BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : OCTOBER 16, 2000 ISSUE
BUSINESSWEEK INVESTOR How to Boost Your Bargaining Powers Few people enjoy negotiating a salary or raise. But for a number of reasons, men just naturally do a better job at it than women. Why? Women tend to set low aspirations, don't promote themselves, and are reluctant to promise more than they can deliver. Often, employers think women work by choice, not necessity. And in some cases, money isn't as important to women as other factors, such as flextime. Even when women do negotiate, on average they receive only a 2.7% increase in salary, compared with 4.3% for men, according to a study published in the early 1990s. The results were confirmed in a 1997 simulated study at the University of California at Irvine. Deborah M. Kolb, a professor of management at the Simmons Graduate School of Management in Boston, doesn't think it has to be that way. Women can confront the hidden agendas that drive negotiations and develop strategic moves to be successful. Kolb spells out her negotiating theories in a new book she wrote with business consultant Judith Williams. It's called The Shadow Negotiation: How Women Can Master the Hidden Agendas That Determine Bargaining Success (Simon & Schuster, $26). SET THE STAGE. In general, ''getting what you are worth is not just about money,'' says Kolb, who also co-directs the Center for Gender in Organizations at Simmons. ''You have to also negotiate the conditions and circumstances under which you'll be successful.'' To that end, Kolb and Williams have developed a nine-point plan that can be used as the foundation for any negotiation (table). First, you must do some homework before taking a seat at the bargaining table. Decide what you want, such as amount of money, title, and particular assignment, and take stock of the strengths you're bringing to the job. Then, learn as much as you can about the salaries for comparable jobs, as well as typical industry or company benefits, such as paid moving expenses and signing bonuses. Three good Web sources for salary data are www.salary.com, www.vault.com, and www.careerjournal.com. Also, check with professional associations, which often publish salary information from members. Armed with this data, ''you can make a legitimate offer that is defensible,'' says Kolb. Knowing what to say after you've stated your request is perhaps the toughest part of the negotiation process. Because you don't have the luxury of time to plan the best response, try to anticipate the challenges and have a few moves up your sleeve. COUNTERPOINT. Say your boss responds to your request for a raise by acknowledging that you deserve one but claiming there is no money in the budget. Kolb's comeback: ''I realize the budget is tight; it has been that way for some time, but we have some new hires.'' In this case, you show that you know money is available because people have just been hired. So the excuse is not a legitimate reason to defer a salary increase. Or you might say: ''I know the budget is tight, let's see if we can work around it.'' When a potential employer asks what you were making in your last job, Kolb proposes this response: ''I'm not sure my previous salary is relevant. We both know it's less than staff make here. Can you tell me the range for the position?'' Such comebacks help you keep the discussion alive, rather than letting the employer end it. Your overall objective here isn't necessarily to have more power at the bargaining table, but rather to keep the focus on what you bring to the job. That way you're not in a defensive stance, which could inhibit your ability to negotiate. When the scale tips in your favor, you stand a much better chance of walking away happy. For more on salary negotiations, or to join a discussion in our forum, see hers.online at www.businessweek.com/investor/ Questions? Comments? E-mail hers@businessweek.com or fax (212) 512-2538 By TODDI GUTNER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BACK TO TOP					RELATED ITEMS How to Boost Your Bargaining Powers TABLE: Getting What You're Worth INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online

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