Gender Identity and Career Decision-Making
Examining several aspects can help to examine the idea that employment decisions are directly tied to gender identity. Socialization and cultural standards frequently influence individuals’ professional choices, with individuals conforming to established gender roles. This is exemplified by the underrepresentation of women in STEM disciplines and males in nursing and elementary teaching. Gender identity and stereotypes can have an impact on self-efficacy and confidence in pursuing various jobs (Lv et al., 2022). When it comes to majors, males and females often have different perspectives. Women may prioritize majors related to interpersonal skills or caregiving tasks, whereas majors connected with leadership or technical skills may be prioritized by males. This demonstrates how societal gender roles can influence major selection.
Gender specialization can shape students’ opinions of what is deemed conventional or proper for their gender, which can influence their career aspirations. For example, suppose society perpetuates the impression that particular vocations, such as engineering, are traditionally male-dominated. In that case, it may discourage females from pursuing these disciplines owing to a perceived lack of belonging. Also, the presence of male and female role models can have a substantial impact on a student’s decision to major or pursue a job (Agoes Salim et al., 2023). Having role models who violate established gender standards might inspire students to investigate additional possibilities and feel more confident in their decisions, thus widening their career horizons.
Gender prejudice in specific majors and career routes has long been a problem. Women have historically been underrepresented in STEM professions such as engineering and computer science due to various societal and institutional issues. While there has been progress in addressing gender bias over the previous decade, inequities persist, although to various degrees, between areas and institutions. Initiatives like promoting diversity and inclusion, fostering mentorship programs, and confronting preconceptions have helped to eliminate bias. However, full parity across all professional routes and majors is still a work in progress.
References
Agoes Salim, R. M., Istiasih, M. R., Rumalutur, N. A., & Biondi Situmorang, D. D. (2023). The role of career decision self-efficacy as a mediator of peer support on students’ career adaptability. Heliyon, 9(4), e14911. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14911
Lv, B., Wang, J., Zheng, Y., Peng, X., & Ping, X. (2022). Gender differences in high school students’ STEM career expectations: An analysis based on multi‐group structural equation model. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 59(10), 1739–1764. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21772
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Question 
Gender Identity and Career Decision-Making
According to the text, career decision-making is closely linked to gender identity. What evidence can students bring to an evaluation of this claim? Do males and females differ in how they evaluate a major? What aspects of gender socialization might influence a student’s career aspirations? How does the presence of male or female role models influence a student’s decision to pursue a major or a career? Are you aware of gender bias in specific majors or career paths? Has this changed over the last 10 years?