在不能、也不会有那个念头了。　　You may have longed for a management role at one time and realize now that's the last thing you're interested in; or you may learn that you're happiest working independently, where your teammates are available if you need them but aren't in your face all day long. 也许，你曾渴望过一个管理位置而现在发觉对此毫无兴趣；或者你曾感到独自办公时最快乐，你的同事们在你需要的时候出现，但是不要整天都在眼前晃。　　Put it All On Paper　　写下你对理想工作的要求　　The point is, dream jobs aren't a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. And that means that your ultra-customized dream job is the perfect job for you, not the whole world of job-seekers. So your task is first to understand what you're looking for, and decide which elements in your wish list are most critical for you; and then to make and execute a plan to go out and find that job. The very worst way to land a dream job is to wait for it to find you. 关键的一点是要知道理想的工作并不是"一刀切"的买卖。意思是说为你量身定做的理想工作对你来说是完美的，但对全部人来说却并不如此。因此，你的首要任务是要去了解你想要什么，你的"愿望清单"上哪些元素最适合你；然后再制定一个计划加以执行，找到那样的工作。寻找理想工作的下下策就是等工作来找你。　　As you create your dream job must-have list, it's helpful to think about your wishes in two separate categories. In your first category, you'll list the "hard" attributes you're hoping to find in a dream job -- company size, industry, job 　　If you're that person, organizations dominated by that type of thinking are perfect for you -- research institutions and engineering firms are two examples. Right-brain-focused people veer toward the humanities, language, and the arts. An advertisingagency or a freewheeling startup might be a better fit. 如果你是"左脑"思维的人，那么以"左脑"思维为主导的组织就适合你——例如，研究院和工程公司。偏重右脑的人们倾向于人文、语言和艺术。广告代理或自主创业也许是更好的选择。　　What looks like a dream job on paper will quickly turn to ashes if the organizational culture doesn't celebrate what you love to do and do well. 如果公司文化和你喜欢、擅长的并不合拍，那么看上去理想的工作很快就会变的糟糕。

• working [´wə:kiŋ]   a.工人的；劳动的   (初中英语单词)
• conference [´kɔnfərəns]   n.讨论(会)；会谈   (初中英语单词)
• management [´mænidʒmənt]   n.管理；处理；经营   (初中英语单词)
• available [ə´veiləbəl]   a.可用的；有效的   (初中英语单词)
• execute [´eksikju:t]   vt.执行；表演；演奏   (初中英语单词)
• research [ri´sə:tʃ]   n.&vi.调查；探究；研究   (初中英语单词)
• advertising [´ædvətaiziŋ]   n.广告a.广告的   (初中英语单词)
• agency [´eidʒənsi]   n.代理商；机构；代理   (初中英语单词)
• culture [´kʌltʃə]   n.修养；文化；饲养   (初中英语单词)
• celebrate [´selibreit]   vt.庆祝；表扬；赞美   (初中英语单词)
• perfectly [´pə:fiktli]   ad.理想地；完美地   (高中英语单词)
• critical [´kritikəl]   a.批评的；关键性的   (高中英语单词)
• engineering [,endʒi´niəriŋ]   n.工程技术；工程学   (高中英语单词)
• independently [,indi´pendəntli]   ad.独立地；自由地   (英语六级单词)
• category [´kætigəri]   n.种类；部属；范畴   (英语六级单词)