When a Colleague Requests a Reference

同事請你做推薦人

陳豪在北京的ABC美國公司工作。他在餐廳里找到美國同Amy 。

(Office ambience)

A: Hello Chen Hao. How are you?

C: 還行。不過，我有點事想征求一下你的意見。

A: What is it?

C: 你認識我們辦公室的Sue嗎？

A: I've worked on a couple of projects with her. Why?

C: 我告訴你，你可得保密，Sue正在找工作。

A: Why is that a problem?

C: 她讓我做她的推薦人。

A: That bothers you?

C: Sue工作不是很靠譜，推薦她，那不等于說瞎話嘛！

A: What did you say when she came to you?

C: 我沒直接回答她。我說那份新工作聽上去是個不錯的機會，然后就假稱要開會，逃掉了。

A: I have a couple of suggestions for you.

C: 太好了，你快告訴我。我今天一天都躲躲藏藏的，生怕遇到Sue。

A: Let's sit down over there.

兩人坐下，邊吃邊聊。

C: Amy，你快說說，我該怎么辦。

A: Sue must have some positive traits or she wouldn't be working here.

C: 優(yōu)點肯定是有，不過我得仔細想想。

A: I suggest that you make a list of her strengths.

C: 可她的缺點要比優(yōu)點多得多。

A: Try not to focus on her shortcomings, but list them out, too. You can call them areas where she needs to grow.

C: 需要改進的地方？那人家給我打電話，了解Sue的情況，我該怎么說呢？

A: You begin by saying that she is a good team player, but could benefit from the opportunity to work independently and grow professionally. That makes you honest.

C: 有道理，我就說她很容易相處，但是如果有一個獨立工作，需要精湛技能的機會，將對她有幫助。可是Amy,我怎么才能不去提她的缺點呢？

A: Let the interviewer know that you have worked with Sue on a limited basis so you can only speak about your experience on the team.

C: 就說，跟Sue共事機會不多，有些情況沒有發(fā)言權。Amy，我有個更簡單的辦法，要不我這段時間干脆不接電話了，留言也不回。

A: That's cowardly. Besides it will reflect poorly on you.

C: 要這么說，不回電子郵件也行不通了。

A: You have another choice. You can tell Sue that you aren't comfortable in giving references to her because you are afraid of saying the wrong thing.

C: 這樣好。我就說自己英語不好，搞不好詞不達意，再說錯了話。

A: It is difficult when a colleague who is not a good worker asks you for a reference.

C: 你能在重復一遍，我都有哪些選擇嗎？

A: If you agree to be a reference, rehearse what you plan to say. Don't allow yourself to be drawn into areas where you are not comfortable.