As a working woman and mother (including to a daughter), the topic of women and salary negotiation is deeply personal and important to me. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with many talented men and women. However, as is often the case, women continue to be underpaid compared to their male counterparts. While progress is being made, there’s still a long way to go. More support is needed to help women feel prepared and confident when entering these crucial conversations.
If you’re someone who finds the concept of salary negotiation unsettling, take heart—you are not alone. Studies show that women, more so than men, often feel overwhelmed by the idea of negotiating their salary, which leads many to avoid it altogether. Unfortunately, this avoidance comes at a significant cost to their financial wellbeing. While it would be wonderful if employers proactively encouraged salary discussions, let’s be realistic—this is unlikely to happen. The responsibility rests with us, as working women, to take initiative. If we don’t ask, we don’t get.
Why Do Women Avoid Salary Negotiation?
There are several reasons women resist salary and career advancement conversations:
- Personality types – Different personalities approach negotiation differently.
- Social conditioning – Many women have been taught to be modest and not advocate strongly for themselves.
- Overvaluing competency – Women may believe that their hard work alone will be recognized and rewarded.
- Overthinking the process – Worrying too much about what could go wrong.
- Lack of confidence – Feeling unsure about their value or worth.
- Inaction – Without taking action, nothing changes.
The Busy Woman’s Guide to… Salary Negotiation
To help women navigate this challenge, I wrote The Busy Woman’s Guide to… Salary Negotiation. This guide provides the essential steps and tools needed to conduct a successful salary negotiation. It’s a practical resource designed to build confidence and help women initiate these critical conversations—whether with their current employer or when discussing an offer from a new employer.
Amazon Review – “Such a Great Find! Practical & Strategic. Loved the flow of the book and how it makes you realize / communicate your self worth at the same time boosting your self confidence. I implemented some of its strategies and got a far better result than expected” Yuan
Success Stories: Real Results from Real Conversations
There are countless success stories from women (and men) who have used the guide and gained higher salary packages. The common factor is that they took the time to understand their value and were willing to advocate for themselves in conversations or via email.
As the saying goes, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” The worst an employer can say is “No”—and that may simply mean “Not now”, rather than “Never”.
One client I coached recently followed the guide and doubled her salary after a single session with me. Another client secured the highest possible pay rate for her role, despite initially being offered the lowest end of the scale. Others have shared similar wins—whether it was negotiating higher starting packages or improving their current compensation, or negotiating study assistance or flexible working arrangements. They key was they invested in themselves, and they asked!
Here’s what one HR professional Sarah shared after working with me:
“A huge thank you for your support with my salary negotiation. Your advice helped me to be more confident in the negotiations—I was able to achieve the highest rate!” Sarah
Take our Salary Negotiation Readiness Quiz
Is it time to negotiate your salary package with your existing employer or your next employer? Download and take our complimentary quiz to see how prepared you are.
Entering a negotiation prepared, whether it concerns salary, flexible work arrangements, a bonus, will enhance your likelihood of achieving your desired outcomes.