Gender differences in career interests - what changes since 1990?

I always like to read anything written by Itamar Gati. So much research within careers is small scale and qualitative; these studies are of course important and provide richness and flavour to our understanding. But Gati's study provide another element. Gati does BIG STUDIES with BIG DATA and although I don't particularly agree with his approach to careers in many respects, I do love his academic rigour.

This study looked at data provided by 38,000 young adults who had filled in a career interest inventory either in 1990 or in 2010 and compared the changes over time and the differences between sexes.

The findings indicate that gender differences in career interests have narrowed during that period, but a significant gap remains. I'll go on to highlight a few interesting details, but perhaps the most important point is that the data provide some evidence that differences in career interests may be socialised rather than genetic. If differences were genetic (ie girls were just born to find caring jobs more interesting) then we would be less likely to see changes over time.

Gender differences have reduced overall, but there are a few notable examples. Women in 1990 were far less interested in professional advancement, management, authoritativeness and income than men. In 2010 the differences were much reduced suggesting that young women these days are more likely to want to climb the career ladder. This feels like great progress and with any luck this change in interests may lead to more women making their way up the career ladder to the board room.

There are some areas in which gender differences have increased and these include counselling and community service. The gender differences have increased because men are now less likely to cite these as interests. And this is not such a good thing for diversity in the work place. These were female dominated areas twenty years ago and are now even more so.

What this says about gender equality is complex, and I'm not sure that it's easy to work out. It is surely a good thing that women are now feeling that they can overtly state a desire to climb to the top of the corporate ladder. But men becoming less interested in caring professions? What does that say?

My concern is that both these changes indicate that male values and male style are becoming increasingly valued in society. The jobs and qualities that have traditionally been seen as the reserve of men are clearly valued and women now are confident enough to aspire to these arenas. But the roles that have been traditionally associated with women are becoming less valued by society and men are less likely to want to be associated with them.

I wonder if the real sign of gender equality will be not only when women make up half the board room, but when men make up half the counsellors.

Gati, I. and Perez, M. (2013) Gender differences in career preferences from 1990 to 2010: gaps reduced but not eliminated Journal of Counseling psychology