It also doesnt hurt that when a college interviewer asks the average female (at a well-known good college) if “they believe they should end womens suffrage” and most of them say “yes” then it’s kind of a self reinforcing point.
k-calculi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > bromion Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Serious response here, even though I know that > > isn’t as much fun. I think there are a few > > reasons: > > > > 1) Discrimination is real > > 2) Finance is a pretty solitary activity > relative > > to some other careers (for example, there is > very > > little peer interaction in research), and most > > women seem to like more social interaction in > > their jobs > > 3) It’s easier to make a girl cry, so there are > > cultural issues at some firms. The place I work > > doesn’t hire girls, for example, because they > > would probably cry all the time (I’ve seen some > of > > the dudes cry as well, so that isn’t supposed > to > > be a sexist comment, it’s just a brutal place > to > > work). Nobody wants to make a girl cry. > > 4) Hard to get into the industry, hard to get > back > > in if you exit. The mom factor. > > > Well summarized although I disagree about the > crying. Are you a woman?
jcole21 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think this summarizes the situation. http://johnglenntaylor.blogspot.com/2009/06/66-panels-why-chicks-cry.html
So it’s safe to assume then that the number of women in Finance is decreasing because: a) Feminism insecurities b) Lack of melons c) Questionable grammar d) All of the above e) Other reasons I like (b).
d i’ll add another reason being that a lot of women want to work in finance to meet rich guys. once they get married they don’t have a reason to stick around and put up w/ the bs at work - they get enough of it at home.
Discrimination against women in the top professional fields is very real and still rampant. All you have to do is look at the stats and see the statistical significance / variance. Besides that point, I agree with bromion’s initial post. Certain sectors in the finance world do not hire women because they are perceived to be more emotional. This is not to mention the baby factor and everything else associated with womanhood (i.e. objectification, perceived as “weak,” “inferior” etc.). This thread is an example, as well as any other thread in AF - someone is almost always attacked for being a woman and/or objectified, which is indicative of the real world except people will not voice it as much as here. The hard part of it is how women, under the “law,” have equal rights, but in reality, this is obviously not true. Just like how in the civil rights days we had “separate but equal” treatment towards African Americans, we still have that in present day against women (sports anyone?). I don’t think we’ll ever go through a period in which BOTH women and men would be on the same playing field. It’s so ingrained that women are inferior in multiple ways that despite the laws that protect women from discrimination, it’s human nature to act otherwise. This is not to mention the other “burdens” of being a woman: 1. It’s a sin if you’re not beautiful. People, especially men, treat you like crap. 2. Double shift = work at home, work at work. Work all the time. 3. Expectation to put everyone else before yourself because you are the “nurturer” 4. Womanly cycles, childbirth. Enough said. 5. Most of the world is patriarchal, including the U.S.
Ocean Mist Sup girl?
^Trying to keep it real and true to my thuglife ways. 
Yourself? Been seeing threads dedicated to you, good job my friend.
AM would make chad dedicate the forum to you Ocean, if you’d just let him in… Ha - I said let him in.
I am simply a humble servant in the court of qqqbeee
Some areas of finance are better than others for women. Asset management, research etc - far friendlier than corp finance or trading. There’s a reasonable % of women in funds management and investment consulting where incidentally turnover is much lower. One of the benefits of being female at junior and mid level, is that you are much easier to place (heard this repeatedly from a number of recruiters). I’ve never found it very hard to get good roles, even with no prior exp.
If the comments on this thread remotely reflect underlying attitudes and realities, it sounds to me like women as well as men face way too much BS in the workplace. So I guess I “get it” better now - the chances of me pursuing a further career in the US rather than the European finance sector are pretty low if the cards are stacked this way. I see a business model in recruiting highly qualified female candidates away from the US.
jcole21 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > k-calculi Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- … > > Well summarized although I disagree about the > > crying. > > > Are you a woman? Sure am. I take it you are too???
If you’re a girl here on AnalystForum, you’d best stick with a non-girlish username, like I do. Good luck with your European career, SheFa. Mehdi
Thanks Mehdi. I´m doing pretty well for myself. I have always wanted to work in different countries, for no other reason than a sense of adventure and in order to seek out relevant professional clusters. The US Bay Area has been on my list. Fortunately, my network there now includes that bastion of professionalism and integrity, Bromion. I have no desire to pose as a guy, nor do I think its helpful for other women in finance. I got my charter a few years back and can do without the forum. My main reason to be here now is to get a feel of women´s professional outlook in the US. If I did not care about giving up respect, professional challenges and career opportunities I might as well get a gig at an Ozzie beach bar. But surely it´s not all that bad out there in real life? My side of the pond, I keep getting professional communication that starts with Dear Sir and some take me for a secretary until I open my mouth. But that´s about it. I have outpaced my male peers, though perhaps not on an effort-adjusted basis. I also received decent job offers along the way, albeit mostly from people who have seen my work. My CV does seem to evaporate somehow upon formal applications. Long story short; Lacking certain genitals has not been much of a handicap for me thus far. If it is likely to be so in the US, then the gentlemen there can keep playing amongst themselves. Why make it my problem? Good luck though!
@ek82 - Why do you think junior/mid level women are easier to place? What happens beyond mid level? Is this when women hit their thirties and are put in the “will probably spawn and leave” pile?
@SheFA, You remind me of the female former MD at GS that wrote a white paper on women in the workplace. I am going to try and find it.
SheFA Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If the comments on this thread remotely reflect > underlying attitudes and realities, it sounds to > me like women as well as men face way too much BS > in the workplace. So I guess I “get it” better now > - the chances of me pursuing a further career in > the US rather than the European finance sector are > pretty low if the cards are stacked this way. I > see a business model in recruiting highly > qualified female candidates away from the US. People here aren’t sexist - they are poking fun because you’re taking this a bit too seriously.
Asset_M: Thanks for that. Jacki Zehner & Co´s report implies that if only there were much more women in finance, we would not be in this mess, drawing on various observations and studies to support that view. I would say there is way too little data to reach such far-reaching conclusions. There is, however, enough data to debunk the view that women underperform relative to men. And I would second the view that a male dominated environment can in some instances create suboptimal environments for high stakes decision making (“it´s brutal (…) I have seen blokes cry” - how can that be good for performance?). My angle is a more selfish one: if I am going to seriously consider a transfer to the US, I want to know I will get a fair deal even though I am *gasp* female. This is obviously not a good place to try and find out, but what is? Except actually relocating and seeing for myself. @Ohai - I realise I´m doing a Peggy Olsen here and that I am getting low forum cred amongst the boys for that. And that as mentioned the AF cave is a far from perfect arena to poke into the issue. But it actually is a serious matter for me, and seemingly for other AF women as well. I´d be interested to hear more from the women out here. What are your experiences in the US or elsewhere? Ocean Mist´s account was both de- and impressive. It was also interesting to hear that fund management and investment consulting appear to be more welcoming. More nuggets of wisdom? Asset_M: I promise you will get cred from your boss if you ask her with an open mind about this stuff and show genuine interest. Then enlighten us 