“Women fundamentally don’t know their value and struggle with self-worth,” said Kristina Sammut, founder, CEO and lead coach at Frontier Leadership & Executive Coaching for Women.
“When you understand your worth, you are in a better place to negotiate salary and other compensations,” she added. “Your salary is not just about your role. It’s about your full contribution to the company and your relationship with clients.”
According to Sammut, you don’t need to wait for a promotion in order to request a pay increase. She advises reflecting on your past and taking stock of all that you have achieved throughout your career.
“You’re not looking at a moment in time but considering your whole career cumulatively,” she explained.
Through her coaching, Sammut advises women to seek a pay increase of between 13% and 35%. If those percentages are not realistic for your industry, you can position yourself for incremental increases over time as an alternative strategy.
Moreover, your negotiation does not have to be entirely based on salary. You may wish to negotiate more time off, flexible hours, or a new role, for example.
“Often, women are not asking for a salary increase,” said Sammut. “One of my clients worked for a company that was having difficulty financially so she negotiated an extra week’s vacation instead of asking for more money.”
Negotiating a pay rise or other compensation should be an ongoing discussion, Sammut advises.
“It’s not just a year-end conversation,” she said. “Work on an ongoing dialogue. Through this approach, it will generally take two or three conversations to determine when you are going to receive that raise.”
Commenting on the current opportunities for women, Sammut said: “There is no better time to be an aspiring woman in leadership. It’s time to look at your worth, your value and your career strategy, and to take action.”
Alberta, Canada-based Frontier Leadership provides customized leadership development and executive coaching to inspire leaders to achieve their career aspirations and live with purpose.
