実践ビジネス英語 Friday, March 15
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Tips for the Real World (6)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1[S]: In our current vignette, the H&B staff discuss what American parents teach their children before they enter the real world. Bill Nissen and Paul Pearson, for example, paid their children for doing chores to help them understand the value of money and hard work. Did your parents do anything like this, Heather?
2[H]: One thing my mother insisted on after I entered high school was that I get a part-time job during summer vacations. She had a number of reasons for this, one of which was that it would give me early training in how to function in a work environment, the different ways of interacting with customers, coworkers and bosses. And I got a head start on handling job interviews, figuring out how to dress, answering interviewers' questions, etc.
3[S]: So what kind of jobs did you have?
4[H]: Quite a variety, actually they ran the gamut. From high school through my college years, I worked at a children's day care center, a retail clothing store and a video rental shop. My very first part-time job was at an ice cream/hot dog store, which was a great deal of fun. One of the perks was free food.
At the same time, it also gave me a good appreciation of how backbreaking it can be to work in the food industry. I was on my feet for hours and hours, you know, scooping ice cream, holding big buckets of ice up from the basement for the drinks machine. My arms and legs used to ache at the end of shifts.
5[S]: Do you still remember your first paycheck?
6[H]: Absolutely. It was 120 dollars for two weeks' work. It's such a cliche but it really did feel like all the money in the world to me. I also remember the blue and white skirt I bought with part of that paycheck.
7[S]: What kind of things did your parents teach you about money?
8[H]: My father in particular stressed the importance of saving. He's always been a strong proponent of the "pay yourself first" principle. In other words, have a certain amount of money that you save or invest every month without fail.
He also urged me to be my own investment adviser, so to speak. Be wary of people trying to sell you a product, he would say. Learn about what you're investing in. If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
9[S]: The conversation eventually turns to the essentials of the college experience. What did your parents say about this area?
10[H]: I have to admit I don't recall much advice in regards to college, beyond "study hard" and "don't forget to write," that sort of thing. I certainly agree with Breakstone's statement that it's important to learn presentation skills, however. Two of the most useful classes I ever took in terms of how often do I draw on them in daily life were a touch typing class in high school and a speech class in college.
My own advice to college students would be experiment. Try classes in lots of different subjects, especially ones you've never considered before. You'll never have so much time and freedom again. And You never know how it might inspire you. That and never turn down an opportunity for free food.
