Not My Equal Pay Day…How to Get Paid What You’re Worth
As you may have noticed, this week we recognized Equal Pay Day, the day that the typical woman in America finally earns what the typical man earned by the end of last year.
In this way, we acknowledge annually the degree to which the pay gap still exists in America and the continuing need for equal pay for equal work.
What’s often left out of these discussions is the fact that we’re nowhere near my Equal Pay Day, and perhaps, not yours either! In fact, for Black women, Equal Pay Day is several months away–August 23rd to be exact. For Latinas and Native American women, the wait is even longer.
That’s ridiculous.
While there is at least one legislative fix that’s been stuck in Congress for years, you don’t have to wait for legislators to get their act together for you to get paid. If you think you might be trailing behind, follow these three tips to help close the gap between what you’re offered and finally getting what you know you deserve.
Whoever said ignorance is bliss…lied. The first step in being paid what you’re worth is actually knowing your worth. And while getting specific information about the salaries of coworkers from your employer is typically impossible, you can take advantage of the next best thing. Do a little investigating around what’s the going rate in your specific field, within your specific industry and in your specific geographic area. You can use sites like payscale.com or salary.com to get a sense of what others are typically paid to do your job, with your level of experience, and in your specific city. You can even get a more customized report that will provide even greater detail on salary norms for your line of work.
Too often, when making job transitions, women are especially likely to believe that getting the job offer is the end of the process. While it might be the end of one process, it’s just the beginning of another. This is where the power dynamic shifts. They want you! Now, it’s your turn to decide if you really want them. Resist the temptation to immediately accept the first offer that’s made. They’ve likely gone through dozens if not hundreds of other prospects before extending the offer to you. And believe me, they don’t want to start this process all over any more than you do! So recognize that the ball is now in your court. Recall your previous research on salary norms, and then post a strong counter. Employers know that the first offer is typically just the beginning of discussions on compensation, if not full compensation packages. So don’t get played by saying “yes,” when you could have easily received more if you’d just mustered the courage to try.
While the strongest point of negotiation happens at the job offer phase, if you’re a good employee and you can document the difference you’ve made for your company, don’t be shy about asking for the raise you deserve. Be prepared. Know what’s fair. And be willing to negotiate in order to reach agreement. Research suggests that most people who muster the courage to ask for a raise, actually get one. So don’t shy away from asking for what you should have had coming your way all along.