Women, Are You Paid Less?  Learn to Speak Up!

Suzanna De Baca -- Expert Business Source, 8/22/2008 8:24:00 AM

“You’ve come a long way, baby!”  Remember that iconic Virginia Slims ad from the past?  Of course, that ad encouraged women to flaunt their independence by smoking, which is not so positive, but it came at a time when women were stretching their wings, joining the work force, and embracing their power.  

Times have changed, but we have a long way to go to truly reach pay equity. More women than ever have joined the workforce and now enjoy careers in a wide variety of fields.  Unfortunately, according to a survey recently released by CareerBuilder, roughly one third (34%) of women believe they are being paid less than their male counterparts.  

Paid less, given less opportunity

Equally disturbing is the fact that respondents also reported that they have fewer opportunities for career advancement, including fewer training and learning opportunities.  The CareerBuilder study indicated that women feel men benefit from favoritism and are, in general, better at “schmoozing” with bosses.  Wage discrimination was reported to be worse in manufacturing, retail, and business and professional services than in industries like health-care, hospitality and education.

There are a variety of reasons that pay disparity and unequal opportunities exist in the workforce – some related to policy, some related to education, some related to long-held societal beliefs about what jobs are more suited for men than women and vice versa.  Unfortunately, some of the reason we women lag behind is our own inability to ask for raises, opportunities for advancement, training, or additional benefits.

Are we making it worse by not negotiating?

Many women could use serious guidance, practice and encouragement when it comes to asking for what we need and negotiating.  A year or two ago, I had the opportunity to hear Sara Laschever, co-author with Linda Babcock, of Women Don’t Ask:  Negotiation and the Gender Divide.  I was blown away by what I heard.  Not only did the authors describe some of the cultural factors that contribute to women’s discomfort with negotiating, but also outlined how much it hurts us when we don’t argue on our own behalves.  Most surprising to me, however, was just how much women dread and avoid negotiating, even when they know it would benefit them financially and in terms of career advancement.

Among the startling revelations in their book:

• Men initiate negotiations four times as often as women.
• 2.5 times more women than men reported feeling “ a great deal of apprehension” about negotiation.
• When asked for an anology to negotiating, women said, “Going to the dentist.”

Step up to the plate.

If you are paid less than your male counterparts, ask yourself if you feel satisfied with that reality.  If not, then ask yourself if you’ve done enough to stand up for yourself, ask for raises or opportunities, or showcased your accomplishments.  If not, summon up your courage and start asking for what you need and deserve.  Men do it, why not you?  Negotiating is a learned skill, say Laschever and Babcock, and apparently, it gets easier with practice.  If you ask for something and your boss says no, you’re no worse off – and your boss may be impressed with your assertiveness.  Be persistent, armed with facts and data, and you’re sure to succeed.
We can wait for society to catch up or we can stand up for ourselves.

Suzanna de Baca is president of Private Capital Solutions Group. Securities offered through Broker Dealer Financial Services Corp. Member FINRA & SIPC. Investment Advisor Representative of Investment Advisors Corp., A Registered Investment Advisor. Material discussed is meant for general illustration and/or informational purposes only and it is not to be construed as tax, legal or investment advice. Although the information has been gathered from sources believed reliable, please note that individual situations can vary, therefore the information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice.