Vanessa
I want to know how exactly we can get more women in more male dominated careers, such as police, forensics, or first responders?
#career #women #women-in-business #law-enforcement
3 answers
Vanessa Sosa
Vanessa’s Answer
If a women wants to her career in a male dominated career being fearless is the first step. To not be afraid of going after what they want. Its not impossible it's a challenge to go after what you want and how bad you want it
Kim Igleheart
Kim’s Answer
or construction, engineering, garbage collectors, politics, law? I think perhaps you are too narrowly focused on protective services. Women have made major in-roads in the fields just mentioned. Perhaps the shift work, or the nature of the job, just does not appeal to that many women. I know that when I was in law enforcement, women did not stay long, and, I noticed a trend where many of them went into healthcare (rules out the shift-work theory, huh?). Is it so wrong to recognize that many (not all) women are in fact driven by a maternal/nurturing instinct and perhaps want nothing to do with chases, burning buildings, and playing with lights and sirens? We should be asking the flip question: How can we get more men into social services, teaching, and nursing? Perhaps when little boys see role models in traditionally female jobs, and little girls see role models in traditionally male jobs, things might start to change. It's a slow process.
Divya Pai
Divya’s Answer
To answer your question if you are interested in the careers listed above I would ask you to start with stop classifying the career based on gender.
There is always going to be first in all field. Is it a easy task ? Well if you are determined and keen in what you want to do its definitely not going to be that tough. A large part of our mindset is formed based on our societal culture. Its not easy to change opinions overnight and get yourself accepted but is the opinion formed on gender of any significance to you? There is nothing much one can do about their gender so I would say it is of no significance to me.
To get more girls into industries with majority men employee I believe we girls need to start seeing the world and industries as ours.
In my 7plus years of career in Networking Industry I have come across people who support and oppose me for different reason and none of these reasons might be true to who you actually are!! Most people see you the way they understand their world!. why do you need to carry the load of some one else's differences. If you are good at something then I would say your gender doesn't form a barrier.
Once you have made up your mind to take up the career and people see your ability trust me people will support you irrespective of your gender. But it all starts with our mindset. so lets be the change than expecting the world to change for us.
Let people have their opinion of you but let it not stop you from going for what you want.
All the best!