A Job Interview Is a Screen Test, an Act

A job interview is a screen test, an act. Getting hired depends almost completely on the actor factor. If you know your lines, perfect your delivery, and dress for the part, you’ll get hired. If you don’t, you won’t. No retakes. No bit parts. Now you can memorize the script in advance. There are only so many questions that can be asked and only so many ways to ask them. Oh, there might be minor variations—like the accent of the interviewer, his or her tone of voice, or a pause here and there. Experienced jobgetters appreciate them. Otherwise, they’d undoubtedly start snoring before the offers were extended.

Because interviews are so predictable, they’re controllable. Only the places and faces change—not the words. And you can have them all embedded in your subconscious, ready for instant replay at the drop of an interesting job lead. I know—you think background, qualifications, or experience have something to do with getting hired. You’re right—not about the job, though. About interviewing! The director only knows what you show. That’s why the actor factor is so critical.

--文章注释--

lines n.台词                            delivery n.讲话，讲演
retake n.&v.重新拍摄              bit part 小角色
script n.文本，台词                  in advance 事先
minor variation 小变化            accent n.口音
snore v.打呼噜                        predictable adj.可预测的
controllable adj.可控制的        embed vt.嵌入，蕴含
subconscious n.潜意识            lead n.引子，线索
critical adj.至关重要的

You can have them all embedded in your subconscious, ready for instant replay at the drop of an interesting job lead.
熟谙面试台词，以至于它们被深深嵌入你的潜意识，只要听到“工作戏”的引子，你立马会不由自主地表演。