One of the reasons women make less money than men....

It's because many woman suck at negotiating. I suck at it so badly, I can't advocate for myself at all. You want to pay me shit and give horrible hours and basically take advantage of me? Yay, bring it on. I'll just bitch to everyone around me, instead negotiating for conditions. Yeah..um, trying to change that.

Amy Alkon aka Advice Goddess, who I typically agree with ninety percent of the time and who offers advice based on research and not just gut feelings or "commnon sense" - links to this article which tries to explain why lawyers who are women earn less and what they should do about it. Amy writes,

...from time to time, I talk to women who tell me that they've just gotten a job, and who never think to ask for more money or certain perks (within reason, of course). Nothing. Nada. They just take exactly what they're given. In other words, they start off meek (we could call this "meek-qual pay"), showing their employer, even before day one, that they aren't in the habit of playing tough or "thinking outside the box." I have to wonder: Are these some of the women complaining that they don't make as much as men?...men who are generally more likely to negotiate for more, from everything I've read and heard.

I like that Amy is blunt about what you should do:

I think leadership opportunities should be expanded for all who earn them, whatever kind of genitalia they have in their pants.

Negotiation and speaking up not your strong suit? Well, boohoo. I have ADHD, and organization and concentration aren't mine, but I work really hard to compensate.

I also like she actually provides books that can help one overcome the obstacle she describes. Read the whole blog post.