MoneyWiseWomen

Asking for a Raise. They don't just fall from trees, you know.

My experience is that individuals who politely and professionally discuss their salaries when they feel there is a discrepancy are far more likely to get a raise or higher future pay increases than those who say nothing and hope things will improve on their own over time.

Before you broach the subject of a raise, it's important to understand a few things so you don't end up with "egg on your face" - as the old saying goes.  Here are my five rules I always follow.

Getting A Head Start: Planning Your First Year in a New Job

There is a tendency for people to get very complacent once they have landed their new job. After months (sometimes, years) of searching, many people think their work is over once they land their new job. Or, that once they have nailed the offer, it is time to let down their guard and relax. After all, the pressure is over, isn’t it? And, strong performance will ensure positive recognition, and surely, promotion opportunities, right? The short answer: No. That isn’t the full picture and sitting back at this juncture might lead to outcomes that are far less than a person hoped for in a new employment situation. Although the road to where you are today might have felt like the biggest challenge you will face, it isn’t over yet.

Why Women Still Make Less Than Men. Little progress made over the last two decades

Despite the progress women have been making, studies report that the wage gap continues to exist between men and women.  According to an American Community Survey, women still earn only 77 cents for every $1 earned by men.  This pay gap has remained fairly consistent for the last two decades.  Why the gap?

How to Develop Career Resiliency

Abrupt or unexpected changes in your employment can affect your immediate income, and may lead to a negative impact on your overall financial situation. Two keys to developing resilience are being informed and staying connected. Often, people choose one of two reactions to bad news: stick their head in the sand or throw in the towel and say it is out of their hands. Neither of these responses is helpful. In order to plan a defense, a person needs to know as much about their specific sector of the market as possible, at all times. Things to know:

Marrying for Love or Money

According to a blog by Robert Frank on Yahoo! Finance, "In an infamous personal ad posted on Craigslist this summer, a twenty-something New Yorker who described herself as 'spectacularly beautiful' wrote that she was looking for a man who made at least $500,000 a year."

As you can imagine, the ad inspired a great deal of response, including one by an investment banker, who replied that "since his money would grow over time but her beauty would fade, the offer didn't make good business sense.  She was, he said, a 'depreciating asset.'"  In the quest to live "happily ever after", would you marry for love or money?

Networking Through Professional Organizations

A key reason for involvement with organizations or community groups is for networking opportunities. Participation provides the opportunity to be recognized in your field and noted for your skills, or it may provide the opportunity to get connected with decision-makers of companies. An additional benefit of participation on projects is the potential for learning and the opportunity to expand your skill sets. Improvement in written and oral communication skills, negotiation, collaboration, leadership, assertiveness, conflict resolution and problem solving are likely outcomes from participation, in addition to the development of new relationships, establishment of new networks and education received from membership.

Job Market Changes: Plan Ahead for Tough Times

With downturns in the economy, it can be expected that a tough employment market will follow. Spending too much time deciding whom to blame for a layoff, business closure, or consolidation that impacts your employment situation will not change your predicament, should you experience any of the above circumstances. Your best defense and hope for recovery is to have a plan in place.  Careful planning prior to an unwelcome event will allow you to ride the wave.

Do You Get Enough Sleep Each Night? Research shows serious problems for women who don't sleep enough

Women who get less than five hours of sleep might be doing more harm to themselves than feeling foggy and not being able to concentrate during the workday.  We've all heard our mothers and grandmothers tell us how important it is to get enough sleep...and now their comments are being backed up by research.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Einstein really was a smart guy.

Happy New Year to everyone!  Today I was reflecting on potential resolutions for the New Year and realized my initial ideas were pretty dull and boring.  Then I came across an interesting quote from Einstein.  "Imagination is more important than knowledge."  Usually, quotes tend to be only about one sentence in length but this quote actually went on to explain that thought-provoking sentence.

Old Age is Like a Bank Account

My parents recently shared this wonderful written story with me (author unknown) and I wanted to share it with all of you as we head into December and the holiday time period.  I hope this story makes your heart swell and your face smile.

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.  His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.  After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

Finance...EEK! Now there's a scary topic for Halloween

Since today is Halloween in the United States, I thought I'd bring up a scary topic for many women - financial experience.

Women often tell me they don't actively seek out general management, operations or line management positions at work (the key positions to help you move up the career ladder in most medium and large sized companies!) because they feel like they don't have enough financial experience.

Can having more women board directors increase a company's financial performance?

In a press release dated today, October 1, 2007, Catalyst reports that according to their findings in a new study, Fortune 500 companies with the highest representation of women board directors attained much higher financial performance than companies with the lowest representation of women board directors.

Are you too busy for exercise? Think again!

Question:  I spend so much time "bringing home the bacon" that I just don't have time to exercise.  Help!

I'm a single Mom with two children under the age of 10 and therefore the sole breadwinner in the family.  Because I have to work so hard, I rarely have time to exercise.  How can I get more exercise without having to sign up for a costly gym membership?

Answer:  There are a lot of great ways to get more exercise each day and not have to take time out of your day to go to a gym - all you need to do is get a little creative.

Research shows women aren't as aggressive as men when asking for a raise

Wow!  I just read the most interesting research information about the differences in women and men when it comes to asking for a raise and had to share this with everyone.   It's definitely something to think about before you walk into your boss' office.

What's the best way to ask for a raise?

Question:  I feel that I'm underpaid for the work I do.  What's the best way to ask for a raise?

Before you broach the subject of a raise, it's important to understand a few things so you don't end up with "egg on your face" - as the old saying goes.

What is "Managing Up" and How Do I Do It?

Managing up is all about how you go about earning the trust and respect of your manager by working together with that person to create the best possible working relationship. Managing up means taking responsibility for your job and working to establish a proactive and mutually beneficial relationship with your manager.

To do this you will need to understand their goals/objectives and priorities. You need to think about how, through your efforts and the performance of your job, you can best help your manager, your organization, or the company for which you work.