Signed Sealed & Delivered

I met with Mary on Monday to ask her all of my questions and sign my offer letter. The bad news is that they were not able to make changes to the offer. So all the research I did on how to negotiate and what to negotiate went to waste. The good news is that I will be able to re-negotiate my salary at the end of the program. This gives me a great place to start the negotiations.

Yes, I will be starting the negotiations now. One of the keys to negotiating a raise or any contract is to clearly define the benefits the employer will receive. I will need to track my accomplishments, growth areas, goals and any praise that I receive in the program. Keeping track of these things will allow me to prove that I am worth the amount I am requesting. Of all of the article I have read on negotiation I find that Suze Orman's article on Yahoo Finance is good concise,solid advice. I have read several books and articles that address the gender pay gap that inspired the Article from Suze Orman. I read, in Jean Chatzky's book Make Money, Not Excuses, that in a study of new MBA graduates those who asked for more money starting out ending up making more money at the end of ten years. Also, the majority of those that attempted to negotiate were men. That was the number one reason I even attempted to ask for more money, before I singed the WaMu deal. I realise that the way I start my career will be the tenor through out.

There were several really good articles on the web that give good advice on the topic of negotiation. I have listed a few below.

Negotiating Job Offers Guide from

The Riley Guide: Evaluating and Negotiating Job Offers (a general collection of information)

Salary Negotiation and Job Offer Tutorial

Due Diligence

I have been doing my “due diligence” considering the offer from WaMu. I have been talking with my co-workers here at Clearwire, my financial advisor, and my husband.

I have come to the conclusion that the offer is very good for someone just out of school. However, the market for someone with just 1 year of post-graduate work in this field is higher. Part of the reason I came to this conclusion was what one of the interviewers said to me; when I asked him if he had any concerns that would prevent me from being selected. He said “You don’t project confidence. You know your stuff, you have been working in your field for the past year; you should not discount that experience. Don’t sell yourself short” After I received the call confirming that I had been selected I began to review the interviews to see what it was that sealed the deal. Mary the recruiter for WaMu made it sound like they had decided on Saturday to offer me the position. Then I remembered that I had asked this one simple question of every interviewer. “Do you have any concerns that I need to clear up in order to be the top candidate?” I think this was the deal sealing question. Every interviewer seemed to be taken off guard and they all gave me valuable advice. The advice that is most immediately useful: “You should not discount (your) experience”

So, now I need to make a decision; how much or what should I ask for? I can just ask that they bump me up to the bottom of the scale based on my experience or I could ask for another week of vacation and a full compensation for my metro pass. I think that with training that I will receive on the job it would not be appropriate to ask to be bumped the full amount. So if I split the difference I will end up requesting an additional 3k or so.

I found this information out at http://www.payscale.com. I have looked at the other salary comparison sites, but I like this one the best. PayScale is very detailed for a free service. At the end it gives a nice chart that compare where you are compared to the market.

The problem I am having is justifying the increase in pay. I find it hard to believe that one year makes that big of a difference. Although, I have already been through the new-grad-stay-up-all-night-sleep-in-slacker period; so they will not have to get me to understand that point. I also have participated in a few meetings and know a how to navigate the corporate HR maze. I could act as a mentor to the fresh off the turnip truck graduates. Now all I have to do is remember to emphasize my experience and how it will benefit the company and the program.

A very long anxious Weekend

I finished up my interviews on Friday at about Four O'clock. The interviews were not too bad, although they were to be behavioral interviews. I actually received some technical questions. The nature of my education included some very technical work so I guess the interviews felt that it was appropriate to ask those questions of me. However, the other candidate had said they did not have any technical questions asked of them. I was not really prepared to answer the technical questions. I felt good leaving the interviews. There were a couple of blunders but I think they were minor like telling one interviewer that I had "fun".

After the interviews we went out to our favorite Chinese place and I got a fortune that read You will accept a new challenge, the outcome will prove rewarding.
I think that is good news. I have spent all weekend waiting, I checked my email in the hopes that they wanted to let me know sooner. I have essentially glued my phone to myself just in case they needed to call. I have run through so many scenarios in my head. I am trying to not set myself up in for disappointment, by telling myself that they probably chose someone else. I want it too much though. I know that if they tell me no I will likely cry. I spent so much time preparing, I have a lot invested in this.

They said that they would be calling me today to let me know either way. All that is left to do is wait... wait... wait..................................................

I got the call, they wanted to say thank you for my time on Thursday and Friday. The deliberations were very difficult. They thought that I had a strong background in the technical aspects as well as a strong potential for leadership.

Well that about says it all.



They would like to extend the offer to me to be a member of the Inaugural class of the Technology Leadership Program.

HOORAY!!!!

Monday with an Easter Buzz!!

I remember the day after Easter when I was a kid. I would crawl out of bed, sneak a peep or two from my basket and then eat breakfast. By the time I reached the bus stop I was in full sugar rush mode, with back up jelly beans in my pocket. I would chow down on those beans all day. I really feel sorry for my teachers. I know how "inquisitive" I was normally. I must have been a question machine on the day after major holidays.

Well I had a couple of pieces of candy and some cake, but I feel more blech than sugar rushed. Too much salt and sugar together. Oh well.

I think that I saw a dress that would be perfect for the dinner portion of my final interview for WaMu.

I am not really sure if this is appropriate, but I like it.


I have three full weeks to prepare for the interviews. I get nervous and excited. I just don't want to blow it. I need to practice talking to strangers, but I get scared. You never know who will be a crazy. I could end up with a stalker or worse.
That is all worse case, I know. Still that thought lingers.

I have a whole bunch of information gathered, though not organised. About interviews of this type and about networking. Once, I get it organised I will post it.

"Everybody Wants Me!!"

I am just super excited. Which can be a lot for me!! I had an Awesome interview with WaMu, it was so awesome that I have been asked to come back for the final round of interviews. I am just so impressed with WaMu; the benefits and culture seem like a perfect fit. I have never felt so at home in an office building. I am truly smitten. I met with Mary the HR recruiter, and Chris the program manager/advisor; or in Her words "The Den Mother".

The final round of interviews is going to be a two day event. The first evening we will meet together with managers and senior execs; for a networking event. The following day I will go through three one hour interviews then we will have lunch. They hope to have the offer letters out that Saturday. The event is three weeks away. That means that I have three weeks to prep my interview answers, work on a funny icebreaker and figure out what I am going to where to the networking event. I do not want to wear a suit, but I am not sure if I really can get away with it.

Anyway, if you have suggestion please let me know.