Land Your Dream Job (And Your Dream Paycheck) Victoria Merriman Founding Partner, Digital Loom

What’s scary to you?

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Power

Power = success in...  Sizing up the culture  Selling yourself  Negotiating your salary  Landing your dream job

Sizing up the culture “Women look for a workplace that appreciates what they bring to the role and demonstrates compatible values.” Laura Henderson How Women Lead: The 8 Essential Strategies Successful Women Know

Culture Fit For employee: second only in importance to salary. For boss: can be more important than skill set.

Culture Fit Exercise

Interview the Job  Bring your questions  Be nosy  Ask to meet the team (A good boss will only think more highly of you.)

Stalk Them!  Glassdoor.com  The boss’s Twitter  The company Facebook page  Employees’ LinkedIn  Etc. etc.

Selling Yourself Character + Skills

Selling Yourself Character Be as authentic as possible Skills

Selling Yourself Character Be as authentic as you can Skills Fake it till you make it

Authenticity “Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It's about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.” Brené Brown The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are

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Fake it till you make it  Have a portfolio. Even if it’s a fake one.  When asked, say you can do it. (Assuming you want to learn.)  Offer to prove yourself!

Power Poses

Selling yourself = Listening & Asking

Negotiating salary "If you think of a $100,000 salary, and one person negotiates and gets $107,000, and the other doesn’t, what is the cost of that? In a simple-minded way, some people say, is $7,000 really worth risking my reputation over? And I agree, $7,000 may not be worth your reputation. But that’s not the correct analysis, because that $7,000 is compounded. If you and your counterpart who negotiated are treated identically by the company—you are given the same raises and promotions—35 years later, you will have to work eight more years to be as wealthy as your counterpart at retirement. Now, the question is: $7,000 may not be worth the risk, but how about eight years of your life?" Margaret A. Neale Stanford Graduate School of Business

2 Negotiations Bob  9 months experience  Knew Drupal module development but not theming  Asking salary: $88,000  Expected salary for experience level: <$65,000

2 Negotiations Linda  8 years’ experience  Connections in our field  Asking salary: $55,000  Expected salary for experience level: >$75,000

What did Linda do wrong?  Gave a number right away. (Never do this, even if asked!)  Made assumptions about what the company can afford.  Got over-excited about the position.  Didn’t go in with a well-researched number in mind.

Researching salaries  Salary reports  Ask others who do your job  Ask owners/managers in similar firms what they pay  Running theme: don’t be shy talking about money!  Salary Calculator

Always. Negotiate. When we make someone an offer, we always aim low because we are expecting a counteroffer.

A mistake both genders make! Lifestyle-based negotiation  “I made $X at my last job, so that's what I'd like to make now.”  “I have a mortgage and two kids’ college tuition to pay for.”  “I need 4 weeks' vacation because I go away with my family to Maine every summer.”

Negotiate in the boss’s terms Company-centered negotiation  “I don’t need training, so I’ll be profitable right away.”  “I do need training, so I’m willing to start at a lower salary assuming we can revisit in 3 months after I’ve proven my value.”  “I can already see places in your process that could be more efficient.”  “Hiring me will save money by _____”

Don’t forget...  Time off and benefits have value too. (Ahem... Salary Calculator!)  is your friend.  Temporary discomfort of negotiation is better than long-term discomfort of a crappy job or low salary.

One last thought Women are better than men at negotiating on behalf of others.

Thank you!