I once read a McKinsey report that found that diverse companies perform better, hire better talent, have more engaged employees and retain workers better than companies that do not focus on diversity and inclusion. But despite this, women remain widely under represented in Tech.
Given that I work at a tech startup, I’m no stranger to this issue and it’s something I know Depop are actively working to change. There are several challenges to overcome, at all points of the hiring journey – from STEM education, through to hiring, workplace culture – not to mention the underlying founder & pay gap. I’ve known the team at DevelopHer for a while, through our mutual friends at Paypal, and spoke at a recent workshop they ran.
As a quick recap – DevelopHer is a not-for-profit organisation that looks to elevate women in tech, digital and entrepreneurship. They aim to develop careers, confidence and change in the workplace by facilitating events for their community, empowering them to make courageous career decisions whilst amplifying the voice of the community in government and business. Find out more about them here!
A few weeks ago, DevelopHer partnered with Thread to host an event on MONEY. Yep. let’s talk about that pay gap. I was joined by some great male allies – Ben Martin, Senior Insights Director at OneFour Zero and Josh Michielsen, Senior Software Engineer at Conde Nast International. The discussion was moderated by Stefanie Sword–Williams – founder of platform and event series F*ck Being Humble.
The event covered tactics for negotiating salaries, how to spot the right opportunities, how to communicate your value and how to respond when things don’t go your way. The team at DevelopHer did an incredible write up – here are some of the top tips from the night.
- Prepare for the conversation – Remembering every achievement can be difficult, so keep a record of your achievements, the value you have added and the impact you have made in the organisation
- Pick the right moment – It has to be the right moment for you and your boss too.
- Do your research – It is essential that you know how much you are asking for.
- Be Objective – Bringing emotions into a conversation that you already find difficult would make it even more uncomfortable.
- Give yourself time – Don’t react there and then if the conversation doesn’t go as you had in mind.
- Have a plan B – Think about what you would do if your request for more money gets rejected.
I’m really glad to have taken part, I think personal finance and the pay gap are two subjects that we don’t talk about enough. The first step to overcoming it is to understand it and raise awareness of it. Here’s to more to come.
