6 Reasons You're Not Getting the Promotion You Deserve

While most career women already know that they'll need to ask for a promotion in order to be considered for one, the fear of rejection remains hard to overcome. More than 1 in 5 women said the top reason they didn't apply for a job was that they didn't want to put themselves out there if they were likely to fail, according to an analysis published by Harvard Business Review.

Your move: Doing some homework can make it less intimidating to approach your boss and tell her why you deserve a promotion. Create and practice talking points with a friend, so that you go into the meeting prepared and confident. Then, ask that friend to check in with you to find out how the meeting went. Knowing you'll have to report back may make you less likely to chicken out.