Until recently, there was a perception that in the freelance economy women were paid equal or even more than their male counterparts. However, three current studies reveal the opposite—that there is in fact a staggering gender pay-gap in the freelance marketplace. The findings of the studies showed anywhere from 19.5% to a 32% disparity between women and men.
If what we long believed isn’t true than what is the cause of these surprising statistics? One theory from a recent article in Fortune cites “the adage that men tend to be more confident in their own capabilities than women and thus are comfortable charging more.”
We can’t help but wonder – do women in fact lack confidence to ask for what they are worth?
Linda Vogel, a member of The Second Shift and an expert employment agreement negotiator, thinks the issue is more complex – “there are several issues that women have in common, even at the highest levels, with regard to asking for compensation. I have found over the course of many years of negotiating employment agreements that there seems to be the same narrative thread that repeats itself.” She shared the following advice to close the freelance pay-gap:
- Likeability: Women want to be liked; we feel that if we are more aggressive in the “ask” whether it’s for compensation for a freelance job, or for a raise, it will make us unlikeable. Ask for what you require and deserve every time.
- Entitlement: Men, generally, feel more entitled and more deserving of greater compensation or of a larger salary; women on the other hand, ask themselves “do I deserve this much?” Rather, what women should be saying is ”YES, I deserve this compensation.”
- Advocates: Women are typically not good advocates for themselves. Part of being a good self-promoter is being able to talk about your accomplishments. Many women think of this type of advocacy as unseemly, not in good taste, or out of their comfort zone. They are wrong!
Often pitching freelance jobs can feel like a race to the bottom, but not at The Second Shift. According to co-founder Jenny Galluzzo, “it’s not always the lowest priced pitch that is selected for a project, there are many other factors that go into a client’s decision making: personality, location, and specific expertise being the most common. It’s important to ask for a fair price that realistically covers all potential time and expenses on a project – not just what you think will win the job.”
Women should be never be afraid to ask for what they think they deserve. Ever.
- We should feel empowered by our skills and our creativity and ask for a fair price for our work.
- We should ask ourselves what someone who is the perfect fit for the job would ask for as payment.
- We should, perhaps, even ask a male friend what they might charge.
Ultimately, what’s the worst thing that can happen – you are told no? Turn that negative into a positive and have confidence that you did the right thing for you. In the future that client may come back for another project that’s a better fit.
These studies sparked quite the conversation among the writers of The Second Shift Blog. We’ll be going deeper into the issues and solutions around the gender-pay gap conversation in the coming days. In the meantime, we’d love to hear your reactions and thoughts on this very timely and relevant topic on our Facebook page.
{by Chelsea Connor}