Do Men Make More Money by Simply Asking for More?

Last night, I was having a conversation with friends about our career goals for 2008. Some want a new job while others want to make more money, which is when the subject of salary negotiation came up. It reminded me about this article I read back in August.

Men are always labeled more aggressive than women due to genetics and social norms, and it may also affect the gender gap in salaries. When it comes to raises and promotions at work, a study conducted by Carnegie Mellon University says that men are simply more likely to ask than women. The research found that:

• When offered an amount and asked if it was okay, eight times more men than women asked for more money.
• When offered an amount and told they could negotiate, 83 percent of men asked for more, versus only 53 percent of the women.
• A survey of graduate students who received job offers found that 51 percent of the men negotiated their starting salaries versus only 12.5 percent of the women.

But the study also found that the women who initiated negotiations were treated differently than men. According to one of the study’s authors, “men were less willing to work with a woman who had attempted to negotiate than with a woman who did not.” It also found that women were six times more likely to negotiate if another female was in charge of hiring.

Click here to read the entire story on “Salary, gender and the cost of haggling.”

For more money tips from Waste Time Wisely, read:

Do You Need a Certified Financial Planner?
5 Ways to Put a Lil’ Extra Cash in Your Wallet
10 Tips to Start Investing Now