Asking for a Raise: How to Advocate for Your Worth

A recent article highlighted that women continue to earn significantly less than men on average. While systemic change is still needed, there are also steps you can take to advocate for yourself and your career.

Knowing your worth—and focusing on what you can control—is incredibly important. Asking for a raise can feel intimidating, but with thoughtful preparation, you can walk into the conversation feeling confident, prepared, and empowered.

There’s an old saying: “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” While hard work matters, recognition doesn’t always happen automatically. Sometimes, you have to ask for what you’ve earned.

Here are six strategies to help you prepare.

1. DO YOUR RESEARCH

Before requesting a raise, understand what your skills and experience are worth in today’s market. Research salary ranges for your role, industry, experience level, and geographic location using multiple reputable sources, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Glassdoor, and PayScale. Having market data strengthens your case and demonstrates

that your request is well-informed rather than emotional.

2. DOCUMENT THE VALUE YOU BRING

Your accomplishments are your strongest negotiating tool.

Keep an ongoing record of your achievements, including measurable results whenever possible. Consider maintaining a spreadsheet that tracks metrics such as:

• Revenue generated

• Costs reduced

• Time or processes improved

• Projects completed

• Customer satisfaction improvements

• Performance recognition or awards

• Certifications completed

Don’t overlook contributions that aren’t always reflected in numbers. Mentoring new employees, volunteering for company

initiatives, leading committees, or strengthening workplace culture all add meaningful value to your organization.

3. LEAN ON MENTORS AND COACHES

You don’t have to prepare alone. Reach out to trusted mentors, senior colleagues, or professional coaches for guidance. They can help you evaluate whether the timing is right, identify strengths you may have overlooked, and provide honest feedback on your approach. Practicing your conversation with someone you trust can also boost your confidence before the meeting.

4. PRACTICE YOUR PITCH

Preparation builds confidence. Write down the key points you want to cover, including your accomplishments, market research, and the specific salary increase you’re requesting. Practice saying your pitch out loud several times. During the actual conversation, nerves can make it easy to forget important details. Rehearsing beforehand helps you communicate your value clearly and professionally.

5. CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIME

Timing can make a meaningful difference. Schedule a dedicated meeting rather than bringing up compensation in passing. You want your manager’s full attention and enough time for a productive discussion. Also consider your company’s current circumstances. Budget planning, performance review cycles, or periods of major organizational change may influence when compensation decisions are made.

6. BE PREPARED TO NEGOTIATE

Not every conversation ends with an immediate “yes”—and that’s okay.

Stay positive and professional throughout the discussion. Your manager may need time to review budgets, consult leadership, or evaluate your request. If the answer is “not right now,” don’t let the conversation end there.

Ask thoughtful follow-up questions, such as:

• What specific goals or performance metrics would position me for a raise?

• When would be a good time to revisit this conversation?

• What additional responsibilities would strengthen my case?

These questions demonstrate initiative, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to growing within the organization.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Advocating for yourself isn’t selfish—it’s an important part of career growth. While no single conversation can eliminate the broader gender pay gap, every well-prepared discussion is an opportunity to ensure your contributions are recognized and appropriately valued.

Know your worth. Prepare thoroughly. Speak with confidence. Be brave.

And remember: if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.

~Kaitlyn Leininger, CFP®, CEPA®   

Financial Advisor Belice Leininger Private Wealth of

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC

Beyond the Numbers: The Cost of Self-Doubt

When I read this article stating that women continue to earn more than $12,000 less annually than men, I couldn't help but wonder…

How much of that gap is measured in dollars, and how much is measured in confidence?

Now, before anyone misunderstands me, I'm not suggesting women are responsible for the gender pay gap. There are systemic issues that deserve attention. 

But I also believe that there's another part of this conversation that deserves just as much attention: how our experiences shape the way we see ourselves and our worth. Our belief in ourselves. One statement from the article especially caught my attention: the gender pay gap exists at every education level and widens significantly as women get older and advance in their careers. 

As someone who is over that "magical" age of 50 and someone who never earned a college degree, that statistic hit differently. I have built a career that I am incredibly proud of. I've earned certifications, accepted leadership roles, served on boards, and built relationships that have opened doors I never could have imagined. Yet, there are moments when I walk into a room and question whether I belong there - not because I haven't earned my seat, but because someone once made me question whether I had. 

Throughout my career, I've worked for leaders who have inspired me to grow, challenged me to think bigger, and gave me opportunities I may not have pursued on my own. I've also worked for leaders who did the opposite, and their words still live rent-free in my head many years later. Comments that made me question whether I was experienced enough, smart enough or even, ready enough.

Those experiences don't simply disappear. They can quietly follow you into meetings, interviews, leadership opportunities, and yes, even salary conversations. 

As I reflected further, I found myself then wondering… 

While no single factor explains the gender pay gap, What if part of the solution is also changing the conversations we have with, and about, women? 

The article provided us with statistics. My hope is that we never lose sight of the people behind those statistics. Every number represents a woman, a career, a conversation, and a moment where someone either found the confidence to advocate for herself or was made to question whether she should. 

When women know their worth, we are more likely to advocate for it. And when we help other women recognize theirs, we don't just build confidence, we build a future where every woman feels she has earned her place at the table. 

~Kelly Moore Community Impact Chair, Brave Women Project AVP, Business & Community Development, cfsbank 

​Ordained Wedding Officiant and Storyteller, Moore Love Enterprises

Board President, ​Leadership Washington County

Why CAYA Matters: The Power of Women Coming Together Authentically

In a world that constantly tells women to stay busy, stay productive, and stay polished, spaces that allow women to simply be human have become increasingly rare.

That is one of the reasons CAYA: Come As You Are continues to matter so deeply within Brave Women Project®.

CAYA was born from connection during one of the most isolating periods many women had ever experienced. In 2020, as the world shut down during the pandemic and professional women suddenly found themselves disconnected from workplaces, communities, routines, and support systems, Brave Women Project Founder Holly McIlwain recognized something important: women did not just need another networking event. They needed one another.

What began as intentional virtual gatherings during lockdown quickly became something much more meaningful.

Women showed up carrying uncertainty, exhaustion, fear, grief, ambition, pressure, and hope. And instead of pretending everything was fine, they were invited to come exactly as they were.

That simple invitation changed everything.

CAYA was never designed to be performative. It was created to be a brave space where women could speak honestly, listen deeply, and support one another without judgment or expectation. There are no titles to impress, no perfect answers required, and no pressure to have life figured out before logging in.

What makes CAYA unique is not just the conversation itself. It is the atmosphere created when women intentionally choose openness, encouragement, and empathy.

Again and again, women who begin as strangers leave feeling connected.

Women share professional struggles, personal transitions, fears about leadership, challenges within relationships, wellness concerns, caregiving pressures, confidence issues, grief, burnout, dreams, goals, and questions about what comes next. And what consistently emerges is a reminder that so many women are carrying similar experiences silently.

The power of CAYA is not in “fixing” anyone.

The power is in creating space where women feel seen.

In a time where loneliness and disconnection continue to rise, especially among professional women balancing careers, caregiving, leadership, relationships, and personal expectations, authentic community has become essential. Women need spaces where they can lower the mask, speak honestly, and know they will be met with encouragement instead of comparison.

That is what CAYA represents.

It reflects Brave Women Project’s mission to help women move into brave action through conscious choice and intentionality within their spheres of influence. It also embodies the organization’s commitment to the 5 Es for Life: Educate, Empower, Encourage, Engage, and Evolve.

More importantly, CAYA reminds women they do not have to navigate life alone.

The conversations may happen virtually, but the impact extends far beyond a screen. Relationships are built. Collaborations form. Support systems strengthen. Confidence grows. Women begin showing up differently in their careers, families, communities, and lives because someone took the time to truly listen.

At its core, CAYA is a reminder of something many women desperately need to hear:

You do not have to earn belonging before showing up.

You can come exactly as you are.

~Kelli Komondor

Executive Director, Brave Women Project

CEO & Visibility Strategist, K2 Creative, LLC