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