Female negotiators are like female drivers—they’re so much lousier at the job than the men. Men are better at getting what they want than women can ever hope to be. Right? Not really. Juliet Nierenberg, who co-authored Women and the Art of Negotiation with Irene Ross, says, “Initially there is a disadvantage, but not necessarily the disadvantage of being a woman. It’s more the disadvantage of newcomers, of being the low man on the totem pole, of not having experienced the social climate of that particular business.” In a sentence? There is real hope for us females.

Don't buy into the popular notion that women are negotiation-handicapped. To help you get the hang on negotiating, here are a few tips:


(First published as "Get the Best Deal at Work and at Home" in the "Personal Matters" section of Good Housekeeping Philippines' May 2001 issue. Adapted for use in Female Network. Screencap of Mad Men courtesy of AMC.)