By Erica Sunarjo
Women of the 21st century are more successful and involved in the shaping of our society than they have ever been before. We have female presidents, ministers, Nobel prize winners, producers, CEOs. However, many women are still bound to face prejudice questioning their abilities, skills or competence. This happens to women of all professions, including female freelancers.
So what should you do when you face bias as a female freelancer? Should you look away and hope the next person won’t treat you the same? On the contrary. You should stand up against prejudice and be proud of who you are. But, what can you do to fight it? Here are 5 working tips on how to deal with prejudice while being a female freelancer.
1. Be the best version of yourself
It takes time for any female freelancer to build a successful career. The pressure is on, not only because there are so many of you and it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. It is hard because you often face the prejudice of not being able to perform as well as your male colleagues. What is the first thing you need to do to overcome this kind of discrimination?
Be the best possible version of yourself. Study hard, practice hard, work hard. Build your confidence based on your knowledge, experience, and expertise. Don’t be pushed back by rejection. Instead, push forward.
Once you reach the point of being self-confident and aware of your qualities, you are ready to fight for your spot. Your confidence will give you the wings to strive higher and you will feel that you’ve got the power to do whatever you want.
With this kind of wind at your back, you can start dealing with the people who look down on you, just because you are a woman. You will feel fearless while applying for new jobs, and your employers will feel it as well.
Make sure to let them know just how much you’re worth.
2. Find out why you got rejected
Rejection is not a failure if you make it a lesson. We all face rejection every day, especially in our professional lives. It is an integral part of our career. While some women take it personally and start doubting themselves, others find a way of surpassing it in the best possible way. Why shouldn’t you, as well?
How can you deal with rejection? We’ll start by saying that not every rejection is unjustified. If you applied for a job and didn’t get it, it doesn’t have to mean that you experienced discrimination. Let’s face it, there could be candidates who are simply more fitting for the job.
However, you have the right to know. Don’t be afraid to ask why they didn’t choose you. Ask for specific reasons, since the feedback will help you in the future. If the employer gives you a reasonable explanation, take it as an advice on how to be better next time. If their reasoning is non-existing or he lacks the explanation, let them know just how you feel. They might think twice before discriminating against another female freelancer again.
3. Ask for Equal Payment
As a woman, you can do anything just as good as a man. Why wouldn’t you get paid the same?
It is of great importance that female freelancers stick together in the attempt to break the prejudice they face over and over again. Only with mutual effort can you make a change and lessen the discrimination. Therefore, make sure that you are paid just as much as your male colleagues. How can you accomplish this?
Demand it.
Know the market and know how much your services are worth. Ask around, and talk to the men in your profession. Ask them how much they get paid and set that number as your goal. Once you’re sure you know the numbers, and be straightforward with your demands upon applying for a job. Set the standard higher and negotiate until you reach it.
4. Report it
Female freelancers face the problem of prejudice constantly. It’s reoccurring and seems unstoppable. But, you can stop it if you are brave enough. Think about being a female engineer, architect or computer specialist. You work within a team of other people of the same profession. You have more or less the same level of academic achievement as well as experience.
You notice your employer is treating you and your female colleagues differently from your male colleagues. They are paid higher; they are assigned the best projects; they are trusted with the biggest clients. You, on the other hand, get their leftovers.
Make sure to double check the facts, and if you are certain you are experiencing prejudice, tell your employer about it. Tell them what you’ve noticed and ask for a change. If they dismiss your complaint, report it.
All of the platforms have a support system to help you deal with issues you come across. For example, the UpWork help center is where you can report any problem you’re facing, and get a reply within minutes.
It is scary and nerve-wracking to be the one that has to do it.
5. Inspire Other People
Women need to stick together. If you want to make a difference and turn the tables on those who discriminate, you need more people to support your idea.Talk to other women and encourage them to follow your example. Spread the enthusiasm and inspire others to be as brave as you are. Try helping them realize how smart, hard-working and worthy they are. As we said, you are far stronger united.
You can start with your closest friends and colleagues. Set an example and invite them to follow it. Use social media to attract more freelancers’ attention- and we don’t mean only women! Men should be a part of your system as well. So don’t hesitate in asking your male colleagues to join you and fight for your rights as well.
Finally, you might even start an internet community of people who believe that female freelancers deserve to be treated the same as male. Together, you can come up with more ideas on how to deal with the prejudice that female freelancers face every day.
Are you up for the challenge?
We know what you’re thinking- easier said than done. And you’re right. It’s easier for us to write about the problem than it is for you to face it. You deserve to be treated with respect. You deserve your work to be appreciated. No one else is going to do it for you- you have to deal with the problem of prejudice on your own. We gave you some useful tips and now it’s time for you to use them. Be confident and believe in yourself.
Erica Sunarjo graduated from South Texas College majoring in Marketing and Creative Writing. She used her knowledge to make a difference in the realm of business copywriting and invested heavily in traveling and language learning. At present, Erica is fluent in French and Spanish, studying Chinese and working her way to being a multilingual copywriter. She keeps track of the latest trends in IT and technologies, blogs about efficient strategies in education and business coaching, holds educational webinars. Right now Erica is the most effective writer in The Word Point.
