Career Life Designs: Designing Great Careers!

Earn What You Are Really Worth!

Did your Mother teach you how to "toot your horn"? (No, I'm not talking about music lessons.)

Chances are she didn't want you to brag or boast...

But now it's time!

Why?

Did you know that women make only 76 cents for every dollar a man makes in the same job?! (This goes for ALL women: young or middle-aged, un-educated or college-educated. The statistic also takes into account all factors that would affect the data.)

Yes, it is STILL true. Not much has changed in the past decade or so. I just returned from presenting a empowering workshop in D.C. for the Women Work! national conference - with fantastic women helping bridge the pay equity gap for women. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom around the tidal basin and these powerful women were active in the Equal Pay Day Rally along with Hilary Clinton and other senators.

Let's do some quick calculations to make this statistic real:

For a job that typically pays a man $40,000 a year, a woman is only making 75% of that...which is only $30,000 a year! That means she is losing out on making an additional $10,000 each year in income. So she will lose out on an enormous amount in her working life...let's just say she has the potential to work for forty years while losing out on $10,000 per year = loss of $400,000 in her lifetime just because of the wage gap! Not because of taking time off to raise children or other factors. Just because of the wage gap. This has a devastating effect on our standard of living and our retirement.

That is not acceptable! This huge wage gap is due to discrimination AND I also believe that it is somewhat due to women not knowing how to toot their own horn and negotiate for what they are worth. This is something we have control over.

So what can we do about it?

3 Tools To Earn What You Are Worth Now:

1. Know what your job is worth. Check out salary.com to see what your position is paying in the workplace and in your area.
2. Learn how to toot your own horn. (See below for tips on how to learn this skill.)
3. Negotiate for better salary & benefits. Ask for what you want before you accept the job, negotiate until you are satisfied, and ask for raises after your glowing performance evaluations.

How do you Toot Your Own Horn?

I have been coaching professionals for years and most have a difficult time discussing what strengths, skills and accomplishments they bring to the table. Whether they are talking to their boss or in an interview trying to land their dream job...they struggle with knowing how to toot their own horn without sounding like a self-centered braggart. But tooting can make the difference between doing a great job and someone knowing that you did a great job!

Here Are Some Tips to Start Tooting Your Own Horn Today!

1. Practice. Start right now. Think about one thing that you have done or experienced that you are very proud of.
2. Toot! Proudly say your name and the one thing you are most proud of. Get used to clearly and powerfully stating your name and accomplishments. This will get you noticed and well on your way to showing them what you got!
3. Say Thank You. When someone acknowledges you and what you have done, be prepared to say "Thank you, I AM proud of that." Warning: never fall into the trap of saying something like, "Anyone could have done that, it was nothing." Wrong!

So, get your horns out and polished! Get them ready to toot away! Let's bridge this pay gap and share these tools with other women and our daughters!

Now get out there and share your strengths and accomplishments with the world and earn what you are really worth!

Read on for a valuable invitation:

Ask Great Questions On Your Way to Success

Did you know that people who follow their passion, purpose and dreams are happier and more successful in their work and life? How do they know what to do to be successful? They ask great questions!

If you need a little push towards your dreams or goals, or are feeling discouraged, frustrated or stuck in moving forward in your career, business, or life, you might need some HOT strategies to get you moving forward again.

Do you remember learning to STOP, LOOK & LISTEN when you were a child crossing the street so you could avoid getting hit by bikes, cars, joggers or Mack trucks?

They are powerful strategies that can get you moving toward your dreams. Try them to avoid getting hit by a bus and becoming road-kill on your way to your dreams.

1. STOP.

Take a break. If you keep doing the same things you may keep getting the same results. So stop for a moment or take a half-hour to relax, breathe deeply and relax. Help is on the way.

2. LOOK.

Look at the big picture and become aware of where you are, what you are doing, and where you want to go.

Ask yourself some great questions to determine your next steps.

What’s working? (Keep focusing on this, doing more of what is already working.)

What can I do more of to reach my dreams? What has worked for me in the past?

What’s not working? (You will want to do less of this since it is not working.)

What can I do differently to reach my dreams?

3. LISTEN.

You’ve asked several great questions; now listen to possible solutions on what to do next with a little help from your friends.

Be Curious. What has worked for others in this situation? Check out the internet, books, talk to friends, experts, coaches, or advisors.

Get Help From Others! Stop doing it alone! Tap into your powerful relationships for support, ideas and resources.

And finally, Change Your Strategy. Do something different, bigger or better and enjoy the journey!

The most important take-home message is to know that when you feel stuck or discouraged, it can actually be a very powerful time of reflection and pause to make sure you are on the right path. It can be a blessing in disguise! It may feel unpleasant, but it can be your ticket to success!

Enjoy your journey and don't forget to stop, look and listen!

Have you noticed that people who have a great coach seem to sail through the tough times easier and faster and reach their goals in a bigger way? Why is coaching so powerful? Because coaches ask great questions to help you reach your most important goals! If you are interested in going for your dreams, contact us to get started in individual coaching or affordable, supportive coaching groups.