I guess when you introduce the topic of gender and money, people always want to know more.
I received an embargoed copy of the Pew Research Center’s study Wednesday afternoon, and wrote a summary of it for the web to post on Thursday morning. Little did I know the story would garner so much attention.
So I filled out the piece for a full story by talking to Kim Parker, who co-authored the report on the study, as well as experts in the field of female finance, and people on the street.
Something I found interesting in my reporting on the street was that young women and men – the exact people I so desperately needed to interview for this story – were vehemently opposed to having their full names published in the paper for a story about jobs and salary, whereas older sources had much less of a problem with it.
Maybe it just so happened that I chose shy young people and outgoing older people, but I also wonder if there is something to be said about how fearful young people are of losing their jobs in today’s economy. Or perhaps they are more aware of how quickly a potential employer could Google their name and find them openly discussing their need for a higher salary. Whatever the reason, it was an interesting trend.
Also, I’ve just signed on as the Tribune’s workplace reporter, so you will be seeing many more stories from me on topics similar to this from now on. Feel free to e-mail me at ksamuelson@tribune.com with story ideas related to anything from unemployment to workplace discrimination to wage gaps.
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