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“Get in the Game” Congratulations on getting this far! If you have entered the salary negotiating stage then you have succeeded in resume preparation and interviewing skills. First things first! Think of salary negotiations as a game – you are in competition for your “worth”. And for women, the stakes are high. As of June of 1998, women were still earning 26 cents less per dollar than men in the United States. What’s worse – is that we (women) perceive our work to be worth less than men do. In a recent Stanford Business School study, female students valued the appropriate compensation for certain jobs 18% lower than their males counterparts did. So, what are the rules to this game? Here are a few pointers from the Women In Sports Careers Foundation. 1. Marketplace Price. Understand the current market place “average” for the position you are interested in. Get on the Internet or get to the library and look up the Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Department of Labor. Also check out sports industry's trade magazines and or organizations websites for salary surveys. Check with word-of-mouth resources, such as key executives in the organization, annual reports, recruiters, and your own network and human-resource professionals. Then, decide how strong your skills are and work experience. Be honest with yourself. What is “fair market value” for your skills and abilities? 2. Discussion of Salary. Don’t bring up the issue of salary first. Let the employer be the first to address the issue. Once the topic is brought up – you need to be able to answer the question. Either be prepared to give a range (which includes benefits) that you are looking for and would be content with -- OR -- if you are not prepared at this time to answer this question, don’t be afraid to answer with “I’d like to refrain from answering at this time until I learn a little bit more about your needs but I'm sure we can come to a good salary agreement if I'm the right person for the job.” 3. Financial Needs. Be clear about what your “bottom line” financial needs are. What can you live on? What do you need? What is the lowest possible amount you are willing to accept? What is the highest amount you think the organization is prepared to pay? Somewhere in the middle is where you will most likely end up. However you might be surprised at the initial offer if you haven’t done any research. Tip to Remember: If you remember only one thing about salary negotiations, this is it -- Never discuss salary until you've been offered the job. Resource: One of best books on this subject is Jack Chapman's "Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1,000 a Minute" (Ten Speed Press, 1996). |
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