How to have a fulfilling career: Don’t base your job hunt on traditional expectations, experts say

Think that gender roles in the workplace are breaking down? Think again. But experts say this can actually open up opportunities for workers who don’t base their career on traditional expectations.

Gender segregation persists in Australian industries despite employers’ efforts to balance their workforces and increase diversity.

Workplace Gender Equality Agency research reveals six out of 10 Australians still work in a job that is dominated by one gender but men and women are encouraged not to limit their career options based on traditional expectations.

Those who do may be missing out on a fulfilling career and often there are benefits to being in the minority, as employers look for ways to boost innovation. The research shows there has been “very little movement” in gender segregation in the past five years, with only the professional, scientific and technical services sector changing from male-dominated to mixed, and the information media and telecommunications sector changing from mixed to male-dominated.

MORE: Data-driven teams and productivity to define future work

MORE: Apprenticeships sit vacant across Australia

More males are needed in schools to combat gender segregation. Picture: iStock

Education and training has become even more female-dominated than it was five years ago, despite employers placing increasing emphasis on workplace diversity.

WGEA data shows almost 75 per cent of employers have an overall gender equality strategy or policy.

Career Development Association of Australia spokeswoman Rebecca Fraser says there are benefits to pursuing a career in a sector dominated by the opposite gender.

“There is such a push for organisations to have diversity targets,” she says. “When I first studied IT, there were very few women and I knew there was a high chance of me getting a job.

“It can absolutely help you, because you are bringing (a new perspective).

“Through diversity we get innovation … and that’s what businesses need to advance in the future.”

Rebecca Fraser says diversity encourages innovation. Picture: Paul Loughnan

Fraser says gender stereotypes will always exist but more people are understanding that they can step outside of traditional expectations.

To balance the workforce, WGEA reveals more men are needed in healthcare and social assistance (80 per cent women) and education and training (63.6 per cent women), while more women are needed in mining (83.3 per cent men), construction (83 per cent men), public administration and safety (79.4 per cent men) and electricity, gas, water and waste services (75.2 per cent men).

Leadership and workplace consultancy Orgonomix director Joan Lurie knows what it is like to be in the minority, as a woman in a leadership position.

She says courage is the key to working in a sector or role dominated by the opposite gender.

“(It requires courage) to step into that role and take on the system,” she says.

“I think you can wire yourself for courage but … to have courage you have got to see the system you are stepping into and make a conscious choice about whether you want to take that on.

“You either are a member of the system and keep to the status quo or you deliberately step up as a challenger of the system.”

Jinmi Song has worked in both female-dominated and male-dominated roles. Picture: Richard Walker

TAFE Queensland student Jinmi Song left her career as a beautician to work on trucks as an apprentice mechanic.

She had always been interested in mechanics but didn’t have the opportunity to pursue it in Korea.

“I wasn’t able to work in male-dominated industry like here,” she says.

“Some people are curious and ask me ‘Can you lift a tyre up?’. Yes I can do it!

“It does not matter if you work with men or women, your mind is important.”

READ MORE EMPLOYMENT NEWS IN THE CAREERS SECTION OF SATURDAY’S THE COURIER-MAIL, THE ADVERTISER, THE HERALD SUN AND THE DAILY TELEGRAPH