3 Tools Every Woman Must Know to Get Paid What She Is Worth

If you are one of the many women underpaid for your work, it is your individual responsibility to make sure you do what you can to correct this situation. Sure, there are many external variables that prevent women from getting paid what they are worth, but each individual woman must handle her own situation and insist she earn the salary she deserves. (Leave it to the Sheryl Sandberg’s of the world to spearhead policy and legislative change to close the gender wage gap; but until these changes occur, you must take action into your hands.)

Many of the skills you need for negotiating a raise and/or promotion are predicated upon relationship “soft skills.” In other words, your ability to develop healthy and genuine relationships with your peers and your superiors will help you facilitate a salary negotiation conversation. Research shows that employees who are well-liked, both male and female, earn more money than employees who are less-liked. With that in mind, following are 3 tips you must know when negotiating your salary and/or raise at work.

1. Be aware of the emotional climate of your company - this includes the overall mood of the company i.e., their profits are up so everyone appears to be in a good mood or their profits are down – so everyone appears a little gloomy. Common sense dictates it is best to ask for a raise when people are in a good mood; however, common sense is often the least common of senses.

2. Be prepared with the hard-core facts figures and “value add” your work brings to the company. Articulately communicate a direct relationship between your work and an increase in company revenue (or the relationship between your work and future added revenue if your position does not allow for demonstrating a clear direct line between your work and increased revenue).

3. Check you emotions at the door! This is a business conversation and there is absolutely no place for a display of emotions, whether they are sadness, anger, frustration etc. In addition, nobody will care about your personal financial problems and they will not be viewed as legitimate reasons for a raise. Your boss will only care about why your work warrants a raise – based on performance, not emotions or any personal hard luck tale.

Approaching the negotiating table at the right time, with the right data and with the right frame of mind, will help you secure the raise (pay) you deserve.