Gender and Career Choice
Gender and Career Choice
Gender and Career Choice
An exploration of literature
Ages 3-5 Orientation to Size and Power Ages 6-8 Orientation to sex roles: Career ideas influenced by ideas of sex roles Ages 9-13 Affected by Abstract ideas of Social Class. At this point, prestige becomes an important factor in career choice floors and ceilings for their aspirations. Ages 14+ young people become more introspective, greater self consciousness concern about what others think.
Gottfredson (Continued)
Most people share a cognitive map of occupations (based on Hollands research) This is based along dimensions of prestige and sex type
vocational choice begins a process of circumscription, of eliminating occupational alternatives that conflict with ones self concept
The formation of self concept and occupational preferences begins early in life and develops: although individuals develop at different rates
Self
Concept Emphasises the important part that sex roles and prestige play in making choices Occupational Preferences Perceived accessibility of occupations
Circumscription: progressive elimination of unacceptable alternatives due to gender bias and prestige issues Compromise: need to accept less attractive options due to environmental factors: however - sex type bias most resistant to change.
The
theory.focuses on how young people gradually come to recognise and deal with the array of vocational choices their society provides.
Girls as homemakers, nurturers Girls do not place the same emphasis on pursuing a successful career Girls limit themselves to stereotypically female jobs
many women are exposed to pervasive messages that a womans life should revolve around taking care of others and that their career plans are some how superimposed on this primary obligation.
Employment Inequalities
Discrimination
Lack of mentorship Sexual harassment
Discrimination
Women tend to go into less well paid jobs They often take time out for child rearing The resulting discrimination affects career choice, job entry, job promotion and satisfaction
Sexual Harassment
sexual harassment translates systematic attitudes about gender based power and womens appropriate roles into interpersonally mediated barriers to career satisfaction and personal well being.
Family Responsibilities
Women experience more employment interruptions Women experience reduced advancement opportunities in their vocational life Not serious about work?
Theoretical Perspectives
Gottfriedson
the
role of gender very often becomes the most dominant factor in deciding ones career direction concept; Life roles; Recycle though career development stages
Super
Self
Theoretical Perspectives
womens career development is especially affected and complicated by a range of dynamic interactions between social, personal, and other related contexts
Sensitivity, knowledge and skill Knowledge based n research and scholarship Awareness of own bias Be challenging of misconceptions Encouraging development of political awareness
The role of the practitioner is to: help the client become a more cognisant, proactive and skilful agent who masters her career choice and direction.
Do
Hakims viewpoint
men will retain their dominance in the labour market, politics and other competitive activities because only a minority of women are prepared to prioritise their jobs in the same way as men. Do you agree?
3 types of career
you agree? What are the implication for guidance? How could you use this knowledge to inform career guidance for school pupils?
Occupational Dreams
Coogan and Chen claim that men focus on career in their late teens whilst women have more domestic aspirations. Career considerations are more likely to be a focus for young women a decade later, between the ages of 28-33 Please discuss if this is your experience. And consider if the are wrong why that might be.
References
Coogan, PA . Chen, CP. (2007)Career development and counselling for women: Connecting theories to practice, Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 20:2, 191-204 Gottfredson, L. (2004) Using Gottfredsons Theory of Circumscription and Compromise in Careers Guidance and Counselling Hakim, C. (2007) Women, Careers and work life preferences British Journal of Guidance and Counselling 34:3, 279-294