牛津大学就业服务中心主任布莱克与一些读者为一位被裁员的西班牙投行人士提供了求职和职业发展方面的建议。

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全文共815个词，by Jonathan Black

I am an investment banker in Spain and I have just been laid off. How do I get a job during the pandemic’s economic fallout? I am an associate, speak fluent Spanish and have many senior contacts. The bank I worked for has a good domestic reputation, but it is not in the bulge bracket. I feel lost. Am I unrealistic in thinking I can get a job? Male, 30s

“我是西班牙的一名投行人士，刚刚被裁了。在此次疫情的经济影响下，我该如何找到一份工作？我在投行做到经理级别(associate)，能说流利的西班牙语，而且有许多高级客户资源。我工作的银行在国内拥有良好声誉，但不在全球知名投行之列。我感到很失落。我认为自己能找到一份工作，这现实吗？”

——一位30多岁的男性

Jonathan’s answer

乔纳森的回复

It is always a shock to be made redundant, however predictable it might have been, and the shock can damage your self-confidence. It might be helpful to separate the emotional knock you have had from the facts of your career to date. You will need to manage your emotional resources so that you are feeling suitably positive and resourceful when deciding on your career path; if that is best done with a holiday, volunteering, or manual labour, then take time to do that.

“无论是否已经有预感，被裁员总是一件令人震惊的事，而且这种打击会伤害你的自信。把你遭遇的情绪冲击与你迄今为止的职业经历区分开来，这可能会有帮助。你需要管理好自己的情绪资源，这样在你决定自己的职业道路时，你能够适当积极，多谋应变；如果对你来说，管理情绪的最好方法是一段假期、志愿服务或体力劳动，那就花时间去做吧。

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On the face of it, you are well placed with good contacts, and probably have strong analytical and financial skills. Take some time to accurately work out what precise skills you have and consider where else they might be applicable: ecommerce, logistics, or consultancy, for example.

“从表面上看，你的优势是拥有良好的人脉关系，而且很可能有很强的分析和财务技能。花些时间搞清楚你具体拥有哪些技能，并考虑它们可能适用于其他哪些领域：比如电子商务、物流或咨询。

In terms of direction, your redundancy at an investment bank is part of a long-term trend. Over the past six years, the number of staff employed at the largest 12 investment banks has been dropping by about 3 per cent each year. The pandemic will put the industry under more strain and costs (ie, people) will probably be cut further.

“就方向而言，投行裁员是一种长期趋势。过去6年，全球最大12家投行雇用的员工人数以每年约3%的速度下降。疫情将使投行业面临更大压力，很可能还将进一步削减成本（也就是裁员）。

Against this backdrop, you will need to decide if moving to another bank is a good option, or whether this might be an opportunity for a more fundamental change. If the former, use your senior connections to explore a sideways step to corporate finance or accountancy, for example, perhaps in a different division or size of organisation.

“在这一背景下，你需要决定，去另一家银行是一个好选择，还是说这可能是一个进行更根本转变的机会。如果是前者，那就利用你的人脉关系去探索如何另辟蹊径，比如转向公司财务或会计，或许在一个不同的部门或不同规模的机构任职。

As well as considering different types of work and roles, in this market you may need to be flexible on the job contract: it will definitely be worth taking short-term contracts, as banks may be too cautious to offer permanent ones as they assess their business models.

“除了考虑不同类型的工作和角色，在这个市场上，你可能需要在工作合同上灵活一些：接受短期合同肯定是值得的，因为银行在评估自己的商业模式时，可能太过谨慎，不愿提供长期合同。

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In parallel with exploring a new role in banking, this would be a good opportunity to consider a bigger change. Take some time to reflect on what you enjoyed about your job and potentially the areas you didn’t. Given that there are always winners and losers in a crisis, explore where else you could apply your skills.

“在探索在银行业的新角色的同时，这是一个考虑更大转变的好机会。花点时间反思一下你喜欢这份工作的哪些方面，以及有哪些地方可能是你不喜欢的。鉴于危机中总会有赢家和输家，可以探索你可以在其他哪些领域运用自己的技能。

Have confidence that you will get another job but be open to being in a new role, or using your skills in a new industry altogether.

“要有信心，你一定能找到另一份工作，但也要对可能的新角色或在一个新行业中运用你的技能保持开放态度。”

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Readers’ advice

读者的建议

I know a consultant, now in his sixties. When he got laid off in his thirties, he went to the most senior people he knew and asked them to give him “the problem which has been lying in your bottom drawer for the last 12 months”. He told them “no success/no fee” — he never looked back. -- Etoilebrilliant

“我认识一个顾问，现在60多岁了。当他在30多岁时被解雇时，他去找自己认识的最高级别的人，请他们向他提出“过去12个月一直躺在你最底层抽屉里的问题”。他告诉他们‘不成功/不收费’——他总是一往直前，义无反顾。”——Etoilebrilliant

You appear to have a good skill set and useful contacts. Consider whether you could start your own business — perhaps consultancy.-- GOM

“你似乎拥有良好的技能组合和有用的人脉。考虑一下你是否可以自己创业——也许做咨询。”——GOM

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Take some time off and relax. Having been laid off and immediately sought a new role, looking back I wish I’d taken some time to get over the shock, and then been more deliberate about my next move. There will always be another job. -- Too True

“花点时间休息放松一下。我以前在被解雇后立即找了一份新工作，现在回想起来，我希望自己当初能花些时间来从那次打击中恢复过来，然后再更慎重地考虑下一步。总会有另一份工作的。”——Too True

Jonathan Black is director of the Careers Service at the University of Oxford.

乔纳森•布莱克(Jonathan Black)是英国牛津大学就业服务中心(Careers Service at the University of Oxford)主任

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