You're Not As Good As......

Almost a year ago, on a rainy December day, I sat in an office across from my boss. He had traveled from New York, where the corporate headquarters for my company was located. We sat discussing the sweeping changes within the company for the past year. Most of those changes were directed and created by me. The work nearly drove me crazy. The stress of growing a company from a seedling was enormous.

We were discussing my performance review, when something happened that changed my outlook on everything. I felt as though I had been given an entire division of the company to manage, which was a mild way of stating a huge amount of responsibility. As a member of the "executive team", it was assumed that I could do whatever was thrown my way. Yet I was paid the least among all members of this team. I was also painfully aware that I was the only female executive in the company.

As my boss and I were discussing my pay, he said the most stupid thing that has ever been said to me. "Surely you don't think you're on the same level as ________?" I left the name out because it isn't that guy's fault that my boss is a dick. Never have such insulting words been said to me. Of course, I'm as good as anyone else on their executive team. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that words like that would have never been uttered to a man. So what did I do about it?

I've spent the last year adding credentials to my resume. I now have a resume that makes me worthy of much more money. There are probably less than 200 people in the US with my set of certifications. I will command respect, I will get more money, even if I have to do at another company.

Am I as good as ________? Hell no, I'm better.