How Women Lawyers Can Close the Pay Gap

According to the Institute of Women’s Policy Research, working women on average earn only about 77 cents for every dollar that men earn (up from 59 cents in 1965), and part of the pay gap may be explained as a result of what happens at the salary negotiation table.

A recent story in the New York Times (“A Toolkit for Women Seeking a Raise“) identified at least six issues women lawyers and others might consider before knocking on their boss’s door:

* Do you know how to much more to ask for? A study found that men and women who recently earned a master’s degree in business negotiated similar salaries when they had clear information about how much to ask for. In industries where salary standards were more ambiguous, the pay gap was wider; in fact, women accepted pay that was 10 percent lower on average than men. Go to www.Payscale.com , www.Salary.com, www.Glassdoor.com, or www.Vault.com, to research what people are getting paid for a particular position in your area.

* Are your negotiations persuasive? According to Hannah Riley Bowles, associate professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, women need to take a different approach than men. Women, she says, should frame salary requests in more nuanced ways – i.e., explaining why the request is appropriate now – without undermining their relationship with their boss. “The trick,” says Ms. Riley, “Is trying to do both in a way that feels authentic and fits within the norms of the company.” For example, instead of explaining why you deserve a raise directly, it’s better to frame the request in terms of why it makes sense for the organization or for the person you’re trying to persuade. Make the company the focus.

* Have you been visible AND proactive? “A lot of women think, ‘As long as I work really, really hard, someone will notice, and they will pay me more. [But] people don’t come and notice,” according to Karen Pine, a British professor of psychology and co-author of “Sheconomics.”

* Do you know the best time to approach your boss? Evelyn Murphy, president of the WAGE Project, a nonprofit organization, who runs negotiation seminars for women, says it makes sense to approach your boss after an annual performance review … or if you just took on a major responsibility … or if you won an award.

* Are you talking just with your peers? Women tend to be less connected to male networks in the workplace and are more likely to compare themselves to people they think are similar. So, if a woman asks her girlfriends how much they are paid, and a guy asks his guy friends, Jane and Jim will come up with different numbers.

* Have you anticipated and prepared for your boss’s objections? Try to envision what objections your boss might raise and think about your responses. If you’re unsuccessful, ask your boss for recommendations on what you could do to move to the next level in your job. That way you’re still in control … and are still being constructive.

– Source: NY Times (Section B1), Saturday, May 15, 2010