Compare Apples to Asparagus when Asking for a Raise

Before you sit yourself down in the corner office for the "conversation," be sure you're comparing apples to asparagus.

Huh?

Sadly, women tend to calibrate their value according to what their female peers are making in similar positions. That's not such a good idea when you factor in the 30 percent wage gap between men and women. So when you're preparing for a raise or a promotion and researching your value in the marketplace, consider these questions: 

If you're a nurse might you also be a health care manager? 

If you're a teacher might you also be a trainer?

If you're a manager might you also be an executive?

If you're a life coach, could your work also be considered consulting? 

Women, research the "bump up" for your next corner office conversation by using these resources:

Six-Figure Income Comparison:Use this site to compare what you now do to jobs paying 6-figure incomes.

http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_salaryrangenarrow_50.html

Career Benchmarking Assessment:Use this site to find out where you stand in terms of salary in your industry.

http://my.monster.com/Career-Assessment/Dashboard.aspx

National Wage Data: Use this site to see how your salary compares to others in your field nationally.

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm

Happy Negotiating!