Sexism in the workplace

[bsodmike]

As i said above, all the jobs iv applied for are Automotive based, a course which i have been on for 4 years now and ultimately is 95% male based. This is just why i was so surprised to find such a 50:50 level in the workplace.

In Leeds, my first 2-years were the EEE course, while in the 3rd year I picked a few modules such as Optoelectronics, fibre communications and a few other embedded modules with FPGAs and MCUs to obtain the title "Electronic and Computer Engineering" - long story short, we had less then 5 girls on the course, and my memory is quite fuzzy here cause some looked like guys ...or ...well, just very hairy girls (I think one had a moustache). The ratio here was quite easily (girl:boy) 1: 25

*shudder*

The Masters was a bit better as there were some actual 'easily identifiable' girls and the ratio here was ~ 1:10 and a much smaller group of students as well. There was one girl I met though, she had beauty and the brains to boot and was definitely operating at a different "level" than most of us...now that was well rare.

[bsodmike]

it just shows how important getting experience is really...

Indeed

I'm also in a rather particular conundrum. My nationality is against me and I have yet one more barrier... the fun of VISAs. I also cannot work for NASA, and do not believe CERN lets on random nationalities either. Some may feel the above two organisations do not fit well under "robotics", but mechatronics does tend to overlap many fields in science/engineering.

I excel at calculus (vector calc), linear algebra, and a few other bits n' bobs...along with an unhealthy love of physics and mathematics; for a while I have been pondering my only real alternative - move onto getting that PhD.

My Professor at King's wanted me to start on the PhD program in Sept 2009; as the department has a rather unforeseen future I decided to return home for the time being. I guess I may have to take a serious look at this option if nothing pans out. Mom keeps blaming me for having a 'negative' attitude, and I argue that I'm simply being practical rather than giving into my pessimistic nature.

[tiggerai]

I'd do the education while you can...

I'd love to do a masters but I just can't see it being financially viable for another 6-10 years now

I started from the bottom and worked my way up... it's the only way... the good thing is that if you've got a degree and some gumption, then you'll move up the ranks a lot quicker than your average joe

[Bugbait]

Apply for jobs you feel are "beneath you", although you might hit the "overqualified" brick wall too. Any sensible employer knows experience trumps paper credentials so try to get practical experience, even if it's for free or peanuts. My first full time job out of University was so simple and brain numbing a 10 year old could do it and still be bored.

[Ruggerbugger]

I'm just offering him advice to 'get head'. Is there something wrong with that?

I guess you mean getting "ahead". Advice on getting "head" probably belongs in a different forum

[SeriousSam]

One piece of advice I'd give is to ensure that you appear to have kept busy when not studying or working, even if its just community work or going trekking somewhere remote. It helps if it is related to your chosen profession, but if not it still shows that you are someone that isn't happy with just sitting on their behind. Prospective employers view candidates just as much on how they approach not having things to do as they performed in their degree or last job.

In terms of choosing the right candidate for a job then the only things that should matter are how well they could do it and fit in with the company / team etc. Ironically the latter is where being male or female can come into play, as will other things such as your age as they impact on how you would go about doing your job within the company structure. Being older than 30 and male actually worked in my favour when I applied for my current job with Cadbury. Not because they were actively looking to balance their male to female ratio (even though women outnumber men 2 to 3-1 within Science & Technology*), but because it will be easier for me to get certain things done. Just as the girls in the team will find it easier than me getting other jobs done.

*Oh and yes being surrounded by intelligent, attractive women all day is really hard work

[yamangman]

I took on our first female employee on Nov 1st. Did the fact she was female bring some element to the decision, I have to say yes, certainly it did. She had little experience in the field of work she applied for too. However she was also friendly and good natured, had an excellent degree in a mathmehatical discipline from a reputable university, was logically minded and had a proven record of hard work and self-management, primary qualities I would look for in all candidates irrespective of gender and experience. She was our eleventh employee. I can't speak for the recruitment of other companies but I know many people who run businesses of their own and almost all have more male employees than female. You may be able to argue a case of positive discrimination but even so, in the field I am referring to at any rate, I really don't think you will find an unrepresentative bias toward employing females.

[garbage456]

this is just wrong, sexism should not be allowed, even worse is "positive sexism" which the Tories were talking about doing at the next election.

[SeriousSam]

Whilst I agree that choosing or not choosing someone merely on the basis of sex is wrong, there is no reason that it cannot form part of a well reasoned decision. The world is an imperfect place and sometimes you just have to accept that and deal with it accordingly. It would be a brave decision to put a woman in charge of a middle eastern office, just as much as it would putting a man in charge of an outreach programme for battered wives.