Last week we hosted a discussion on pay equity and tactics to negotiate, and get paid, what you are worth. In honor of Women’s Day, we brought legal expert and Second Shift member Linda Vogel and Minda Harts CEO/ Founder of The Weekly Memo (a newsletter about career advancement for women of color) together at the Veronica Beard store in Soho. It was an in-depth conversation about limitations, pre-conceived notions, and being your own best advocate. Here are the takeaways and check our Facebook page for video from the event.
Women are not good at negotiating for themselves because:
They don’t think they are deserving.
They lack confidence.
They want to be liked.
How to overcome those fears and successfully get what you deserve?
Speak to people you know (especially men) doing a comparable job and find out what they are charging.
Inventory your skills and know what you are worth in the market.
Strategize and rehearse the negotiation so you feel confident and strong.
Know your high and low fee range upfront –whether it is your price for a non-for-profit or a Fortune 500.
Don’t lowball yourself just to get a job– it is very hard to renegotiate later.
Best practices:
Quality of work is better than quantity.
Go outside your comfort zone.
Attend networking events.
Freshen up your skills and learn new skills to constantly add to your tool box.
Don’t be afraid to walk away.
Be bold!