Would it surprise you if I told you that women earn 77 cents per every dollar earned by their male peers? Would it surprise you if I told you that the amount drops to 62 cents in the insurance industry? It definitely shocked me to find out that I – with a Master’s degree, an insurance designation, and years of impeccable track record with the enterprise – earn 38% less than the guy sitting next to me.
Breaking Barriers: The Time is now for Women in Insurance – Insurance Networking News.
This article makes several points that I can personally relate to. “Small intangible things that wear away at self-confidence and self-belief” is definitely a true statement about women. We are worriers by definition. Even though I try to act with self-assurance and having presence in all situation, I constantly question myself. Did I say anything wrong? Is it possible that my statement was misinterpreted? Did I do anything that party B did not like? What should I be? How should I behave? Why does it seem that being myself is never good enough? What should I change about myself to be more than just good enough?
Another true statement is that women don’t take credit, even when they should. I have been told many times that I don’t promote myself, I don’t sell myself well. I know it is the truth – I do have a hard time talking about myself. It is the primary reason why it is not so easy for me to network. However, I just try to keep in mind that if I don’t tell everyone how great I am, no one else will. On the other hand, it may actually work to my advantage at times, since most people love to talk about themselves.
Finally, this article also contains some good advice. Women should be proactive about finding and asking for developmental opportunities. Create your own opportunity, if you have to. Or your own challenge. The time is now.
My Quest For Excellence 