Why Women Earn Less: How to Make What You're Really Worth [Paperback]

Mikelann R. Valterra (Author), Barbara Stanny (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2004

The startling truth is that the average 25-year-old woman will earn half a million dollars less than her male counterpart over the course of her career. Under-earning is an insidious problem with psychological roots that run deep. Luckily, there's help. This book is a practical, step-by-step guide for under-earning women who are ready to turn their lives around. It demystifies the process of under-earning, explores its underlying psychological and emotional issues, and offers practical advice and strategies to help overcome it. Why Women Earn Less explains how you can be better paid for the work you do. It maps out, on a practical level, how to overcome the bad habits that contribute to earning less than you deserve. As you do so, you will find yourself not only benefiting from an improved bottom line, but also enjoying a renewed sense of optimism and personal satisfaction.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Career Press (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564146898
• ISBN-13: 978-1564146892
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,404,189 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Action Guide to Stop Underearning, May 26, 2004

By 

Patricia Nelson (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Women Earn Less: How to Make What You're Really Worth (Paperback)

I inadvertently came across Mikelann's site while surfing the internet. She used a term "underearning" which I had never seen before. When I read the description, I thought she had a pipeline into my life, and wanted to break the cycle I was in.

When I heard that she was publishing this book, I couldn't wait to read it. In each chapter, she dispels the myths, pulls you out of "The Money Fog" and gives action steps to break the insidiousness of underearning.

I refer to her book every day. It is an absolute good fit whether you decide to use the steps in the book, go on to professional consultation (financial as well as psychological - and she gives helpful hints to work with those professionals) or with groups such as Debtors Anonymous.

If you want to turn your relationship with money around, this is the book to get!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wish Id read this years ago!, March 15, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Why Women Earn Less: How to Make What You're Really Worth (Paperback)

I wish I'd read this book years go. It could have saved me a LOT of money. I didn't actually read it until recently, when my sister gave it to me because I'd been telling her I was nervous about asking my boss for a raise. Not only did the book help me successfully get a raise, it also really opened my eyes to the way I constantly (like a lot of other women) undermine myself in the workplace. For example, I've been known to accept a verbal "thank you" instead of the cash bonus I deserved. No more! Since reading this book, my income has gone up more than ten percent, and I expect it to go up more in the coming months as I put Ms. Valterra's principles into practice. Finally, for the first time in my life, I'm getting near to earning what I deserve.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most helpful personal finance book I've ever read, March 15, 2004

By 

Bethany Collins "dullsinea" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why Women Earn Less: How to Make What You're Really Worth (Paperback)

I never expected to actually enjoy reading a book on personal finance. Learn something - yes, but enjoy it - no. For starters, the book is well written, flows well, a good blend of anecdotes from working with her clients, facts about financial isssues, and practical steps for the reader to take. The absolute best part of this book is the chapter that deals with asking for a raise. We all know the rule of salary negotiation, whoever names a number first, loses. I know that, and the person doing the job interview knows that, so who's going to win? Ms. Valterra gives the absolute best dialog I have ever seen for handling the salary negotiation. Even if I had gotten nothing more out of this book, that was worth the price. But there is more.

The book lets the reader clarify their emotional relationship to money. Are we ashamed because we earn too little or too much? Do we let fear rule our finances, fear of asking for a raise, fear of what people will think of how we spend? What money values did we grow up with? Do we hang on to our parents money values out of habit, even though they don't work for us? I always thought money was about facts, about math. I was suprised to find out just how many emotions were involved in my financial choices. Once those emotions are identified, Ms. Valterra gives us a practical path to follow to either change the values that don't work for us or redirect them into positive areas.

The book is full of real advice. Several examples from her clients, so the reader can relate to real people in real situations. A number of worksheets are included so you can find out where your money is going, (are you like me and always amazed at how broke you are at the end of the month? - find out why), worksheets that let you map out a spending plan that will work in your life, with your income.

And finally, like the title suggests, it lets you identify how and why you are underearning and gives immedite steps to take to correct that. Buy this book. It will pay for itself a thousand times over.