1   If you ask people what “success” means to them, their definitions (定义) might vary. But the different paths (路径) they’ve taken to reach that success look surprisingly (出奇地) the same. In describing their journey to career satisfaction and success, “movers and shakers (撼天动地的巨人，极具影响力的人)” mention many of the same success strategies.

2   Here are the five most often mentioned.

1. Get the right education.

3   Want to crack (打开) open career doors? Then get the right educational background. For example, the required preparation to be a physician (内科医生) would be attending college and medical school and completing a hospital residency (住院医生实习期). But let’s say you want to become a gourmet (美食) chef. The best preparation for this might mean enrolling (入学) in a culinary (烹饪的) institute (学院) and serving an apprenticeship (学徒期) under the master chef (大厨)  of a five-star hotel.

2. Develop teamwork and people skills.

4   “Success on the job is the ability to get along with and interact with others — while always getting the job done,” says career strategist (策略师) William Thourlby in his book Passport (通行证) to Power. And resourceful (机敏) and dependable (可靠的) actions promote the development (发展) of good on-the job relationships.

5   Today, the ability to deal effectively with people having different temperaments (气质) and coming from different cultures, ethnic (民族的) backgrounds, and religions (宗教) is a must. Here are some helpful teamwork tips:

• Accept people with all their “warts (疣) and wrinkles” — nobody’s perfect.

• Ask questions; communicate.

• Give criticism constructively (建设性地) , and try to take it that way as well.

• If you’re upset (感到不快) with someone, cool down first before speaking to that person.

3. Remain flexible and receptive to change.

6   Change is hard for most people. In school, change may affect you because of new teachers, new classes, maybe even a new school. In the workplace, change may entail (使必需) learning new skills, transferring (转移) to a different office branch, or even switching jobs or careers.

7   To make change work for you instead of against you, think creatively (创造性地) and always have a back-up (后备的) plan. For example, suppose your company has drastically (大幅度地) reshaped (改变) its goals and its company culture. You realize you no longer fit in as an employee. That might be the time for you to start shopping around for a new job.

8   Alternative plans don’t always involve changing jobs, however. They might be as simple as expanding (扩展) your skills and knowledge or negotiating (应对) a different work schedule or list of duties.

4. Perfect your time-management and organizational skills.

9    Time-management skills often are hard to acquire. But employers look more favorably (赞赏地) on employees who have them.

10    Here’s how to become more time-efficient:

• Use tools such as daily planner (日程表) calendars, pocket organizers (电子记事簿) , and “to do” lists.

• When working with deadlines or a long-term project, work backwards! Set periodic (阶段性的) deadlines for yourself to get projects done on time.

• Stop procrastinating (拖延) — do it now.

• Prioritize (按轻重缓急安排) tasks; leave enough time to accommodate (应对) delays (延宕) such as when your printer isn’t working and unexpected (意外的) assignments.

• Set long-range and short-range goals so you see the total picture as well as the day-to-day demands.

• Make use of your “down time” for example, waiting on telephone “hold” or flying cross-country to a national meeting.

5. Keep up with technology.

11    Employers expect their workers to be familiar (熟悉的) with high-tech (高科技) tools such as computers. Most professional and vocational fields require computer know-how (技能) coupled with subject expertise (专业知识).

12    For example, instead of using hospital charts (病历表)  to record data (数据), many physicians and nurses now use computers. Employees may need to know how to use Email and intranet (内部网络) systems. Other workers may need to navigate the Internet to communicate with professionals across the country or to research topics.

13    Technology also has produced a more flexible workplace in which telecommuting (远程办公)  — working away from the office — may one day be the preferred choice of work environment.

1. For example, the required preparation to be a physician would be attending college and medical school and completing a hospital residency. 

例如，要成为内科医生就必须先上大学和医学院并完成住院医生实习。

本句中 attending college and medical school 和 completing a hospital residency 都是动词短语，用作表语。

2. “Success on the job is the ability to get along with and interact with others — while always getting the job done,” says career strategist William Thourlby in his book Passport to Power. 

“工作方面的成功指的是在始终完成自己工作的同时，与别人相处、互动的能力，”职业策略师威廉·索尔比在他的《走向成功的通行证》一书里说道。

从语法上说，while always getting the job done 用作引号内整个句子的状语，表示“在…的同时”。while 前面使用了破折号，表明讲话者在讲完前面的话之后，又对自己的话作了补充。

3. To make change work for you instead of against you, think creatively and always have a back-up plan.

要使变化对你有利而无不利，你需要创造性地进行思考并一直有一个后备计划。

动词短语 work for 在句中意思是适合(某人)或对(某人)有利，instead of 后面的 against 是顺接前面动词 work 的。work against 的意思是对(某人)不利或妨碍(某人)。