Six Things in Common Among People Who Are Chronically Underpaid
Asking for more money isn’t easy. And because it’s so intimidating, many people end up earning much less than they are worth. Over time, giving up on a pay raise can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars . Knowing the classic traits of the “undervalued” can help you understand where you might be wrong.
Author Barbara Stanney, in her book Secrets of Six-Figure Women, describes some of the common traits of the underappreciated (although this also applies to men). Chances are, if you have a suspicion that you are undervalued, you probably are. But these traits can help you pinpoint areas where you might want to improve. Here are the six traits that resonate most:
- High tolerance for low wages : You know you can earn more, but you accept lower wages. You may even try to justify it.
- Tendency to underestimate your worth : You assume that you will never get paid well.
- Willingness to work for free : There are arguments for working for free , but you don’t think twice.
- Poor Negotiation Skills : You don’t want to ask for more and are afraid of what might happen if you do.
- Reverse snobbery : you assume wealth is expensive and not worth it.
- Belief in the nobility of poverty: As in the previous case, you think that poverty gives you access to a certain sense of morality, and money is evil.
Stanny interviewed 150 women and found that those who earn less tend to have these qualities. On the other hand, people with high incomes demonstrate the opposite: they are willing to negotiate, they are not afraid to take risks, and they feel good that they just start and make mistakes along the way.
If you want to know the rest of what Stanny writes in his book, you can find it at the link below.
Secrets of Six-Figure Women: Amazing Strategies to Increase Your Earnings and Change Your Life | Barbara Stanney