Hannah Seligson wrote an article for the New York Times titled "Girl Power at school, but not at the office." She is a freelance journalist and is the author of New Girl on the Job: Advice From the Trenches. The article in sum is about the drastic shock that females face when they begin work and the contrast between that treatment and the treatment at school. Go here to read the full article. One particular point that I thought was very interesting was her discussion of salary:"Young women also need to learn how to speak salary, a language that many men already seem to know. Coming into the work force, I thought that, just as my professor had given me the grade I deserved on my political science midterm, my company would pay me what I “deserved.”
She later approaches a male colleague and asks him about how he tries to get a raise and the person just replied, “When I want a raise, I just ask for it. And even if they say no, I’ll keep asking for it.”
Now this was very intriguing to me because I thought this would be common sense. If I, personally, wanted a raise I too would just ask for it and be persistent about it but I guess that quality might be lacking in a lot of the females entering the workforce. I wonder if that has to do with them being in a male-dominated career and if they feel like they're not up to par. Why is it so hard for women to approach salary and get themselves the pay they deserve? I'd imagine Hannah's book has some really useful advice. Hannah is definitely being a helpful peer and role model for all of those females that have experienced any qualms about entering the workforce and dealing with their male counterparts.
Seligson, H. (2008, August 31). Girl power at school, but not at the office. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/jobs/31pre.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&sq=girl%20power&st=cse&scp=1
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