Are You Underpaid? Take this Quiz to Find Out
by Shoya Zichy
At least 51 percent of the time I tend to be more:
1. Apt to meet conflict head on -or- Apt to avoid conflict where possible (choose one)
2. Frank and direct -or- Tactful and diplomatic (choose one)
3. Objective when criticized -or- Apt to take things personally (choose one)
If you selected two or more answers in the right column, chances are that you’ll be underpaid by approximately 25% of your true value. That’s because you’re sensitive to your relationship with your boss and tend to step back from pushing as far as you can or should.
So if empathy, compassion and diplomacy color you underpaid, here are a few helpful tips to help you prepare for your next salary review:
- Know Where You Stand: At least 65% of women are underpaid (compared to just 35% of men)! If you’re a woman, odds are that you are underpaid. Being aware of this is the first key in negotiating your salary.
- Write it Down: Make a list of all your accomplishments to illustrate your value to the team. Each time you achieve a target, streamline processes, or make a positive impact, document it and use it as leverage in your negotiations.
- Who’s the Boss: It’s up to you to push the envelope harder. Be confident that your work is good, and that your relationship with your boss is good, too.
- To Be or Not To Be: Practice makes perfect. Choose someone who is frank to role-play with, and be sure to rehearse with him/her before your meeting to feel confident.
- Sound-Off: Create short sound bytes that succinctly get your points across. ‘Trim the fat,’ keep it concise, and highlight how your accomplishments have actually saved or made the company money, and you can’t go wrong.
About Shoya Zichy:
Seminar Leader and Career Coach, author Shoya Zichy is the creator of the award-winning Color Q profile system, first introduced in her bestselling book Career Match. Her new book, PERSONALITY POWER: Discover Your Unique Profile-and Unlock Your Potential for Breakthrough Success supplies a roadmap to assess your personality type, and shows just how you can use your core strengths to self-coach your way to greater fulfillment and success. Her clients include Merrill Lynch, UBS, ABN, Northern Trust, Prudential, the U.S. Treasury, the Government of PA and Universities in Saudi Arabia, among others. Her work has been featured in Fortune, Newsday, Barron’s, the Chicago Sun-Times, Washington Post, Memphis RSVP, US 1 and on CNN.
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