Where are recruiters more likely to click? A man’s LinkedIn profile or a woman’s profile? What did they see to find out more potential candidates? Let’s find out…
Gender inequality in the workforce has been a topic of active discussion for years. It’s hard to imagine, but even 20 years ago, the percentage of women who had leading positions was 40% lower than nowadays. Now women have more chances to become prospective bosses, but these chances are still lower than for male candidates. But competition between genders during the job search is still high, and official stats prove it.
Every year LinkedIn releases a new Gender Insights Report to spread awareness on how women and men engage with jobs differently on the platform. The data shows that recruiters choose male profiles 13% more than they click on female ones. It’s funny because most women work as recruiters, but they see more potential candidates than men. Let’s find out what causes this inequality and what every woman should do to get noticed by employers.
A recruiting strategy needs improvement
Many talent acquisition specialists report that they are achieving gender parity during recruiting. But Linkedin insights data will not prove this. However, the data taken from each Linkedin profile can help a hiring manager to adjust their recruiting strategy to their goals.
A data-driven sourcing strategy is the only one that can make the recruiter make the right hiring decisions. First of all, the Human Resources Team must understand the current gender split of the company before starting its candidate research. Then one should determine how diverse one’s organization’s workforce is compared with the industry.
There is a lack of diversity in many companies
95% of job seekers do company research before agreeing to get hired. It is critical for an employer’s brand to be a company that supports diversity in any way possible. But there are still many companies who don’t take tolerance of minorities as their priority. The truth is that companies lose many qualified talents with their presumptuous attitude to minorities. So, developing a diversity-friendly employer brand must be in the primary interest of modern companies.
Employer brands are significant for people of all genders. Companies should show how diverse their working team is on corporate SMM pages. It will also be a big plus if they highlight female workers who are in leadership positions. They could serve as role models for female job applicants.
Women differ from men in their career decisions
Men and women are equally interested in new job opportunities. They will both try to get professional help at the cv writing service to ensure they will land an interview. Male and female candidates are also on the same page with their interest in the company’s culture.
But the fact that gender impacts the candidate’s journey is undeniable. According to Linkedin insights, women are 16% less likely than men to apply for a job after viewing it. To accept the job offer, women feel they need to meet 100% of the criteria, while men usually use it after completing about 60%. This could signify that recruiters prefer male candidates to females.
Recruiting firms have their KPIs, and they will prefer a candidate who makes up their mind fast, not the only one who’s weighing pros and cons for a long time. Men are 16% more decisive than women in career issues. That is why they may achieve more success while applying for a job via Linkedin.
Women ask for a referral less than men
Referrals are considered to be the top source of hire for many companies. And, for many people, it is the easiest way to get hired. You need to have a job contact that can recommend you as a potential employee. This method also lets you avoid the applicant tracking system because referrals are always on the top of a recruiter’s list.
However, women are 26% less likely than men to ask for a referral to a job they’re interested in — even when they know a specific person at the company. They prefer traditional ways of job application, and gender inequality makes them a lot of obstacles on their career path.
How to deal with gender inequality on Linkedin
Companies who want a strong team and a good image on the job market must fight gender inequality at the workplace and during the application process. The HR department and senior management should fix everything that damages the employer’s brand. Otherwise, highly qualified job applicants will prefer to cooperate with competitors that have never spoiled their reputation with gender inequality issues.
A shallow internet search will show you all the employer’s scandals. As social media has evolved as a means of communication, exposing any violation of employee rules is a piece of cake. The company owner should track all brand mentions on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin to detect any possible issues.
To fight the initial selection inclination, companies should implement incognito hiring and remove main identifiers from job seekers’ applications. Recruiters should also search for candidates on LinkedIn without looking at the candidate’s profile photo. It’s possible if they apply specific parameters in their search settings.
Conclusion
Both men and women put much effort into job applications. All people want to get employed on equal rules. However, gender bias still makes job employment more complicated for women, especially on LinkedIn. If recruiters don’t make their hiring decisions based on their qualifications and work experience, their employer’s brand will be ruined.
