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