I once found out a new hire reporting to me was making $20,000 more than me when I signed their offer letter.

This is what it took for me to finally start advocating for myself at work.

Early in my career, I had no idea what advocating for myself even meant. I didn’t realize the importance of having career development conversations, let alone understanding that I needed to take the lead in those discussions.

It might have been my ignorance, but I simply didn’t know what I didn’t know.

Eventually, I learned by observing my peers. Unsurprisingly, those who weren’t hesitant to be direct and assertive about their desires were the ones who succeeded.

It was frustrating not being one of those individuals. Advocacy didn’t come naturally to me, especially during the early stages of my career when I was still building my confidence in the workplace.

I wasn’t the only one. I’ve worked with many exceptionally talented individuals who also struggled with this aspect.

What typically happened to those people? They were taken for granted. They woke up one day to realize they were underpaid, undervalued, and burnt out.

I know work can be demanding and it’s so easy to push your career development to the bottom of your to-do list.

Please don’t do that. Please prioritize yourself. No one else is going to.

Take the time to gain clarity on your future and ask for what you want.

And if you’re a people manager, prioritizing your team’s development is the best way you can show you care.

Encourage your team to prioritize their development conversations before anything else.