Women tend to be judged on their performance, not their potential: here’s how to advocate for yourself
by Stephanie Eckelkamp
There’s no shortage of invisible barriers women face in the workplace—from the pay gap to unequal mentoring opportunities to not fitting society’s prototype of what an “ideal employee” looks like...which, in high-power fields, is often a white, career-driven, alpha male.
And, as it turns out, the way some hiring managers and supervisors evaluate a person’s worthiness of a job, a promotion, or a raise can be skewed based on sex, too. Often, without them even realizing it (we call that unconscious bias, folks).
But don’t just take our word for it. There’s a body of research that backs this up. Here’s some of the latest, plus how you can get ahead anyway.
What the research says.
According to a recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, men and women applying for managerial positions are held to much different standards. Specifically, men seem to be judged largely based on their leadership potential, and women are often evaluated on their prior work performance.
For the study, 200 people were told they’d be reviewing resumes for a director of financial affairs position at a tech company. Each study participant reviewed 4 resumes total: Two from women, two from men. For each sex, one resume highlighted the man or woman’s prior work performance, while the other emphasized their leadership potential. Each resume also included a short recommendation from a previous employer or colleague highlighting the candidate’s performance or leadership potential.
What the researchers found: Men were seen as more qualified and impressive if their resumes emphasized leadership potential, while women were seen as more qualified and impressive if they demonstrated higher job performance.
One reason this is a tad frustrating? It essentially implies that men have a bit more leeway to screw up and still climb their way into top leadership roles, as long as they have traits that suggest a bright future. On the other hand, women’s prior work experiences and accomplishments are put under much more of a microscope and must often be deemed “good enough” for them to advance, regardless of their leadership qualities.
Equally frustrating is that it’s not just an even swap—meaning, a woman’s great performance is typically not viewed as “equal” to a man’s great potential. In fact, a woman’s performance would have to be at least as good as the men’s she’s competing against, and even so, she would still “be held to higher standards in the selection process, because their leadership potential would be less likely to be recognized than men's," the study’s authors wrote.
This, of course, puts women who strive to ascend to leadership roles at a disadvantage, and it may be one factor contributing to the fact that women hold only 10% of top management positions in S&P 1500 companies, according to Pew Research Center.
How you can advocate for yourself.
So what’s an ambitious gal to do? First, unclench your fists and take a breath.
In order for this unconscious bias to truly become a non-issue, hiring managers need to be aware that it’s even a thing, recognize it, and actively seek to change their behavior. So it’s not totally in your hands. The good news: There are some strategies that can help you prep for a big meeting and convince the higher-ups that you’re the woman for the job.
Spoiler: You need to effectively convey your performance and leadership and growth potential without feeling weird about it. Meaning, it’s time to get comfortable tooting your own horn—which often feels foreign and uncomfortable to women.
1. Be honest about your accomplishments. / or Resist the urge to downplay your success.
If you’re going to be judged largely on your performance, you have to talk up your performance like champ. But women notoriously undersell themselves and have a hard time taking credit. In fact, a study found that men rate their performance 33% higher than equally performing women—and they tend to get promoted at a higher rate, too.
Keep in mind: You don’t have to boast or brag, but you should actively fight the urge to sell yourself short. If this feels icky, consider this mindset shift from Tara Mohr, a career coach and author of Playing Big: Don’t view it as self-promotion, but rather, view it as making your accomplishments, talents, and skills more visible. After all, why would you keep something hidden that could potentially help business thrive?
To prep, compile a document with specific examples of your accomplishments, experiences, awards, and aspirations before your big meeting or interview, and think about how you’d explain each without falling into the “...but it was really no big deal” trap. In a Fast Company article, Mohr recommends steering clear of the following self-sabotaging behaviors:
Don’t rationalize away past successes so they seem less meaningful (i.e. let go of the idea that you accomplished something “by chance” or that you “fell into” spearheading a project because someone left).
Don’t give credit to other members on your team for a project without fully acknowledging your own role.
Don’t have more to say about areas of a project where you fell short than the parts you absolutely crushed.
Don’t fail to mention those extra hours you spent on a project, or that extra training or development course you took during off-hours.
2. Don’t be afraid to get a little personal.
As research has demonstrated, making people aware of your stellar performance is great, but it’s not enough. Your personal qualities matter, too. Just think about politicians—often, their record falls to the wayside while people form opinions about their leadership potential based on personality traits, how they interact with others, and their goals and aspirations for the future.
So, in addition to your resume highlight reel, have specific examples of the personal qualities and traits that set you apart and can take you to the next level.
Not sure where to start? Take a sec to brainstorm what it is that’s gotten you this far, what helps you connect with your colleagues, what drives you to go above and beyond. Was it your grit and unwavering determination that helped you boost sales by 20% last quarter? Was it your ability to be direct but also empathetic that allowed you to connect with colleagues on a deeper level and, as a result, deliver higher quality work?
For inspiration, ask your friends and close colleagues how they’d describe you. Or, think about someone you admire (e.g. a leader or entrepreneur who's successful in your field) and identify the qualities you both share that will drive your growth. Sharing who your role models are can demonstrate how well you know the field, how committed you are to growth, and how you hope to emulate the characteristics that drove them to such great success.
3. Get specific when asking for recommendations.
Whether you’re building out your collection of LinkedIn recommendations or you need a recommendation for a specific job opportunity, don’t be afraid to provide your mentors or colleagues with a little direction. Asking them to speak to your accomplishments and the personal qualities that make you well suited for the next level in your field can make all the difference in how hiring managers see you.
4. Finally, don’t let imposter syndrome sabotage your success.
Ideally, documenting your accomplishments, familiarizing yourself with the personal qualities that set you apart, and acquiring some strategically formatted recommendations will help you feel a bit more at ease asking for what you want. And if you’ve still got nerves about talking yourself up in a conversation with your boss or a hiring manager, remember: Stats suggest there’s at least (at least!) one far less qualified man in the same role.