| The door has been unlocked. There are more | | | | where we are, before we will consider a |
| women than ever in high-paying jobs. Yet most | | | | promotion. "I'm not ready to move on, I |
| working women, even those in management, are | | | | haven't done everything I want to with this |
| clustered into predominately female jobs and | | | | department." What's the difference how we |
| career paths. These women are almost always | | | | leave things? As soon as we're gone, things |
| lower-paid than men and women who work in | | | | will change, no matter what we have |
| male-dominated positions. None of us can | | | | accomplished. We need to point out our |
| single-handedly change the way things operate | | | | accomplishments and our ability to learn and |
| in corporate America. But, we can change | | | | expand. We need to move on, leaving |
| jobs. If we want to earn more money, the most | | | | unfinished work behind. |
| assured way is to do the jobs which pay more. | | | | |
| You are much more prepared to do this than | | | | Women are more likely to leave our jobs and |
| you may think. Awareness is the first step. | | | | careers in the hands of others. We let |
| Many of us need to see the workplace as it | | | | someone else decide what we can do and can't |
| really is. | | | | do, or when we are ready to move on. They're |
| | | | waiting for us to speak up. They decide we |
| If I work hard and do well, I will be | | | | are happy where we are. We are seen as |
| recognized and promoted - Not | | | | "patient and cooperative." While these may be |
| | | | nice attributes to have, they usually do |
| An executive told Working Woman Magazine | | | | nothing to increase our incomes. We need to |
| "Women are the best bargains around... They | | | | take charge of our own careers and lives. |
| think if they work harder, they'll be | | | | Things won't turn out exactly as we plan, but |
| recognized." Do we really want to be known as | | | | it is a great improvement over leaving it up |
| "the best bargains around?" While we | | | | to others. |
| faithfully execute the job at hand, people | | | | |
| around us are promoted to higher-paying | | | | The way we work causes us to appear |
| positions. I believe there are several | | | | unqualified for other kinds of positions. |
| factors which contribute to this | | | | Women are more likely to be task-oriented, |
| misconception. Women are more likely to value | | | | rather than results-oriented. We pride |
| modesty, and we are cautious not to | | | | ourselves on our ability to get a lot done |
| over-state our abilities. We prefer to have | | | | and check off long lists of duties. We are |
| our work speak for itself, rather than | | | | more often comfortable taking orders, |
| pointing out our accomplishments to anyone. | | | | preferring to understand exactly how we are |
| Meanwhile, our savvy colleagues have learned | | | | expected to perform a job. We want to be |
| to speak up for themselves, perhaps even take | | | | measured on how hard we work, what long hours |
| credit for others' efforts, and ask for | | | | we put in, and how accurate our work is. |
| (sometimes demand) more responsibility and | | | | |
| pay. Everyone is so busy doing their own job, | | | | The jobs in American business which pay more |
| they don't recognize our achievements the way | | | | are much more likely to be results-oriented. |
| we think they will. We are left with the jobs | | | | They require the individual to focus on the |
| we have. Perhaps we decide that someone else | | | | end result; profit, profit margin, expense |
| was more "qualified." Perhaps we decide that | | | | reduction. Tasks often have to be |
| things were done unfairly this time, but that | | | | abbreviated, delegated, or abandoned, if they |
| things will change. We hold tight to our | | | | don't directly contribute to the end result. |
| fantasy and to our current position with its | | | | In fact, the higher paid the position, the |
| corresponding pay. | | | | more likely that the goal will be defined, |
| | | | but the job will not. "Increase new business |
| Because we may define competency differently | | | | by $400,000, reduce the reject rate to .03%, |
| than men (see; Women in Those High Paying | | | | increase productivity by 20%," are goals |
| Positions Have Something I Don't Have, by | | | | which might define a position. The process |
| Patricia Smith) we may tend to over-emphasize | | | | for achieving these goals is as least partly |
| our mistakes, and under-emphasize our | | | | undefined and must be authored by the person |
| achievements. We are convinced that anyone | | | | doing the job. To do the jobs which pay more, |
| who has performed less than 100% perfectly, | | | | women must learn to live with these job |
| accurately, completely, 100% of the time is | | | | descriptions. We must learn to work toward |
| not yet ready for another assignment. We stay | | | | accomplishing goals. Many, many women have |
| in the same position longer. We convince | | | | learned to live with these undefined |
| ourselves that we will speak up and speak out | | | | positions, so can we. |
| as soon as we have earned that right. We | | | | |
| watch others around us move into high-paying | | | | Awareness is the first step. Small |
| positions and wonder why such incomplete, | | | | adjustments can make a big difference. This |
| shoddy work is rewarded. | | | | is a process, we don't have to be perfect at |
| | | | the game of business, no one is. We just have |
| We are more likely to want to perfect things | | | | to be better. |