Evaluating and Negotiating Job Offers: Demystifying the Process

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Overview
With all the efforts invested in the job search process, it is tempting to think the hard work is over upon landing an offer; however, evaluating and negotiating offers is a critical step that should not be overlooked or taken lightly. For one, most employers expect offers to be negotiated and this is often reflected in their initial offers; therefore, the jobseeker afraid to negotiate will likely not receive the best compensation he or she deserves. Second, salary levels received early on in a career can impact all future earnings so it is best to aim for the optimal compensation at each stage. Third, there is evidence that the gender salary gap can be attributed in part to differences in the willingness to negotiate as men are more likely than women to initiate these conversations.
Despite its importance, negotiating is stressful to many because they falsely believe they do not have the right to ask for more or lack the experience to approach these kinds of discussions confidently. To tackle this issue head on, Science Alliance hosted the workshop "Evaluating and Negotiating Job Offers" with speaker Sharon Belden Castonguay, EdD, a career consultant and currently the director of the Graduate Career Management Center at Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business. Belden provided clear and straightforward instruction to help illuminate this somewhat murky step in the job search process and provide the tools for successful negotiations.
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Speaker
Sharon Belden Castonguay, EdD
Baruch College, Zicklin School of Business
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Sharon Belden Castonguay is a career consultant with over a decade of experience working with PhDs and MBAs at all levels of their careers. She is currently the director of the Graduate Career Management Center at Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business. Previously, she served as an assistant director for PhD career services at Harvard University. She first became known for her expertise in negotiating compensation when teaching a course in career development and serving as a career counselor at Boston University School of Management. She received her doctorate in human development from Harvard University, where her research focused on career decision making within the business world.