Share and Help your Friends With Their Job Search!
“You’ve come along way baby”, or at least that’s what the classic Virginia Slims cigarette advertisements used to read. Over the last two decades, things have been getting better for many professional women who now make up around 47 percent of the adult workforce in the USA. (Source: US Census) Women also account for 51 percent of management and professional level jobs, according to workforce statistics.
Men Still Out Earn Women in Many Careers
But women are still not earning as much as their male counterparts, nor are they offered the same upward mobility that enables them to go into executive careers. Many women are earning $.78 for every dollar that men earn in similar roles, based on data from the US Census Bureau. This, despite being the primary breadwinners much of the time, makes it critical that more women get into executive level careers sooner in life.
Lacking Diversity Hurts Businesses
Large companies such as General Motors and Yahoo have made the bold move to include more diversity in their hiring practices, by hiring women to fill their CEO positions. However, a vast number of Fortune 500 companies do not consider women for the positions where critical decision-making takes place. Research figures show that women only account for 17 percent of board members, 15 percent of executive C-Suite roles, and a paltry 5 percent of CEOs. It seems as if the “boys club” philosophy still prevails in terms of executive level jobs.
There are some reasons why women are having trouble securing executive level jobs, and how this lack of diversity hurts the bottom line for businesses.
First, there is an overall attitude from male leaders that women cannot handle the rigors of executive level positions. Men often see women as mothers, wives, and support people before they see them as leaders. This hurts business because it removes opportunities for women and men to advance into rewarding careers that are worthy of their unique talents.
Second, a lot of women fear going into executive level positions (when they become available) because they will be viewed as less feminine by their female colleagues, friends and family. Women leaders are growing in popularity, but this personal attack on their values still causes many to steer clear of leadership jobs.
Research from consulting firms like Deloitte and McKinsey have shown how a more diverse team at the executive level can lead to long-term business success. Companies that focus on diversity at all levels actually help create more innovation and collaboration amongst teams at all levels. Without the encouragement, many women simply accept lower positions in the company and they are not satisfied with their careers.
Landing Executive Jobs for Women
Fortunately, women can go after the executive level jobs that they desire, to become part of the 5 percent and grow this trend. Executive level jobs for women can be found on My Job Helper and by doing a great deal of networking across industries. Women can rise to positions of influence and change the face of the business world, one job at a time.