The Harris Women’s Network (HWN) held a quarterly roundtable on May 4, 2023, to discuss women’s approach to the job search. Several articles1,2 were used to prompt discussion during the event.
Participants were divided into small groups to discuss the readings. Attendees cited Harvard Business Review’s, “Why Women Don’t Apply for Jobs Unless They’re 100% Qualified,” about the perspective that women are taught early on to be “rule followers” and how this may prevent them from pursuing certain types of jobs. Northwestern Mutual’s, “How I Built a Successful Career by Following the ‘Rule of Thirds’,” suggested a method for combatting this mindset.
“We learned that women may opt out of the process at the beginning of the funnel instead of going through the process and showcasing their experience, aptitude and ability. One study we reviewed stated that women applied to 20% fewer jobs than men,” said Katie Gerdes, managing director, marketing and client relations. “I especially enjoyed the discussions about what we can do at Harris Associates to encourage people to apply for roles that might be considered a stretch.”
1Harvard Business Review: “Why Women Don’t Apply for Jobs Unless They’re 100% Qualified“
2Northwestern Mutual: “How I Built a Successful Career By Following the ‘Rule of Thirds’”
