Aviation for Women is the flagship member publication of Women in Aviation International. Articles feature women who have made aviation history, professional development ideas, and current-topic articles.
Issue link: https://afwdigital.epubxp.com/i/694422
J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 6 Aviation forWomen 37 pa ny Equa l Pay Negot iat ions works with employees, employ- ers, and policymakers. Katie rec- ommends, "Negotiate the frst of- fer, which 84 percent of hiring managers expect, so you are just meeting your new boss' expec- tations by negotiating. Shoot for something greater than the men's median income and accept the median." Katie knows salary negotiation is diffcult for both men and women and suggests, "Start by saying, 'Thank you so much for the offer. I'm very interested in the opportu- nity, but it's hard for me to say yes because the pay is lower than the market.'" In short, she concludes, "If you cannot get at least the median the men are earning, I would just say no." Just say no if the pay is too high. What? That sounds counterintuitive. Sometimes there's a job that sucks the life out of you, but the pay is so good that you stay. And stay. And stay. It's easy to become addicted to a big paycheck. Years can go by while your dreams of fly- ing, travel, working with children, working with animals— or whatever your particular dreams are—slowly die. With a high-paying job, you may own that $400 Kate Spade bag, but you've lost your ambition and your motivation. Of course, if you're nearing retirement and your dreams have been (most- ly) fulflled, that big paycheck is a good thing. But if you're starting your career with hopes and dreams of what you want to accomplish and what you want from a job, one that pays too much can serve to stagnate you for years. Just say no. Just say no if the company has a bad reputation. Like your mother used to say, you are known by the company you keep. What's the word around the airport about your prospective employer? Sure, some of it may be gossip and jealousy, but a compa- ny that has a reputation for cut- ting corners on aircraft mainte- nance, for example, is not one where you want to work. Your sterling reputation could get damaged simply by being associ- ated with a shoddy company. Solicit opinions about your em- ployer—within your professional network and around the air- port, if the business is based there. Have an open mind and listen to what you're being told. Also take a look online at sites like Glassdoor.com to see what former and current em- ployees are saying. Just as your prospective employer is in- vestigating you through background checks and references, you are well within your rights to investigate the company too. Remember that it's better to be a line pilot at a company with a good reputation than the chief pilot at a company with a bad one. If your potential employer has a bad reputation, just say no. Just say no if there will be no work/life balance. "We typically work through the weekends." "Don't plan to have a social life." "I haven't taken a vacation in sev- en years." "You're on call 24/7." If these are the comments you're hearing during the interview process, think again. Of course, we are all willing to work hard, put in the time, and go the extra mile, but a company culture that is 100 percent work, 100 percent of the time of- fers you no time for family, chil- dren, or recreation. No matter how good the salar y nor how prestigious the position, it won't matter if you have no time out- side of work. Listen for offered options such as fex time and the occasional opportunity to work from home. Consider how the offered job will impact the activities of your personal life, and if there is no time for you to enjoy yourself outside of work, just say no. Just say no if it's a job with no meaning. Red fags aren't always dramatic events; they're often based around the idea that taking the wrong job moves you off the path to long-term career success. This may be a job where the work you'll do for the new employer won't really matter to them. In short, anyone could do the job and it is not a job fully valued by the organization. A job like this typically has no in- ternal growth potential and doesn't set you up for success for your next position. The time you'll spend at this new job will actually weaken your external demand once you leave—so just say no. Just say no if the job conficts with your convictions. The work you do shouldn't compromise your personal be- liefs. Beyond work that is clearly illegal, there's a lot of work that may go against your belief system in a fundamental way. NO NO NO