Yahoo Finance How to Tackle the Gender Gap in the Workplace
If you are a woman and your priority in 2017 is to either get a promotion or make more money, then you'll need to understand how the gender gap impacts your career.
Gender equality means you have the same rights and opportunities as men. And like it or not, there is a gender gap when it comes to salaries and promotions. New research from PayScale.com, a provider of on-demand compensation data and software, shows that entry-level and supervisory roles tend to be fairly even when it comes to the percent of men and women who hold these roles. However, "men are 85 percent more likely than women to be VPs or C-Suite Execs mid-career, and 171 percent more likely to hold those positions late in their career." And women's salaries still lag behind men, according to PayScale's survey data of approximately 1.8 million employees.
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Begin self-advocating early in your career. The PayScale data found that men and women are equal in the percent of individual contributor roles they hold. But, as employees get older, men are much more likely to enter into management roles. Men are 25 percent more likely than women to be in such roles by the time they reach ages 35 to 40, and over 41 percent more likely when they're between 60 and 65.
Once you are aware of these trends, it becomes evident that unless you advocate for yourself, your chances for promotion decrease as you get older. To ensure that your achievements and performance is recognized, proactively communicate with your manager. Maintaining your own personal records about your performance is also critical. Create a log detailing special projects and instances where you went above and beyond to complete tasks. This evidence will be helpful proof during performance reviews. Most importantly, develop a solid relationship with your manager. It is up to you to keep the lines of communication open at all times. And by understanding what your manager's priorities are, you can provide the help and support they need. Being a supportive team member can build your reputation within the organization, even if your manager fails to acknowledge you.
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Industries less likely to pay equally. Several industries stood out in PayScale's study as having significant pay gaps. If you are a woman looking to maximize your salary in the short term, be aware of the sectors that have historically been male-dominated, such as finance and insurance; professional, scientific and technical services; and mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction. All of these industries have the highest pay gap by gender. Meanwhile, industries like education, wholesale trade and real estate have much smaller pay gaps.
Beware, there may be exceptions to industry salary trends based on specific companies. Don't make assumptions and be sure you investigate each employer with the same degree of scrutiny.
Use networking to investigate gender equality. To test for gender equality, you'll want to talk with employees who work inside companies you are interested in or interviewing with. There are several ways to research salary. Using salary surveys, like PayScale's or even LinkedIn's salary tool, are obvious choices. But don't stop your research there. One of the best ways to uncover information unique to your geographic location or target employer is by talking with people who work in your role. Phrase your request by asking for their insight and advice. Instead of asking how much the person makes, a more tactful way of getting that information is to ask what the going rate is for the type of work they do. And to test the opportunities for advancement, ask what they think it takes to get ahead within their organization. The best time to research an employer is before you begin working for them. Once you are in the door, you have fewer options to negotiate a higher salary or promotion.
[See: How to Quit Your Job Like a Class Act.]
Ask questions during your interview. If you are lucky enough to land an interview, make sure you have plenty of questions to ask. You can start by asking why the position is available. If the person left the role, find out if they were promoted or left the company. When jobs become vacant due to promotions, it's usually a good sign. Too many people leaving a company usually indicate there is something wrong either with the management or culture or both. Your open-ended questions should allow the interviewer to explain how they manage. Instead of asking what type of manager they are, ask about the types of people they find easiest to manage and to describe one of their star performers. Listen carefully to the answers to determine if gender was a factor.
You want to feel you are being paid fairly. But if you are in a job where you don't or you feel you are being passed over for a promotion, your motivation declines. And when your motivation declines, it impacts your performance. In short, staying in a job where you feel undervalued is your choice. It is up to you to find a company that you are confident will make you feel appreciated and compensated appropriately.
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