Why Women Don’t Apply For Jobs Unless They Are 100% Qualified

The belief that women apply for jobs only when meeting 100% of the qualifications compared to men applying at 60% has echoed across industries, often attributed to a lack of confidence. However, a closer look reveals a different story.

Surveying over a thousand North American professionals, the reasons for not applying for a job didn’t revolve primarily around confidence. Surprisingly, both men and women cited similar deterrents, with over 40% expressing concern about not meeting qualifications and the potential waste of time. The misconception wasn’t about their ability to perform but rather the assumption that qualifications were rigid prerequisites for hiring.

How gender constraints women's workplace growth 

This misconception stems from several factors. For women, societal conditioning to adhere to rules and the historical necessity of meeting strict qualifications to enter the workforce play significant roles. Furthermore, workplace biases often require women to fulfil more qualifications than men, as observed in McKinsey's report on hiring practices favouring potential in men and experience in women.

Women are born into a patriarchal society where we are taught, as we all are, to view the world from a male perspective. As we grow older, we tend to discover that everything we’ve ever known, the traditions we’ve succumbed to, and the habits that we inherit are based on the social constructs of gender roles and stereotypes.

By sharing the success stories of your female employees, or other minority groups that are underrepresented in the workplace, you will begin to promote a positive brand image and increase the attraction for women, the BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) & POC community, the LGBTQ+ community, and all those who are disproportionately represented.

The analogy drawn to motherhood highlights the inherent capacity within individuals to take on new challenges, even without prior experience. This challenges the belief that one must fulfil all criteria before pursuing a job opportunity.

Ultimately, the emphasis should shift from rigid qualifications to advocacy, relationship-building, and the ability to frame existing skills to showcase future potential. Encouraging candidates, particularly women, to perceive job qualifications as flexible rather than stringent prerequisites can unlock a broader spectrum of opportunities.

The perception of job qualifications as strict guidelines persists, leading to application hesitancy. However, it's crucial to realise that the hiring process isn't as by-the-book as assumed. Decisions often hinge on relationships, advocacy, and creative framing rather than strict adherence to qualifications.

Yet, a fundamental yet impactful measure involves raising awareness within your recruitment team regarding potential unconscious biases in their search approaches. Simply surfacing this information and initiating discussions about bias can significantly alter how they navigate search results, ultimately shaping a more diverse and inclusive hiring pipeline.

As a final point, these issues must be recognised by all. This isn’t a women’s issue that only women can solve. Educating and training employees and managers and championing equal rights across the business will lead to a more inclusive and diverse culture in your organization.

Views expressed by the author are their own