Today is Equal Pay Day in the US, which symbolises how far into the year women work to earn what men did the year before. In addition to pay, many women face different treatment in their careers than their male colleagues. If you're a woman, what strategies have you used to close the pay, and treatment, gap?

Most hiring managers expect you to ask about salary by the second interview, but if you do, they might turn that question around and ask you about your own salary history to get an idea of what you're willing to take. Here's why you shouldn't share with them what you've made before.

Hi Lifehacker, I was asked for salary expectations in an interview for a contract IT job. I left it to the employer to decide what they could offer me, but they persuaded me to provide a range. I didn't have the exact salary figure from my last job, so I quoted bit lower range. Now I've got the job offer and have accepted the job. I've been sent the paperwork to complete. I have just come across salary figures from my last job. There's quite considerable difference in my salary. I am being offered about $6 K less. Is it recommended to amend my salary expectations? If so how should I approach them?

You have bills to pay, your rent is going up and you need more money. We understand -- just don't say it when you negotiate your salary.

With the end of financial year just past us, many Aussie businesses use this time of year to look at promotions and salary reviews. While many of your employees may be gunning for a pay rise, it could be a good time to look at what benefits you could offer aside from cold, hard cash.

Asking for a raise can be tricky. You have to approach the conversation in the right way, and as Lee E. Miller, co-author of A Woman's Guide to Successful Negotiating points out, that means you probably want to leave out the word "fair".

When you're negotiating your salary, the first number you mention will likely become the anchor everything else references. Make that number stronger by avoiding round numbers.

You'll have a better shot at a raise if your boss is excited about your future together. To make that happen, you want to show him or her that you're growing and your skill set is expanding, and this is why it helps to keep what The Muse calls a "learning log".