Book Reviews #3 and #4

Yet another newsletter book review! Again, no free books given to me, although they came from the library, so they were technically free. After I paid my fines. Did you know you can now borrow some newer books in e-format (pdf, Kindle, etc)? 


Check these books out:
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Keith from our April training recommended 2 books by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever, "Women Don't Ask" and its sequel, "Ask for It".  This book compiles the research done by the authors on the differences in negotiation between the sexes. Right now, the gender wage gap now stands at 77¢ for women for every $1 that men earn, and these authors research shows that this gap could be eliminated if women negotiated to the same extent as men.

In their first book, Babcock and Laschever discuss cultural, societal, and gender stereotypes and expectations regarding females who negotiate.  According to their research,  women just don’t ask as often, don’t ask as much, and settle sooner than men do.  In addition,  they frequently look to others to tell them what they deserve and when they deserve it. There are a variety of reasons for these results, including females’ socialization and upbringing, stereotypes about both nice women and  bossy women, and a lack of knowledge and skill about negotiating.  However, they have seen that when women are taught these negotiating strategies, they are able to negotiate successfully as frequently and for as much as men.  Women also have a distinct advantages in that they  favor a more collaborative strategy, which produces better outcomes for all, and they make less risky moves or ultimatums in discussions which allows them to successfully negotiate more often.  

In their second book, they detail ways that women can improve their negotiating habits and strategies. They cover why you should ask, what you can ask for (hint: everything!), how to figure out what  or how much you should  be asking for, ways to bargain using what the other side needs, and when and where to ask.

I really enjoyed reading these 2 books. They went very in-depth in this area  to truly explore why women don’t ask, and how to help them. I especially loved that both books were chock-full of story after story of women. These stories provided real-life examples of how negotiations are lost and how they are won, and  both what you can lose when you don’t ask and the great things you can gain through negotiation.   Personally, I identified that I don’t ask for many of their reasons of why women don’t negotiate.  I was also very empowered to begin negotiating and in the last few weeks I have (successfully!) asked for several things I would never have thought to do or have the courage to do before reading these books.  Everyone  - not only, but especially women- should read this book  to understand how what you don’t know is holding you back and how you can  improve your negotiation strategies . It will open you up to a world of opportunities  that are available if you just ask!


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Update: I have begun to take this book to heart. I asked for a free oil change for my inconvenience in coming back to the auto shop - and got it! So empowering. I also wasn't afraid to broach a tricky subject in several conversations now, and have been able to ask for more responsibility in my clinic. I am still a little nervous to deal with financial aid, but I am working up to it. I can't wait to try out many of their suggestions and ask for more things!


How do you feel about negotiating? What are your typical outcomes? And what would you ask for right now if you thought you could get it?

Training - Resume and Interview Tips

So, for AmeriCorps we do trainings as a corps once a month. I wrote up a review of April's training for the newsletter and I thought I'd share it because A, I wrote it, and B, I think there are some super handy tips in here that I wanted to share!


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April Training Highlights

Part of April's Training included a presentation by Keith Caldwell, Director of Career Services and Alumni Affairs for the Pitt School of Social Work.  He spoke  on resume creation, interviewing skills, and negotiation strategies. The presentation was very informative!
Here are my top 5 points from his presentation:

1. Include on your resume any data collection and/or paperwork for grants, that could be a useful skill for future employers.
2. You don’t have to tell your current place of employment that you are searching for a job, and therefore, you don’t have to list them as a reference or can ask for their reference to be held until the last stage of the interviews.
3. Always include a cover letter that details how you heard about the job, your interest in the organization, your related qualifications, and a statement about looking forward to speaking with them about the position.
4. Be prepared for an interview with about 5 key takeaways people should know about you - specifically your experiences or interpersonal skills- with brief examples which you can tailor to include in responses to interview questions.
5. Negotiation is key. Include in your cover letter that your salary requirements are negotiable. You can also always ask for the salary range, and explore other benefits: insurance, savings, family benefits, etc. He also suggested keeping in mind your dream amount,  the lowest amount you’d need to live, and some ladder rungs in between to shoot for.

Go for it! Good luck to all AmeriCorps members who are or will be searching for jobs for after AmeriCorps!