Linda Babcock
Linda Babcock, the James Mellon Walton Professor of Economics at Carnegie Mellon's School of Public Policy and Management, noticed that many of the school's male graduates received higher starting salaries than their female counterparts--and that males had overwhelmingly asked for higher pay. She helps women learn to be more assertive negotiators in her book Women Don't Ask.
Q: How much harm do women do to themselves?
A: The costs of not negotiating are very, very large. When you start out with a lower salary, you carry that around with you every year of your working career. Many raises come in the forms of percentages, and new bosses look at how much you were paid in previous positions.
Q: What holds women back?
A: A lot of women believe that if they do a good job, they will get ahead. But advancement isn't always so simple. There is also an assumption that if you push for a higher starting salary, you might look bad to a new boss. The opposite is actually true: Fighting for yourself can earn an employer's respect.
Q: How can a woman ask but not offend?
A: If a woman comes on too strong, she won't be accepted. . . . Women should adopt a cooperative approach, trying to find solutions that can be good for both sides. Don't issue a threat; go in ready to compromise, or at least appear ready.
Q: Is this a generational issue?
A: Many young women aren't watching out as much as they could. My generation knew they were in for a fight. Now young women assume they will be treated equally. -Angie C. Marek
This story appears in the April 19, 2004 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.
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