A Growth Mindset Can Increase Career Options for Females

Do you have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset? How about others you encounter, whether you're a parent, teacher, counselor, or career coach? Have you noticed if some are more open to trying new things than others?

What is a fixed mindset? According to Stanford University psychologist and author Carol Dweck, a fixed mindset occurs an individual believes intelligence is a fixed trait and are therefore more likely to avoid challenging tasks. Those with a growth mindset believe their abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work.

How can a fixed mindset negatively impact someone's success? A fixed mindset can prevent a student from enrolling in certain classes and programs and ultimately limit his or her career options as a result.

Negative stereotypes abound about female's math and science skills. How many times have you heard, "Boys are better at math and science than girls?" Many folks believe that either you have math and science ability or you don't. You're either born with it or you're not. You're either born with it or not. The fact is you can learn those skills! Studies have been conducted where before a math test a teacher tells the students that boys typically do better on math tests than females and studies where teachers don't tell students that before a test. When students are told that males typically do better at math tests, the female students don't do as well. When students aren't told that before a test, both males and females perform about the same on those math tests.

What can you do? Encourage your children and female students to explore classes they may not have considered. Help increase their confidence level by making them aware that math and science skills can be developed. Praise effort, not intelligence. Many studies have been done that show this simple act can greatly impact students in a positive way.

The Importance of Gender Diversity in the Workplace

Today I'm presenting a webinar for a community college in Virginia on how to increase recruitment and retention of males and females in classes/programs that prepare them for nontraditional careers. Nontraditional careers are those where one gender makes up less than 25% of those employed in that field or occupation. So why is gender diversity important?

Gender diversity helps build a diverse workforce. Females and males bring different talents, different ways of thinking and problem-solving to the workplace. All of these things are valuable to a company. Nontraditional careers typically pay 20 to 30% higher wages than the traditional jobs many women pursue which can help females achieve a high socioeconomic status. It's important to base career choice on interest and aptitude not gender stereotypes. For some males, a career in the service or helping field may bring greater career satisfaction. And, some females may find working in a nontraditional career a better fit for them.