It’s no surprise to us women that men are earning more, but the most recent report stating that high-flying women will typically be paid around £142,000 less in bonuses than a man doing exactly the same job brings it into sharp focus.

Come on ladies; think about what £142,000 could do for you?

• Help your child with a deposit for their first home
• Support children through University so that they don’t have to come out with debt
• Enable you to retire earlier

Visualise what you’d do with the deserved cash and this will give you the courage to ask in the first place. Here are seven top tips on how to go about it:

1. Do your research.

2. Find out what the going rate for other comparable jobs is.

3. Gather as much information as possible: testimonials, feedback from colleagues, suppliers and customers.

4. Demonstrate that you’ve made a real difference through: cost savings, improved performance or financial growth.

5. Doing your job well is expected, you need to show that you have exceeded expectations and are already working at the next level.

6. Get yourself an influential champion, sponsor, mentor or coach, someone who has the boss’s ear and someone who can help you work out the right way to go about things in your work environment.

7. Schedule a meeting to discuss your pay rise, don’t just slip it in to an existing meeting, help your boss prepare so that it isn’t a surprise.

Lastly, don’t make threats, if you push your boss, he or she is likely to push back. You want to leave the door open for further discussion.