商务礼节美语第135期:争取涨工资(上)

　　Kim跟朋友Anita一起出去吃饭。
K: Hey, Anita! Great to see you!
A: Long time no see! I'm so glad you had time to meet for lunch!
K: I've missed you. How have you been?
A: Pretty good. The boys are doing well in school and John is enjoying his new job. You?
K: Pretty much the same. Still working killer¹ hours and still angling for that promotion². I have a hunch³ I'm going to move up to vice⁴ president this year.
A: That's great!
Kim和Anita显然是很久没见了，互相询问近况。Kim说，自己还是没日没夜地干，work killer hours；争取提升，angle for the promotion. Kim还说，I have a hunch, 有直觉，今年能升成公司副总。
K: How's your career going? Last time we spoke⁵ you said you were trying to get a raise.
A: Yep. That's the plan. I mean, I've certainly put in the hours. I'm definitely one of the most productive members of the company and I feel I contribute a lot.
K: So? What's the problem? Why haven't you gone in there and demanded a raise?
A: I just can't work up the confidence to do it. I know I need to, and I know I need it, but it's tough.
Anita想涨工资，可又不知道怎么开口。她说自己就是鼓不起勇气。I just can't work up the confidence to do it. Kim是怎么指点她的呢？
K: OK sister, we are going to figure this out together. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's asking for what I need.
A: I don't even know where to begin. My son needs braces⁶ and his school tuition has just gone up. We really need to get a new car and even the dog has needs we can't pay for.
K: OK, stop right there. You can't base your salary request according to your needs. The company isn't a charity and if you go in and say, "I need" it's not going to work.
第一，不能跟老板说，我缺钱，因为公司不是慈善机构。Anita说，儿子需要整牙，学费涨价，家里需要换新车，结果被Kim叫停。
A: I could probably make more money if I changed companies.
K: There you go...that's a powerful argument. But leave any threats till the last minute. What you need to do is stress your value.
A: I do have to consider the current global economic slowdown. Our company has been taking quite a hit.
K: That's true. You have to take those factors into account. But you also have to get paid at a fair rate.
Anita说，如果换个工作，工资肯定会增加。Kim觉得这是一个很好的理由，但建议说，leave any threats till the last minute. 威胁是最后的杀手锏。Kim说，what you need to do is stress your value. 要强调自己对公司的价值。

1 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

2 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

3 hunch   

n.预感，直觉

参考例句：

• I have a hunch that he didn't really want to go.我有这么一种感觉，他并不真正想去。
• I had a hunch that Susan and I would work well together.我有预感和苏珊共事会很融洽。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 braces   

n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来

参考例句：

• The table is shaky because the braces are loose. 这张桌子摇摇晃晃，因为支架全松了。
• You don't need braces if you're wearing a belt! 要系腰带，就用不着吊带了。