Dear Aunt Martha,
I recently got my first job offer! I’m super excited about this opportunity, but, as a woman going into a male dominated industry, I’m scared that I won’t be given my worth and I’m not sure how I can advocate for myself. Do you have any suggestions?
Sincerely,
No Longer Anxious Applicant
Dear No Longer Anxious Applicant,
Congratulations on your job offer! Learning how to stand up for yourself is a lifelong process that will take practice. Here are a few ideas that will help you on your way to becoming your own advocate:
General Self-Advocacy Advice:
-
- Mindset: believe in yourself! You were hired for your specific skill-set, abilities and talents. You deserve to be advocated for.
-
- Clarity: remember that your bosses and coworkers are not mind readers and may find it difficult to discern how you feel about your working situation. Be tactful, but clear in communicating with your colleagues and superiors about what is working and what isn’t. Assess the situation, and attempt to gain a bird’s eye view: why does the office function the way that it currently does? Are there historical or perhaps efficiency reasons? Can you, yourself, better adapt and make acceptable compromises to improve collaboration with others in your working environment? Clarity is important because if you really do wish to bring up a point of concern, it must be clearly stated and guided by logic and reason.
-
- Knowledge: if you find a problem in the workplace or in the way that others are treating you, educate yourself on related company policies. This may mean doing your own research or scheduling a meeting with HR to understand more about company regulations. Learn how your colleagues feel about the situation or what they have personally experienced. For example, if you feel that you are being unfairly passed over for promotions, arm yourself with knowledge on the process of promotion that other colleagues have gone through.
- Designing appropriate conversations: finding the right moment to raise these (slightly more) confrontational conversations can be tricky. Start by outlining your situation and talking about what is working well, then transition into what you would like to see changed. Setting clear objectives on how your boss can help improve your job experience not only allows you to clearly advocate for yourself, but also helps others understand how to help. Above all, remember to keep things positive and to frame your efficiency, development or wellbeing as tied to the progress of your company: discuss concrete ways in which you can make yourself– and your boss– more successful. What boss wouldn’t want that?
Now for something more specific that may apply to you now, as someone who has just received a job offer– salary negotiation:
Although there have been great reductions in the gender wage gap over the past few decades, it, unfortunately, still exists! Empower yourself with knowledge on how much your future colleagues are paid on average. This way, you will be able to know the value of your offer and whether to negotiate for more benefits and/or pay. Information on salary averages can be found on Glassdoor, a website that you, as a Cornell student, have full access to.
A relevant talk that you may be interested in attending is coming up on Wednesday, March 20th, titled Thank You, Next Offer: Salary Negotiations for Women, presented by Susan Fleming, a former senior lecturer from the Hotel School. The event will be held at 4:30pm in Klarman Auditorium.
Rooting for you!
Warmest Wishes,
Aunt Martha