Despite being awarded many col -lege degrees, holding high-level posi -tions, and being influential decision-makers, women still earn less than men in the workforce. New female graduates still earn 17 percent less than their male peers across the

Women still earn less than men board. Furthermore, only 14 percent of women hold executive officer posi -tions at Fortune 500 companies,according to U.S. census findings.Many women are asking the question, “Why?”

Nearly 50 years after it became ille -

gal in America to pay women less based on their sex, the average woman still makes less than her male counterparts. White women earn $.77 on every dollar compared to a man.African-American women earn 68 percent of what their male peers make, while Latinas earn roughly 58 percent.

Ask some people and they will say that the numbers are deflated unfairly.There are hypotheses that women

flock to lower-paying jobs more so than men despite similar educational backgrounds. For example, a female college grad may become a teacher while a male becomes a lawyer.Teachers typically earn significantly less than lawyers.

However, others argue that the sal -ary gap is there regardless of the occupation. For example, 2007 Census Bureau numbers indicate that female truck drivers earned 76.5 percent of the weekly pay of their male counter -parts for the same job, while male sec -retaries earned about 15 percent more than female secretaries. In some gov-ernment and municipal occupations where salary is graded according to certain levels, men and women can make the same salary regardless of gender.

There are some expert economists who say that, conscious or not, gender discrimination does occur at work,with men faring better than women with respect to job placement and salary.

In addition to the salary gap issue,studies have shown there are some double standards between male and female workers that also tend to pre - vail.

• Networking may help men and harm women. Perhaps because of the fear of rejection, many women tend to be conservative when sending friend requests from business social net -

working sites. Women also tend to socialize with lower-paid profession -als, simply because they are often part of that clique. Men seem to network more freely and out of their pay grade.

• Being a parent can hinder women but be an asset to men. According to research from Stamford University,female job applicants on contrived applications for jobs who showed no signs they were parents on a resume (i.e, mentioning participation in the

PTA, etc.) were twice as likely to be called in for an interview as women who offered hints that they had kids.However, men who mentioned child-related activities were just as likely to get a call back than those who didn’t.Similar findings by the school indi -cated that job screeners ranked female applicants with kids as “less com -petent” and “less committed” than men with kids.

• Asking for a raise is seen as asser -tive in men and pushy in women.During a study by Carnegie Mellon University and Harvard KennedySchool, actors portraying employees asking for a raise were videotaped saying the same lines and asking for the same raises. Both male and female viewers (including bosses) felt the women came off as unlikable and aggressive compared to the men.Some surmise that asking for a raise and asserting oneself is out of char -acter for a woman and can be off-put -ting. Experts advise women to gather all of their facts in support of a raise and suggest a pay range as opposed to a specific salary. This makes women seem competent but not pushy.

No one can pinpoint if the salary disparity will ever come to an end – even with legislative intervention.Female workers may still have to fight to realize the same benefits as men in the workplace.

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16 Friday, September 16, 2011CITIZEN’S NEWS

Tips to make your start-up a success Womenn in B usiness

Becoming a business owner is a goal for maney women. Starting a business is seldom easy, but the process can be streamlined when a person knows the steps to take.

The Center for Women’s Business Research indicates that on average,women own over 10 million businesses in the United States and employ around 20 million workers.Female-owned businesses account for over $2 trillion in sales. Female entrepreneurs are collectively known as “Janes,” and they are a big part of the country’s financial landscape.

For women who want to become Janes, there are certain steps to take to develop and launch a business. There are many resources that can help women and men start a company. The Small Business Administration is one of them. Here is some of their guidance in doing so.

• Find a mentor. There are organizations like SCORE and Women’s Business Centers that provide free resources online and locally for the prospective small business owner. Individuals also can connect with current business owners in the neighborhood and pick their brains about the best way to begin.

• Write a business plan. This may seem like an intimidating part of starting a business, but getting thoughts written out in black and white can be a good organizational step. However, there’s no specific formula for a business plan. Listing the type of business, marketing ideas,competition, and financial data is a

good place to start. Also, having a business plan in place may make it easier to secure a loan.

• Secure funding. Businesses require start-up capital. Some small business owners have their own savings they’ll be devoting to the business, while others solicit investors. The majority of business developers apply for a business loan.This is where a business plan can be an asset. Also, grants may be an option. According to the SBA, some business grants are available through state and local programs, nonprofit organizations and other groups. For example, some states provide grants for expanding child care centers,creating energy efficient technologyand developing marketing campaigns for tourism.

• Secure legal representation. There are certain business laws and

employee laws that an individual will need to know to avoid fines and other legal recourse. Securing legal representation ahead of time can help prospective business owners navigate the legal system.

• Budget and plan for marketing and advertising. It’s important to get the word out about the new business.While this can start with family and friends, eventually the efforts will have to go beyond. Think about community-based activities that can advertise the new business. Work with schools and community organizations if yours is a niche business for children or seniors. A Web site and newspaper advertising, both in print

and online, can be a good starting point.

Keep in mind that it can be a few years before small business owners

start to realize a profit on their efforts.

So don’t give up too easily and soonanother successful “Jane” will be partof the economy.

CITIZEN’S NEWSFriday, September 16, 2011 17

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