Have you ever wondered why you’re not being offered the job or the compensation you deserve?
Discounting your value doesn’t begin at the negotiation table—it often takes root much earlier, growing silently throughout your career. It starts with subtle self-doubt, shaped by setbacks, rejections, or comparisons to others. Over time, failures can reinforce a belief that your contributions are less valuable than they truly are. This mindset becomes ingrained and influences how you perceive your worth, making it harder to advocate for yourself. It shows up in how you view your skills, communicate your accomplishments, and even approach opportunities. Without realizing it, you may be holding yourself back by accepting a lesser version of what you’re capable of achieving.
Recognizing these patterns is the first step in breaking free from them. This is especially true for women who often face societal biases, structural barriers, and internalized beliefs that further compound feelings of inadequacy. These factors can lead to hesitation when applying for roles, underestimating their qualifications, or avoiding negotiations altogether, perpetuating undervaluation. Recognizing these self-defeating patterns is crucial for building confidence, advocating for equitable opportunities, and fully realizing your potential.
Discounting Yourself During the Job Search
In the job search, discounting yourself can appear in subtle ways—such as undervaluing your qualifications, downplaying accomplishments in your resume, or hesitating to apply for roles that reflect your value or challenge your potential.
1. Weak Resume and Cover Letter
Your resume and cover letter are your first opportunities to showcase your value, but many job seekers fall into the trap of underselling themselves. Instead of highlighting specific accomplishments and measurable results, they focus on job duties or use vague language that fails to communicate their impact. For instance, phrases like “assisted with” or “responsible for” lack the confidence and specificity needed to grab a hiring manager’s attention.
How to Fix It:
Write your resume and cover letter with a focus on accomplishments and results. Use action-oriented language and quantify your achievements wherever possible. For example, instead of “responsible for managing budgets,” say, “Managed a $1M budget, reducing costs by 15% through process optimization.”
2. Applying Below Your Potential
Fear of rejection or imposter syndrome can lead to applying for roles that don’t fully match your skill level. While it may feel safer, this approach limits your career growth and reinforces a pattern of undervaluing yourself.
How to Fix It:
Aim for roles that challenge you and align with your career aspirations. If you meet at least 60–70% of the qualifications in a job description, trust your ability to learn and grow. Applying for stretch roles signals confidence and ambition.
3. Neglecting LinkedIn as a Marketing Tool
An underwhelming or outdated LinkedIn profile can hurt your job prospects. Employers often use LinkedIn as a key tool for evaluating candidates, and if your profile doesn’t highlight your skills and accomplishments, it can diminish your perceived value.
How to Fix It:
Optimize your LinkedIn profile with a strong headline, a keyword-rich skills section, and detailed descriptions of your accomplishments. Include metrics and specific examples of your impact. Regularly engage with industry content and connect with peers to showcase your expertise and build your network. Consistency is more important than frequency, but a high-performing profile requires your regular attention, or it will go stale, sabotaging the initial work you put into it.
4. Resistance to Networking
Statistics are clear: up to 85% of jobs are obtained through networking, yet many resist putting themselves out there. I get it; networking can be intimidating, especially if you’re unsure how to articulate your value. A lack of confidence can make interactions feel forced or unproductive, leaving opportunities on the table.
How to Fix It:
Think of networking as simply talking to others and making new friends. Develop a concise value statement highlighting how you help others and the difference you make through your work. This is a different approach than a traditional “elevator pitch.” Practice your value statement with trusted friends or mentors to build confidence. Networking is about mutual value—own your worth and see how well others respond.
5. Failure to Develop Executive Presence
Executive presence is the combination of appearance, communication, and gravitas that inspires confidence and conveys leadership potential. It may be difficult for others to define, but they know it when they feel it. Ignoring its impact can diminish your perceived value, making it harder to command respect, influence decisions, or advance your career.
How to Fix It:
Start by honing your communication skills—practice speaking clearly and confidently in meetings or presentations. Work on your body language to convey approachability and authority and invest in building an executive image through polished attire and thoughtful interactions. Seek feedback from trusted colleagues or mentors to refine how you come across and ensure your actions consistently reflect your leadership potential.
Discounting Your Value During Negotiations and at Work
Even if you navigate the job search confidently, undervaluing yourself can persist once hired. It often manifests in subtle behaviors, language patterns, and actions that signal your willingness to accept less than you deserve.
1. Behavior
Taking on additional tasks without recognition, overworking, and avoiding boundary-setting are common ways people unknowingly devalue their worth. For example, you might agree to work late regularly or take on duties outside your job scope without discussing compensation or career advancement.
How to Fix It:
Set clear boundaries and advocate for yourself. If you consistently go above and beyond, make sure your contributions are recognized and tied to tangible benefits, such as a raise or promotion.
2. Language
The words you use in professional settings can significantly impact how others perceive your confidence and value. Apologizing unnecessarily or minimizing phrases like “I just helped with…” can undercut your authority.
How to Fix It:
Replace minimizing language with clear, confident statements. For instance, instead of saying, “Sorry to bother you,” try, “I’d like to discuss…” This shift signals confidence and reinforces your executive value.
3. Actions
Failing to negotiate salary or benefits is one of the most common ways people discount their value. Accepting the first offer or avoiding these conversations altogether sends the message that you don’t value yourself enough to advocate for what you deserve. Can it be uncomfortable? Yes. Is it almost always worth it? Yes!
How to Fix It:
Prepare for negotiations by researching industry standards and practicing your responses. For example, if an offer feels low, confidently say, “Based on my research and experience, I was expecting a salary in the range of $X to $Y. Can we explore that?”
Turning It All Around
Reclaiming your executive value requires intentional effort, but it’s a skill you can develop with practice. Here are some actionable steps to help you advocate for yourself:
- Track Your Wins: Maintain a record of your accomplishments, including metrics like increased revenue, improved efficiency, or cost savings. This documentation will make it easier to articulate your value during performance reviews and salary negotiations.
- Prepare for Key Conversations: Whether it’s an interview, a performance review, or a salary negotiation, preparation is key. Research market rates, rehearse your responses, and enter discussions with confidence.
- Set Boundaries: Learn to say no or renegotiate priorities when necessary. Setting boundaries demonstrates self-respect and ensures you’re not overextending yourself without recognition. People learn how to treat you by the boundaries you set.
- Own Your Accomplishments: Practice confidently stating your achievements without downplaying your role. For example, instead of saying, “It was a team effort,” say, “I led the team to achieve [specific result].”
- Seek Feedback: Ask trusted colleagues or mentors for input on presenting yourself. They can help you identify areas for improvement and provide encouragement.
The Additional Challenge for Women
Women often face unique challenges in advocating for their value, particularly regarding lack of confidence and imposter syndrome. These feelings, reinforced by societal biases and structural inequalities, can lead to hesitancy in applying for stretch roles, negotiating salaries, or advocating for promotions. This self-doubt often manifests as undervaluing accomplishments, second-guessing qualifications, or shying away from opportunities that align with their ambitions.
How to Fix It:
Overcoming these challenges begins with recognizing and reframing self-doubt. Start by documenting achievements and quantifiable results to create a clear narrative of your impact. This can help counter feelings of imposter syndrome by providing concrete evidence of your value. Ask for and engage in developmental opportunities, such as workshops or mentorship programs, to build confidence and strengthen your skill set.
Practicing assertive communication, especially in interviews and negotiations, helps reinforce your self-assurance. By shifting focus from perceived shortcomings to strengths and successes, women can effectively advocate for themselves, break free from limiting beliefs, and secure the opportunities and compensation they deserve.
The Additional Challenge for Younger Job Seekers
Younger job seekers often discount themselves due to limited experience, lack of confidence, or feeling unqualified compared to more seasoned candidates. They may downplay their academic achievements, internships, or transferable skills, assuming these aren’t valuable to employers. This can lead to applying for roles below their potential, accepting lower salaries, or hesitating to negotiate.
How to Identify It:
If you focus solely on your lack of experience or use phrases like “I’m just starting out” in interviews, you may be underselling yourself. Notice if you avoid applying for roles because you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications or if you hesitate to discuss your value during negotiations.
How to Fix It:
Reframe your inexperience as an eagerness to adapt and contribute quickly. Highlight internships, coursework, volunteer experiences, and projects that demonstrate relevant skills. Use job descriptions to identify transferable skills you already have and focus on those in your resume and interviews. Practice discussing your achievements confidently and prepare to negotiate even if it feels intimidating—this shows self-respect and confidence in your abilities.
The Additional Challenge for Older Job Seekers
Older job seekers may discount themselves for fear of being perceived as outdated or less adaptable. They may downplay their decades of experience or avoid discussing their achievements to avoid appearing overqualified. This often leads to undervaluing their contributions and settling for roles beneath their expertise.
How to Identify It:
If you find yourself hesitating to highlight your accomplishments or experience due to fear of judgment, or if you focus on age rather than skills in conversations, you might be underselling yourself.
How to Fix It:
Showcase your experience as a strength by emphasizing leadership, mentorship, and a proven track record of results. Stay current by learning new technologies or industry trends and highlighting your adaptability. Tailor your resume to focus on recent accomplishments and relevant skills while omitting outdated details. Use interviews to frame your experience as a valuable asset that aligns with the company’s needs, and confidently negotiate for a role that matches your worth.
The Additional Challenge for Job Seekers Returning After an Extended Absence
Returning to the workforce after an extended absence can create feelings of inadequacy or fear of being out of touch. Many returning job seekers discount themselves by apologizing for the gap or avoiding discussions about the value they bring.
How to Identify It:
If you find yourself overly focused on justifying your time away or hesitating to discuss your qualifications, you may be underselling yourself. Pay attention to whether you’re applying for roles below your skill level out of fear of rejection.
How to Fix It:
Focus on transferable skills gained while away, such as problem-solving, project management, or leadership in volunteer or personal activities. Take courses or certifications to refresh technical skills or build new ones. Address your absence confidently, framing it as a period of growth or caregiving while emphasizing your readiness to contribute immediately. Highlight your enthusiasm, fresh perspective, and proven resilience to stand out as a strong candidate.
The Additional Challenge for Job Seekers Recently Fired
Being fired can lead to feelings of shame, self-doubt, or imposter syndrome. Many job seekers in this situation discount themselves by downplaying their achievements, avoiding discussions about their previous roles, or accepting roles that don’t align with their skills or aspirations.
How to Identify It:
If you find yourself avoiding conversations about your previous role, assuming you’re not qualified for new opportunities, or applying for roles far below your skill level, you may be underselling yourself.
How to Fix It:
Reframe your firing as a learning experience and focus on the skills and successes you achieved in previous roles. Practice explaining the situation honestly but briefly, without negativity, and pivot to discussing what you’ve learned and how it has prepared you for success in the future. Focus on your strengths and contributions in your resume and interviews, and don’t hesitate to aim for roles that align with your qualifications and career goals. Confidence in how you present yourself will help you turn the narrative from a setback to a setup for a brighter career trajectory.
The Ripple Effect of Advocating for Your Value
When you stop discounting your worth, the impact goes far beyond your paycheck. You’ll build confidence, inspire others to do the same, and set a precedent for how you expect to be treated throughout your career. Employers and colleagues will begin to see you as someone who knows their value and delivers results accordingly.
By making intentional changes in how you present yourself—during the job search, in the workplace, and during negotiations—you can stop leaving money on the table and start commanding the respect and compensation you deserve. It’s time to own your value and align your salary price tag with the exceptional executive you are.
CONSIDER THIS: When you underplay your value, you deny others the opportunity to benefit from your knowledge, experience, talent, and expertise. Whenever you hesitate to speak up, take credit for your accomplishments, or step into a challenging role, you withhold contributions that could make a difference. Your skills and insights can drive solutions, improve outcomes, and inspire others, but only if you let them. Others need what you have to offer; they are waiting for you to show up. By confidently showcasing your abilities and advocating for your worth, you elevate your career and enrich the teams, organizations, and communities you’re a part of. Owning your value is a gift you give to yourself and those who rely on your talents.