It's ok to ask
Women learn strategies to get that raise
BY LETISIA MÁRQUEZ
UCLA TodaY
Men know the “game” that is played when salaries are
negotiated and often seek advice from each other to ensure a positive
outcome is reached, according to Lisa Barron, assistant professor
of organization and strategy at The Paul Merage School of Business,
UC Irvine.
But studies show that women tend to ask for raises less frequently
than men, she said. And when women do ask for raises, they often
do not get what they want.
Such was the discussion held recently at a salary negotiation seminar
and networking luncheon hosted by Rosina Becerra, associate vice
chancellor of faculty diversity, and attended by 60 faculty women
in medicine.
Barron said differences in how men and women perceive the world
contribute to different negotiation strategies among the sexes.
“Men tend to see the world as mutable. They can change things,”
Barron said. “Women tend to see the rules as fixed, as having
rules they need to follow.
“Women need to see that we can change the environment,”
she added. “We need to feel like we’re doing good work
and be able to talk about it.”
In order to get more out of salary negotiations, Barron advised,
women need to:
• Adopt new beliefs. It’s OK to ask. “You need
to ask; usually you won’t get what you want, or deserve, unless
you ask,” she said.
• Know what to ask for. Do some research before you ask. What
are others in your field getting paid? What is a reasonable amount
to ask for? If your salary request is turned down, are there other
items, such as more research associates or lab space, that you can
ask for?
• Anchor well. “If you’re doing a range, make
sure the bottom is the top of what you really want,” she said.
“Throw out those numbers. They have an impact.”
• Support your requests. Provide factual justifications about
skills, past successes, abilities, grants and awards.
• Don’t hit and run. Negotiation involves a “back
and forth” exchange, so ask questions, listen and understand
the organization’s concerns.
• Know your positions and interests. A position is what you
have decided you want or a solution to the problem. Interests are
your underlying needs, wants, desires and concerns that are satisfied
by your position.
After hearing Barron speak, one participant said she realized her
past approaches to asking for a pay raise have been wrong.
The assistant professor, who asked not to be named, said she has
gone into meetings with her supervisor unprepared to justify her
request for a higher salary or to respond to tough questions.
“What I learned from this seminar is that it’s OK to
go in and stand up for yourself,” she said. “You have
to be totally direct and know how to bring the conversation back
to your request.”
Another recent event, sponsored by the Office of Faculty Diversity,
which focused on academic women in leadership, attracted 75 women
from UCLA. The panel featured academic women leaders on campus who
discussed their experiences and shared tips on how women can advance
in their careers.
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