It is easier to negotiate initial salary requirement because once you are inside, the organizational constraints (约束) influence wage increases. One thing, however, is certain: your chances of getting the raise you feel you deserve are less if you don’t at least ask for it. Men tend to ask for more, and they get more, and this holds true with other resources, not just pay increases. Consider Beth’s story:

　　I did not get what I wanted when I did not ask for it. We had cubicle (小隔间) offices and window offices.I sat in the cubicles with several male colleagues. One by one they were moved into window offices, while I remained in the cubicles, several males who were hired after me also went to offices. One in particular told me he was next in line for an office and that it had been part of his negotiations for the job. I guess they thought me content to stay in the cubicles since I did not voice my opinion either way.

　　It would be nice if we all received automatic pay increases equal to our merit, but “nice” isn’t a quality attributed to most organizations. If you feel you deserve a significant raise in pay, you’ll probablyhave to ask for it.

　　Performance is your best bargaining chip (筹码) when you are seeking a raise. You must be able to demonstrate that you deserve a raise. Timing is also a good bargaining chip. If you can give your boss something he or she needs (a new client or a sizable contract, for example) just before merit pay decisions are beingmade, you are more likely to get the raise you want.

　　Use information as a bargaining chip too. Find out what you are worth on the open market. What will someone else pay for your services?

　　Go into the negotiations prepared to place your chips on the table at the appropriate time and prepared touse communication style to guide the direction of the interaction.

　　练习题：

　　Choose correct answers to the question:

　　1. According to the passage, before taking a job, a person should ________.

　　A. demonstrate his capability

　　B. give his boss a good impression

　　C. ask for as much money as he can

　　D. ask for the salary he hopes to get

　　2. What can be inferred from Beth’s story?

　　A. Prejudice against women still exists in some organizations.

　　B. If people want what they deserve, they have to ask for it.

　　C. People should not be content with what they have got.

　　D. People should be careful when negotiating for a job.

　　3. We can learn from the passage that ________.

　　A. unfairness exists in salary increases

　　B. most people are overworked and underpaid

　　C. one should avoid overstating one’s performance

　　D. most organizations give their staff automatic pay raises

　　4. To get a pay raise, a person should ________.

　　A. advertise himself on the job market

　　B. persuade his boss to sign a long-term contract

　　C) try to get inside information about the organization

　　D) do something to impress his boss just before merit pay decisions

　　5. To be successful in negotiations, one must ________.

　　A. meet his boss at the appropriate time

　　B. arrive at the negotiation table punctually

　　C. be good at influencing the outcome of the interaction

　　D. be familiar with what the boss likes and dislikes

　　1.[D] 推理判断题。根据文章第1句。开头立论：“It is easier to negotiate initial salary requirement在进入公司以前就谈妥你的最初工资要求要更容易些”。因此，在接受一份工作前应该先提出期望薪金要求，即D。注意C中as much…as he can意思太绝对，不妥。

　　2.[B] 推理判断题。Beth的故事是为了证明第1段提出的观点，主要依据第2段第1句，第3段最后一句再次印证。核心词为ask for。

　　3.[A] 推理判断题。从Beth的故事中不难总结出：如果你要求加薪或提升，你可能就会得到满足;你如果不要求，老板就可能不予考虑。因此在salary increase中含有很大的主观因素，故而unfair。直接依据为第3段第1句。

　　4.[D] 事实细节题。根据倒数第3段，performance“工作表现”，timing“抓住时机”和information“利用信息”是加薪的三大筹码。D与其中对timing的阐述一致。

　　5.[C] 事实细节题。最后一段指出，带着准备好的筹码去跟老板商谈加薪，并在合适的时候拿出来,而且要运用一定的交际手段引导谈判的发展方向，即C。注意其中place your chips on the table at the appropriate time “在适当的时候拿出筹码”不等于A中的meet his boss at the appropriate time。