Where are the women? follow this blog post

posted by Dave Staats on Oct. 17, 2007

Question from a female client hiring manager.......

Totally miscellaneous thought?where are the women?  Did you notice that all the candidates you have sent have been male?  That?s odd, don?t you think? 

 

Totally miscellaneous response?.you tell me J    Ever since Martin Marietta offered me a bonus for women and African Americans back in '86 my response then and ever since has been I will refer all qualified candidates without regard (and sometimes without even knowing) whether they fit any particular groups.   I have not seen the ratio of the two large groups I deal with change much over 22 years. Those being highly cleared highly technical engineers in DC area and very technical traveling consultants. If you look at everyone I have ever spoken with over the years I?d guess the AA group is slightly less than the population percentage but the women are dramatically less. I have some useless ideas about why that is but no idea whether they are right.

 

I know this is much more of an answer than you expected and probably wanted but I am almost surprised at the question. Do YOU know a place where I can find all the women I am not seeing?  I think ,of the 70 people I placed with Dan at FormerClientCo only 4 were women.

 

So bottom line?It is VERY odd but it has been so odd for me for so long it has become my norm?

 

And thanks for the question. I needed something for my blog this week. I?ll redact the names and use this?. D.

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•  Dave Staats

  1 point 2 years ago

  Rachel: I can assure you that,in the industries I work, this just does not apply. It just does not compute that we are rejecting the talent we are seeking. If "women seeking women" works for you I say AMEN. I think striving for "women doing it better" might be more effective... I support both.. D.

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•  Rachel Schneider

  1 point 2 years ago

  Well, if they are like me and many of my associates - sitting in offices trying to run businesses. The male dominated firms largely rejected us and our talent - so we went off on our own.

  Of course, I find the same kind of attitude in vendor engagement. I don't want any "certifications" and charity set asides. I want to be selected as a result of my capability. Of course if women owned businesses would work with other women owned businesses it might empower us to move forward more rapidly.

  My two cents.

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•  Deborah Jones

  1 point 2 years ago

  If asked, where are the women? or where are the purple wiggles? just say, "and your point is...?"

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•  Deborah Jones

  1 point 2 years ago

  If asked, where are the women? or where are the purple wiggles? just say, "and your point is...?"

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