Leaving Money on the Table? Women in HR Are Underpaid

The highest paying jobs for women caught my attention this morning. Reporting at Forbes.com, Jenna Goudreau says that Human Resources, a field in which two out of every three employees are women, pays the eighth best salaries. Women Human Resources Managers' median earnings were $59,124 per year which is just 67.9% of what their male counterparts make.

Based on a U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau 2008 analysis, women make about 80% of what men make across occupations. What other jobs made the best paid list for women? Pharmacist, computer engineer, computer science and system analyst, physician, management analyst, lawyer, chief executive, and more. Women need to stay out of female-dominated professions like administrative assistant and elementary teaching if a woman wants to make money.

Yes, I know that many women value non-monetary items such as flexible work schedules. I also recognize that women tend to move in and out of the workforce for family-related reasons. What's obvious here, even when you take these kinds of issues into consideration, is that women are paid less than their male counterparts - shockingly so in Human Resources.

And, it's time to do something about it. Who but you is better prepared to understand the job market and know what others in the field are making? Take time to do your homework. Make your job measurable and make where you spend your time matter to your company's business success. Make your success visible. Come to meetings with recommendations and a plan. Speak up for yourself and prepare to negotiate. No, with that discrepancy, 4% isn't going to cut it. Are you riled yet? Here's the best advice for women I have on the site.

_{Image Copyright Peter Chen}

How Women Can Make More Money

• How to Make More Money.
• How to Ask for a Pay Raise.
• Tips for a Successful Salary Negotiation.
• How Real Women Get Ahead.

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