I recently came across this book “WOMEN DON’T ASK: NEGOTIATION and the GENDER DIVIDE” by Linda Babcok and Sara Laschever, and I think it’s very interesting. 

The website (womendontask.com) provides interesting statistics and perspectives of women in regards to negotiating.  

Statistical facts include:

• Rise in American jobs changed
• Increased number of women working outside of home
• 50/50 divorce rate
• Decrease in union membership
• Women’s earning (in relation to men) idle at 73.2%
• Birth rate to single mothers increased

Like most of you women out there, I do not like negotiating – it’s just not me.  My father always told me “don’t take their first offer” and taught me how to negotiate; however, I seldom practiced what he preached.

I think my father would be very disappointed, but I HATE it. 

The authors pointed out only “2.5 times more women than men said they feel ‘a great deal of apprehension’ about negotiating (http://www.womendontask.com/stats.html).” 

Other information includes:

• Men initiates more negotiations
• While men feel exhilarated about the process of negotiation, women say it’s agonizing
• Women will generally pay “as much as $1,353 to avoid negotiating the price of a car (http://www.womendontask.com/stats.html)”
• Around 22 million adult women will never negotiate

There are so much more information, but sadly I think we women pretty much know about these statistics.  We might not know the exact numbers in percentages or in dollar amounts, but … ?

Thankfully, I am married to a man who LOVES negotiating, and according to him it’s just FUN.  I don’t get it!!!

Truth of the matter is when we go out shopping together I just leave the man alone when he is negotiating – for me it’s really embarrassing. 

Don’t get me wrong I love getting discounts or free products or services, but just don’t get me involved – you know what I mean?

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