Next step…negotiating

So I did it!

Yep!

I landed a job. Phew…

In this tough market, it is an absolute bear to be looking for work. Well, the truth is, it’s a bear in any market really. There is so much planning, researching, and preparation involved. After my first interview, I was practically on the couch for five days just trying to recuperate. And then there was a second interview.

So now comes the negotiation stage. I am bound and determined to negotiate. I haven’t really ever done so in the past. The truth is, I didn’t really know how to negotiate and I didn’t know that I should. Men do it all the time. So, why not women?

As I have been processing my negotiating strategy and thinking about my requests, I can’t help but think “Man, I am lucky to have this job; maybe I shouldn’t ask for more money” or “Maybe they will be insulted that I am asking for more” or “I could live with the salary they offered.” The truth is, I have every right to negotiate for a better living just as a man would. I doubt that most men think twice about negotiating for a better offer.

So, after much careful research on negotiating, I have pushed aside my pessimistic whispers and have made a decision; I will negotiate and I will be proud of myself for doing so in the end no matter what the outcome.

 

 

Job Search: Scenario 2

At another Starbucks in the neighborhood, I witnessed a job interview being conducted. A gentleman, well dressed in a suit and tie, eagerly sat across from two men discussing his experience as a manager in various places as well as his connection to the community. The interview flowed, and the conversational dynamic between the three made it seem like this gentleman had already been hired. But, then came the kicker. They discussed where he’d be working if he got the job…in a prison. Also in the course of the conversation, questions about safety in the prison while working with inmates and comments about his family commitments came up. As the conversation was winding down, one interviewer asked, “And how about the salary? Are you OK with making $12 an hour?” The interviewee replied, “I am fine with it as long as there is room for growth and opportunities to move up in the company as you had mentioned.” Well said oh young and eager interviewee. The interview came to an end with the interviewee shaking hands with the employers and stating, “I look forward to hearing from you in a couple of days.” The interviewee placed the chair back that he had borrowed from a nearby table and smiled at me on the way out.