Male v. Female Ratio

Last week, one of the IT people stops down to fix our never-ending plethora of computer ailments. The IT person is setting up a computer for the interview testing and asks about the gender of the applicant.

“It’s a guy, right? Please tell me you’re hiring a guy.” (IT)

Let me back up a bit. ICE decided that they needed a full-time web/multimedia designer because I obviously couldn’t do the job of two people. The new designer will handle all the web design work and I have to train them on how to do the work. I also have to oversee their designs to make sure it fits with our general image of the company. The salary range for this position is 10,000 MORE than what I’m making currently.

So, just to clarify: I’m doing this job now and the job that I was hired to do, for 10,000 LESS. They’re hiring someone and paying them 10,000 MORE than me to do HALF of my job.

Why am I getting this odd feeling that I’m being underpaid?

So, back to the IT person:

“Well, a large majority of the people applying for this position are men, so it looks like it’s going to be a guy.” (colormist)

“That’s good. You know, corporate is looking into ICE because all they only hire women. They say it’s unhealthy for the business.”

Sharpie, Mavvy, and the IT person begin discussing the implications of a 90% female driven company, but my mind drifts off.

I begin accessing my stockpile of memorized statistics:

“[A] full-time working men make[s] a dollar for every 76 cents paid to women for the same work.” – John Kerry

Rounding that up to 25% and multiply my salary by 1.25 = 43k, which just happens to be right in that range of the starting salary for the new ICE designer position. Actually, it’s a little low. The starting salary is more like upper-mid 40’s.

ICE is notorious for underpaying their employees. The salary records for the company are public knowledge. If you sort the positions by title, then salary, ICE is always at the bottom. My starting salary was 28k. This new position’s starting salary is 45k.

No WONDER they’re getting more male applicants.

Sorry. Didn’t know you were getting a math lesson today, did you?