I read “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg for our most recent #BookClubBlogger and after devouring all 175 pages, I came to the conclusion that it’s a must read for all women working in the corporate world. I also know a few gentlemen who could benefit from reading it as well.I’m sure that my past experiences influenced my perception of the book, but I don’t doubt that there is something for everyone to learn.

One of the biggest eye openers for me came from Sandberg’s statement: “Men are promoted based on potential, while women are promoted based on accomplishments.” Prior to reading this book (and a few others) I hadn’t given much thought to the inequality that presents itself in the workplace. 

I want to share a quick (personal) experience that showcases the difference between men and women when it comes to work.

When Pete and I first moved to Kansas City we were both on the hunt for a job. I was hard-pressed to find something with a creative emphasis so I settled for a position at JPMorgan working as a Retirement Education Specialist. To put it plainly, I worked in a call center. I serviced 401k’s for various companies around the world and while it paid the bills, it definitely wasn’t my cup of tea. After my training started, a few more positions opened up and Pete applied in hopes that it would give us some additional income until we both found what we were really looking for.

We both earned the same Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media and we both accepted the same position at JPMorgan, however, I graduated a year before him and I technically had more experience. Printed clearly on Pete’s offer letter was a higher salary than mine. Neither of us did any negotiating (which was also a great talking point in the book) and looking back, I can’t help but think that the reason he was offered a higher salary was the simple fact that he was a male and I was a female. I wasn’t the slightest bit concerned at the time, I was just happy that we both had a job. (*Editor’s note: I discussed sharing this story with Pete prior to posting and he was more than supportive of me doing so.)

Comparing my situation to the COO of Facebook was hard at times and I’m sharing this story in hopes that you might be able to relate. Like I said, I never gave much thought to the equality barriers that present themselves and how they might be effecting me. If this situation were to happen again today, I would be looking at it from a completely different perspective.

While I don’t agree with everything Sandberg stands by, I think she serves up a lot of great takeaways with a more positive emphasis. I’ve highlighted a few that stuck out to me below:

“Knowing things could be worse should not stop us from trying to make them better.” -Sheryl Sandberg (Click here to tweet!)

“If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, you don’t ask what seat, you just get on.” -Eric Schmidt“Careers are a jungle gym, not a ladder.” -Sheryl Sandberg. (Click here to tweet!)

Read on for the rundown on the next virtual book club…