Why Women Earn Less: How To Make What You’re Really Worth, by Mikelann Valterra, Career Press, New York, 2004
Mikelann’s book addresses both the psychology of underearning as well as the skill set needed to overcome it. Filled with stories, it puts forth a needed holistic perspective that hits on all areas of underearning. From addressing the Romance Myth and noble poverty to how to do an earnings plan and negotiate, it’s a powerful place to start looking at your earning issues.
Earn What You Deserve: How to Stop Underearning and Start Thriving, by Jerrold Mundis, Bantam Books, New York, 1995
This is really the first book written about underearning. While it does not address the psychology of underearning, it is great at uncovering types of underearning you may not have thought of. It uncovers just about every example of underearning and ties underearning to financial behavior such as debt and financial vagueness. If you are new to underearning issues, this is a great book to start with.
Secrets of Six Figure Women: Surprising Strategies to Up Your Earnings and Change Your life, by Barbara Stanny, Harper Collins, New York, 2002
Barbara’s book is very readable, full of wonderful stories. It looks at high earning women and what we can learn from them. Barbara uncovers some great myths both about underearners and high earners, and gives excellent strategies to up your earnings. Don’t wait until you are a six figure woman to read this book. It’s very motivational. (Barbara wrote Prince Charming Isn’t Coming: How Women Get Smart About Money.)
Maxing Out: Why Women Sabotage Their Financial Security, by Colette Dowling, Little, Brown and Company, New York, 1998 (out of print)
This book is one of my personal favorites. It’s not on underearning, but on all the reasons why women sabotage themselves around money (including earning)! Dowling goes deep into the Romance Myth and her personal story around feeling out of control financially. She is frank and very self-revealing, combining her personal story with excellent research and stories from other women. You may recognize her name- she wrote The Cinderella Complex. This book is out of print, so I would order it used on Amazon. Let’s get this amazing book back in print!
Building Your Ideal Private Practice, by Lynn Grodzki, New York, Norton, 2000. Grodzki’s book is oriented for therapists and those in the healing professions, but provides an abundance of ideas and information on how to create a more profitable private practice. She deals with internal issues around being a business owner as well as how to maximize your practice. If you are in a service-based business, this book is a gem. Work through her exercises and make more money!
Women Don’t Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide, by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever, Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 2003.
If you are serious about learning the real reasons behind pay inequity between the sexes, read this widely acclaimed book. Packed with information on why women negotiate less often, and less effectively, than men do, the researchers include tons of research, including their own. This book aims to answer the question “Why Women Don’t Ask.” (Note: This is a fairly dense book, but I feel it should be required reading for many people in the HR field and those professionals who want to be on top of the research in this complex topic.)
What’s Holding You Back? 8 Critical Choices for Women’s Success, by Linda Austin, MD, Basic Books, New York, 2000.
Austin’s book is not a light read, but it is absolutely brilliant. This book studies the internal glass ceiling that women struggle with and goes through women’s psychological stumbling blocks to achievement. In essence, Austin is studying the psychology of female ambition. Fascinating stuff.
A Woman’s Guide to Successful Negotiating, by Lee E. Miller and Jessica Miller, McGraw Hill, New York, 2002
This is a great book for women on how to negotiate. It clearly covers how to negotiate in many different venues (from salary negotiation to buying a car). It covers what works and doesn’t work for women, and how to negotiate with men. From learning how to convince someone of something to creatively reframing the negotiation so everyone “wins”, this is a great book!
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