We’ve all heard the statistic that women only make 75% of what their male counterparts bring home. Is there still a bias in our society against women and their ability to do a job as well as men? Have we made any progress at all in regards to gender discrimination? The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) analyzed starting salaries of 2010 college graduates entering the work force in an effort to find the answers to these questions. Overall, they found that, though women seemed to have no more trouble being hired than men, women’s starting salaries were around 83% of men’s starting salaries.
So do women just have to accept the disparity as inevitable? Not necessarily. In general, women may not promote themselves enough or be as assertive as men in reaching salary agreements. Linda Babcock, an economics professor at Carnegie Mellon University, described a time when a group of PhD students complained to her that all of the men in the program were teaching courses while the women were only teaching assistants.
Women Don’t Ask
Babcock did a little research and discovered that every man in the program had simply gone to the dean and told him they wanted to teach. The women did not. This led Babcock to conduct several studies on the male-female income gap and the factors involved. One of the studies polled graduating master’s degree students who had received job offers to find out who just accepted what was offered and who negotiated a higher salary. Four times more men than women had negotiated their salary. Several other studies confirmed this result – men were 4-8 times more likely to push for higher salaries.
However, Babcock did further studies that indicated women who asserted themselves in salary negotiations were more likely to be viewed as “not nice” or to be socially penalized in the work place. Thus, cultural stereotypes may indeed play a role in the problem.
Learn to Negotiate Your Salary
Still, this doesn’t mean women have to sit back and accept their lot. There are things they can do to be more proactive. It may feel like the employer holds all the power, but learning negotiation skills can put some of the power back in your hands. First, be aware of the three ingredients in negotiation – information on the job duties, salaries are negotiable and you will get a little less than what you ask for.
Next, know that salary is negotiable. Most HR professionals expect you to negotiate, so don’t be afraid to do so. One of the most important things to remember is to focus on the value you bring. Now is not the time for modesty. Make a list of qualities that have helped make you successful. If you have trouble with that, ask others who have been impressed with your performance what they specifically liked. Have stories and examples of your accomplishments; promote yourself. And don’t discuss salary until after you have sold them on your value to the company.
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for 15-20% more than you want. Remember, men get more because they ask. Even if you don’t get it, you can always go back to the original offer. Because most raises are percentages, even small differences in your starting salary can make a big difference over the lifetime income. It’s worth the effort to hone your skills and sell yourself.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask
Don’t be afraid to stand up and ask for what you are worth. Women are making progress against gender bias, but they still need to push for equal treatment. Be proactive. Know your worth. Go in armed with negotiation skills. Maybe one day you won’t have to fight so hard, but until then, you must be your own best advocate.
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