One reason for the gender gap in the workplace could be that men simply get offered critical, “hot jobs,” more often than women. And it’s these opportunities that ultimately boost their careers. A new study by the research firm Catalyst, which focuses on expanding opportunities for women in business, finds that “men reported leading projects with bigger budgets (more than twice the size of women’s), larger teams (more than three times as many staff), that posed higher risk to the company (30% of men vs. 22% of women), and had more C-suite visibility (35% of men vs. 26% of women).” Bottom line, these types of experiences and exposure lead to bigger roles and opportunities within companies for men, according to the study. What to do? The research notes that managing for profit and loss, a budget over $10 million, and having direct reports are all job characteristics that more men possess and are rewarded for… with more opportunity. One way to bridge the gap, strive for opportunities that fit those criteria. Here’ a link to the Catalyst report.
