ELA Conf: Addressing the Pay Discrepancy in Tech

I thought I was lucky to work at this job, that we were struggling but all making it go forward together. It wasn’t until one pivotal moment I realized that I was underpaid and my bosses definitely knew. How do you know if you’re in the same situation? What can you do? I’ll go over my personal story and give suggestions about how we as individuals and as a whole can work on fixing pay discrepancy.

Transcript

1. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Addressing the Pay Discrepancy in Tech #talkpay
2. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring (the scariest moment in my career.)
3. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring 55% raise
4. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring There was no reason to pay me more 
 until I asked for it.
5. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring — Knowing what you are worth. This moment taught me the importance of:
6. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring — Knowing what you are worth. — How to ask for it. This moment taught me the importance of:
7. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring I want to be the external force 
 that encourages you to make a change.
8. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring How do you know 
 how much you’re worth?
9. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Talk to your peers.
10. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Talk to your peers. — #talkpay
11. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring
12. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Talk to your peers. — #talkpay — systers/devchix mailing lists
13. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring http://systers.org
14. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring http://devchix.com
15. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring “I was looking for some suggestions on my job offer. The salary is good for me, especially when I am getting that much right after graduation. The job is great and I am definitely taking it. However, I was wondering if I should negotiate on the salary… I (am) not sure if I should as an undergraduate coming right after college, though I have approximately a year of experience at my internship.”
16. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Talk to your peers. — #talkpay — systers/devchix mailing lists — women in tech slack group and other groups
17. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring http://witchat.github.io
18. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Talk to your peers. — #talkpay — systers/devchix mailing lists — women in tech slack group and other groups — coworkers
19. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Look at salary aggregators — salary.com — glassdoor.com — payscale.com
20. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Don’t wait until you’re unhappy to become informed. ! Always know your position.
21. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring What should you do when 
 you want a change?
22. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring
23. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring “We hold ourselves back in ways both big and small, by lacking self-confidence, by not raising our hands, and by pulling back when we should be leaning in. We internalize the negative messages we get throughout our lives—the messages that say it’s wrong to be outspoken, aggressive, more powerful than men.” Sheryl Sandberg, Lean In
24. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Squash the fear. — Reduce your excuses.
25. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Squash the fear. — Reduce your excuses. — Change how you think about negotiation.
26. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring
27. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring “…it isn’t so much the act of asking that paralyzes us — it’s what lies beneath: the fear of rejection, the fear of looking needy or weak. The fear of being seen as a burdensome member of the community instead of a productive one.” Amanda Palmer, The Art of Asking
28. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Negotiating an offer should never take someone by surprise. It’s expected.
29. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Squash the fear. — Reduce your excuses. — Change how you think about negotiation. — What’s the worst case scenario?
30. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring 5% 20% 25% 50%
31. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring 5% 20% 25% 50% “Yes, we can do that.”
32. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring 5% 20% 25% 50% “Let’s meet somewhere in the middle.”
33. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring 5% 20% 25% 50% “No, we can’t do that.”
34. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring 5% 20% 25% 50% “No, and we’re rescinding the offer.”
35. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Would you really want to work 
 for any company with that attitude?
36. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring General negotiating/asking tips — If you’re negotiating general salary, try not to give a 
 number yourself. — Don’t undercut yourself. Keep the request brief.
37. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Negotiating does not 
 make you a mean person or selfish.
38. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring http://www.askamanager.org/2012/07/what-to-say-when- you-negotiate-salary.html ! http://www.kalzumeus.com/2012/01/23/salary-negotiation/ ! https://www.themuse.com/advice/are-you-underpaid-4- ways-to-find-out ! (Check out http://twitter.com/limedaring for the links.)
39. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Let’s work together to change the culture.
40. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring — We need to make this commonplace. !
41. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring — We need to make this commonplace. — Continue to #talkpay.
42. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring — We need to make this commonplace. — Continue to #talkpay. — Encourage and mentor other women.
43. EL A CO NF T RAC Y OSBORN @limedaring Remember It is scary talking about money. Be informed — know what you’re worth. No harm in asking. Be supportive of others.