Apparently, I do not associate “male” with “career” any more (or less) than I associate “female” with “career”. Neither do I have an automatic preference for white people over black people. I do, however, have a slight automatic preference for young people compared to old people, and straight people compared to gay people.

The Implicit Association Test
Project Implicit is a virtual laboratory comprising a network of facilities and scientists at Harvard University, the University of Washington, and the University of Virginia. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) measures unconscious bias in our behavior. Data from the IAT reveals that most people associate family with females, careers with males, liberal arts with females, and science with males. It seems also that Americans (including ethnic minorities) prefer whites to blacks, young people to old people, and thin people to fat people.

Unconscious Bias and Career Progression
Modern morals and legislation demand that we treat everyone equally in our personal and working lives. Most employers would argue that they never discriminate against people because of their “race, color, religion, sex, and national origin”-the basis of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Indeed, it is likely that when we make conscious, considered decisions we live up to these high ideals. But what about knee-jerk reactions, snap judgments, and our unconscious responses?

Some Job Applicants are More Equal than Others
When we interview a middle-aged, overweight, black woman, does our unconscious mind compare her unfavorably with the young, fit, white man applying for the same job? Do we react differently, perhaps? Keeping a little more distance, failing to maintain eye contact, and making the hand-shake shorter. All these combined could make a job candidate feel ill at ease for no reason that he or she could put his or her finger on. This discomfort is likely to result in a less than spectacular performance and the employer’s decision to hire the more confident, enthusiastic, and prepared applicant. No discrimination there. Really?

Biased from Birth
The ongoing research around unconscious bias seems to provide conclusive evidence that we all judge and discriminate unconsciously in ways we would vehemently deny. After reading the literature my own results surprised me. I grew up in a small Welsh town. There were two black students among one thousand in the high school I attended. None of my friends, relatives, and contemporaries openly discriminated against black people; but there was an unconscious sigh of relief among the older generation when my friend split with the African guy she dated for a number of years. How could this culture have failed to give me some unconscious bias, even if I choose not to live by those standards in my conscious life?

Systemizing Versus Empathizing Bias
Maybe it is because I am first and foremost a systemizer. When I last took the EQ SQ tests I scored 111 (SQ) and 65 (EQ). I approached the Project Implicit demonstration tests as a “system” and attempted (successfully, it seems) to dissociate the two concepts (for example, Gay or Good, and Straight or Bad) when categorizing a third group of words (for example, joyful, happy, nasty, horrible) as either “Gay” or “Good” or “Straight” or “Bad”. It sounds complex, but it isn’t. It made me wonder if empathizers find it harder to overcome unconscious bias than systemizers.

That said, my systemizing tendencies failed me completely on one test. The results show that I have an automatic preference for Martha Stewart compared to Oprah Winfrey. Given that we know I don’t exhibit race preferences, does this mean I prefer convicted felons to philanthropists?

I’m confused.

Sources:
• Project Implicit
• Implicit Association Test, Demonstration and Research, Harvard University

About the author
Katrina Boydon is a systemizing female with empathizing traits. She is as likely to be found crying over a sad film as balancing her bank account to the last cent.

A father and son are in a serious car accident. The father dies en route to the hospital but the son is rushed into the operating room for emergency surgery. The consultant surgeon is about to make the first incision but suddenly exclaims, “Oh no, I think this is my son!” Surely, the surgeon is mistaken.

Sadly, no. The consultant surgeon is a woman. But how many of you thought that the doctor must be mistaken? We are all guilty of this stereotyping. We cannot help but think of “surgeon” as a man’s career choice. Without any serious analysis, most of us would agree that many jobs and careers fall clearly into “man’s career choice” or “woman’s career choice.” But are we correct? Or do our prejudices cause us blithely to attach a gender to a particular job? How confident are we really that secretary, teacher, and nurse would be the top career choices of women; and truck driver, middle manager, and construction worker would be the top career choices of men?

Men’s and Women’s Top Career Choices Revealed
We should have placed our bets. Data derived from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tables reveals that women’s top career choices are “secretaries and administrative assistants,” “elementary and middle school teachers,” and “registered nurses.” Men’s top career choices are “drivers/sales workers and truck drivers,” “first-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers,” and “carpenters.” Even more staggering, perhaps, is the gender representation in each of those occupations. Women comprise nearly 90% of all employees in the women’s three top career choices (combined); and men comprise nearly 85% of all employees in the men’s three top career choices. It seems that some careers rarely cross the gender barrier. The only careers with equal representation from both genders are bakers, news analysts, reporters and correspondents, and physician assistants. Check out the full list of occupations to discover if you’re a woman in a man’s career choice or a man in a woman’s career choice.

The Ultimate Career Choice for Men and Women: To Work or Not to Work
According to 2004 BLS figures, women form about 46% of the labor force and men 54%. However, only 46% of women who could work actually work, compared to 69% of men. Does this mean that women are slackers? Not really, although it does look as if another stereotype applies. There are around 23 million married women not in the labor force, but only around 14 million married men. It seems as if marriage is a fair career choice for some women. There are also 14 million women and 5 million men in a marital status other than married, unmarried, never married, divorced, separated, or widowed not in the labor force.

I don’t want to know.

Sources:
• Employment status by marital status and sex, 2004 annual averages (U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex, 2005 Household Data Annual Averages (U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics)

About the author
Katrina Boydon is a systemizing female with empathizing traits. She is as likely to be found crying over a sad film as balancing her bank account to the last cent.

In 1920, women were granted the right to vote in the first milestone marking equality of the sexes. Forty-three years later, in 1963, the Equal Pay Act was passed. This states that “no employer shall discriminate between employees on the basis of sex by paying wages at a rate less than the rate at which he pays wages to employees of the opposite sex in such for equal work.” Another 43 years later, in 2006, the National Committee on Pay Equity continues to organize a yearly “Equal Pay Day” to raise awareness about unfair pay for women in America.

Data from the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that men’s and women’s salaries are anything but equal. There are only five occupations where women are paid equally or more than men.

Equal Opportunities for Men and Women
Bizarrely, female computer support specialists are paid more than men. Maybe this is because many women have to be dragged screaming and kicking to technology, whereas men just love it. Women compliance officers are also paid more. I’m not entirely sure what a compliance officer does, but my guess is that it’s something tedious and nerdy (like computer support). Still tipping the balance on pay, lady bill and account collectors’ salaries are just a little higher than their male counterparts. Finally, female medical scientists and teacher assistants are paid equal salaries to men.

Unequal Opportunities for Men and Women
That’s where equality stops and discrimination begins. From accountant through bartender, book-keeper, cook, lawyer, social worker, and waitress, women are paid less than men. The most unequal occupation is “securities, commodities, and financial service sales agent.” A woman in this position earns 59% of the salary a male colleague earns in the same occupation. Translated, this means a woman can expect an annual salary of approximately $35,000 compared to $60,000 for a man. Physicians, surgeons, and financial managers are similarly unequal, with men earning nearly 40% more than women in the same occupation. All bar 5 of the 100 occupations listing salaries for both men and women follow suit to a greater or lesser extent.

And we call this progress?

Sources:
• Full version of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, as amended (U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management)
• Equal Pay Day (national Committee on Pay Equity)
• Median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex, 2005 Household Data Annual Averages (U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics)

About the author
Katrina Boydon is a systemizing female with empathizing traits. She is as likely to be found crying over a sad film as balancing her bank account to the last cent.

Apparently, my ideal career is in Human Resources. I am really more of a follower and I don’t have the killer instinct to reach my goals. On the other hand, my forte is in Business or Marketing (as if that narrows it down). Another career aptitude test revealed that I should be an Administrator. Sigh.

Online Career Aptitude Tests and Me
Three different online career aptitude tests revealed my true vocation(s) in life. Admittedly, I’d got bored by the time I tackled the last one (which was actually seven tests measuring THE seven abilities that consitute a person’s aptitude). For this one, I simply selected the last answer choice for every question. The results declared that I am very good at reasoning with words accompanied by the ability to ‘think’ in numbers. Scary, given my methodology. These were all free tests, of course; all the other “serious” career tests I looked at required payment up front. However, even the non-frivolous tests seemed set to make similar judgments.

The Value of Career Aptitude Tests
In my opinion, any career test that supposes to recommend a career at the level of “human resources” is doubtful. By the same token, a career test that recommends as broadly as “business and marketing” is pretty useless too. I mean, come on! That’s like someone saying they’re going on vacation to Europe… Doesn’t everyone KNOW that there are 45 countries in Europe, at least as many languages (not counting dialects), and people of as many creeds and colors as you care to imagine? But I digress.

Which Career Aptitude Test is Best?
Most dictionaries define “aptitude” in fuzzy terms like “inclination”, “tendency”, and “natural ability”. “Capacity for learning” is about as definitive as it gets. That said, it is useful to know where our talents lie. I believe we are better off discovering these innate talents and then researching careers that support them. Career research takes dedication and committment. A ten-minute career aptitude test won’t give you the answer. Ask yourself, are you a better communicator and empathizer or technical systemizer? You can take our (free) EQ SQ tests and find out. These career aptitude tests don’t pretend to be crystal balls and won’t proclaim the title of your next job. Nevertheless, they will give you insight into the kind of career or education most suited for your personality. The rest is up to you.

Biased, yes–but only because it makes sense.

Sources:
• The Drew Carey Show Career Aptitude Test
• What’s Your Life’s Purpose? College911express
• The Complete Aptitude Test, 3SmartCubes
• Aptitude, Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

About the author
Katrina Boydon is a systemizing female with empathizing traits. She is as likely to be found crying over a sad film as balancing her bank account to the last cent.

Career discrimination on the basis of gender has been illegal for decades. These days, we see women entering previously male (and highly paid) professions in droves. But average wages are still stubbornly different. Why?

Oddly enough, a concession introduced in some countries precisely so that women can pursue a career may also be one reason why women are paid less.

Maternity Leave Career Theory
Employer sanctified maternity leave allows women to take time out and then return to their previous job. In theory, this gives women the best of both worlds. A new Mom can take from six months to a year satisfying the (very real) need to bond with her new baby. After that she can return to her job to (continue to) satisfy her career ambitions. In Europe a long maternity leave is the norm. It’s possible to become a “maman” or a “mum” and pursue a career. Women are not forced to quit their jobs to have children thus putting themselves at a disadvantage when trying to re-enter the workforce later. Seems ideal. Or does it?

Maternity Leave Career Practice
Unfortunately things don’t seem to work out quite like that. Newsweek International reports that the percentage of top jobs held by women in the USA is about 45%, while in Britain the percentage is 33%. How is this possible when Europe, unlike the States, has those apparently career-friendly maternity arrangements? Newsweek comments that Europe is “killing its women with kindness”. Many women who take advantage of the long maternity leave (and other maternity benefits) never really start climbing the career ladder again. Perhaps it’s common sense that men and women with the same job title are paid differently simply because the man hasn’t taken time out and is, therefore, more experienced.

Maternity Leave Career Conundrum
It could be that, whatever the law says, women really have to choose between children and a career. Perhaps taking a year (or several years, for several children) out of the workforce, however good the maternity benefits, means that top-paying positions are out of reach. Is that unreasonable? Probably, not. Would any sensible employer promote a man into a top management position, and/or give him large pay raises, if that man took random years out of his career? Of course not. So why should women have their cake and eat it, too?

It is possible for women to have children and and a successful career, but no one says it’s easy. Unless Moms are able and willing to cut the maternity leave, or work and be a mother at the same time, they might just have to be satisfied with a smaller piece of the pie.

Sources:
• Forget all the talk of equal opportunity. European women can have a job—but not a career. By Rana Foroohar, Newsweek International

About the author
Katrina Boydon is a systemizing female with empathizing traits. She is as likely to be found crying over a sad film as balancing her bank account to the last cent.