How to #AskForMore

Happy Equal Payday!! If you’re a woman working to pay her bills, you’ve been blessed with being in the right time in the right place. Never before have women gained so much ground so quickly in equality. We still have a long way to go (not only in gender equality, but across race, religion, and a whole slew of other things), but I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished so far. Today is an international day of awareness for equal pay. Specifically, how are we going to change the fact that women earn $.072 to every dollar that a man earns? Here’s how you can start to #AskForMore in whatever job situation you’re in:

Step 1: Get your shit together: make sure you’ve done awesome work. Take notes on everything you do, who you worked with, and what your impact was. Nothings worse than asking for something when you don’t have anything to back it up with.

Step 2: Do you research: Before you approach your boss about getting a raise, do your research on what people similar to you earn. Take time to understand why they earn what they do, what their situations are, and how you can adjust those situations based on your own needs. Nothing’s worse than showing up to a negotiation with no evidence.

Step 3: Plan: Accept that asking for more is a long term approach. You’re not going to walk into your boss’s office tomorrow, ask for a raise, and then get it the following day. Asking for more is all about looking for more ways to raise the pay bar for yourself and for women everywhere, on an ongoing basis. So, plan out when you’d like a raise by. Does your company only give raises when they give promotions? If yes, plan way in advance to gun for that promotion, recording your accomplishments and letting your boss know that you’re planning on going for it.

Step 4: Clearly communicate with your boss what you’d like and why: this goes with the point above, but if you are clear and as objective as possible, your boss will hear you. He or she has no idea what you want if you don’t tell them, so be up front but not rude, and tell them what you’re looking for and why.

Step 5: Keep asking: Like most good things, progress comes from consistency. Don’t stop asking for more after you’ve already gotten a raise. Yes, take a break from harassing your boss, but don’t let up on pushing for more when you can.

The above steps are just a few ways you can start asking for more, but there’s a ton of really great strategy guides out there. The best way to get yourself ready? Plan, practice, and execute. Like a wise woman told me once, if you don’t get it the first time, try, try again.