In her recent New York Times article, Girl Power at School, but Not at the Office, Hannah Seligson discusses the "new arsenal of skills" that women need to succeed in the workforce. She suggests that letting go of perfectionist tendancies and creating professional networks are two critical skills to success. Additionally, to keep up with the old-boy's club, women need to start "speaking salary."

Young women also need to learn how to speak salary, a language that many men already seem to know. Coming into the work force, I thought that, just as my professor had given me the grade I deserved on my political science midterm, my company would pay me what I “deserved.”

Recently I had a conversation with a male friend, a reporter in his mid-20s, about how hard it is to ask for money and negotiate for raises. He looked puzzled that I’d have an aversion to something that he does with ease, telling me: “When I want a raise, I just ask for it. And even if they say no, I’ll keep asking for it.”

The American Association of University Women found that men who are a year out of college make 20 percent more in weekly pay than their female co-workers do. Why? Because my friend and scores of other young men understand the central tenet of a bigger paycheck: ask and you shall receive.

Sure enough, The Art of Manliness offers this advice for getting a raise: Just Ask. 

Learn these magic words: “I’d like to talk to you about a salary adjustment.”

Asking for a raise can be awkward and intimidating. The Women's Earning Institue offers Six Steps to Asking for a Raise and Pink Magazine offers a list of Creative Negotiation Strategies. These tips and tactics can certainly help women start "speaking salary" but, to continue closing the salary gap, one thing is clear: we need to Just Ask.