Diversity Issues in Career Development

Gender

From the moment a child is born, a powerful and pervasive socialization process occurs in which girls and boys begin to learn what is expected and socially acceptable behavior based on their gender. This socialization process influences the type of play, leisure, and academic activities children tend to engage in and the development of children's schemas of appropriate gender roles. In addition, this socialization influences how individuals in the child's life will interact with the child and the types of behaviors that are reinforced. Researchers indicate that by the time children are 8 years old, they have developed a sense of what occupations are acceptable and unacceptable for their gender. Thus, children's experiences and gender role schemas have an impact on the types of occupations they consider as adolescents and young adults (e.g., nurse for women, doctor for men).

In the adult years, gender socialization continues to affect the career development of men and women in significant ways. For example, women who are employed outside of the house often struggle with balancing multiple roles and might feel that their roles and responsibilities at work and home are in direct conflict with one another. On the other hand, men may experience immense pressure to achieve at work and to be the main breadwinner for the family. The stress to be successful and to provide for the family to maintain a certain lifestyle may influence the types of career and positions that men consider appropriate. In addition, because a man's personal identity may be highly associated with his work, a man's psychological well-being may be at risk in the event of job loss or underachievement in the work setting. Though changing social norms and work opportunities have lead to an increase in the number of women entering traditionally male-dominated occupations (and to a lesser extent men entering female-dominated occupations), the impact that gender socialization has on career development continues to be a significant source of influence in the career selections and satisfaction of both men and women.

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