[How to Get a Job] Due this Wednesday

[Jessica Dickinson Goodman]

Dear Scholars,

I hope you've had a relaxing weekend. I wanted to update you on what's due on Wednesday at 6:30pm.

1. A complete job application. Stuck for ideas? I've got a list of paid study-abroad opportunities you may want to try for a change of pace.
2. A salary range for one of the positions you have applied to. Here's what you do:
• a) Choose a job you applied to. [I chose "Executive Assistant for the Arab American Institute"]
• b) Go to one of the many sites where current employees reveal their salaries: glassdoor.com or http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm or payscale.com or salary.com are all good choices. [I chose glassdoor]
• c) Type in a few different versions of your title and location and see the salaries [I choose "Executive Assistant" in Washington DC: $45,000 or in San Francisco: $65,000 or in Denver: $55,000; "Administrative Assistant" in Washington DC: $40,000; "Junior Professional Associate" in Washington DC: $58,283;]
• d) Bring those numbers with you to class. We'll start class with a negotiating exercise.

Warning: some of these sites will spammily ask you to make accounts. You can if you want, but you can always just try different sites until you find the least spammy.

What does negotiating have to do with getting your first job? According to CMU researchers, if you don't negotiate for your first salary you could loose up to $500,000 by age 60. It really, really matters. Because this is so important, I've published this week's blog post early, so you can prep to be your best negotiating-self for class.

See you all in class,

Jessica