Gender differences in career preferences from 1990 to 2010: Gaps reduced but not eliminated.

Abstract

The present research focused on gender differences in career preferences, comparing those in 2010 with those in 1990 (as reported by Gati, Osipow, & Givon, 1995). The tested hypothesis was that gender differences in aspect-based career preferences (e.g., income, teamwork, professional advancement, length of training) would have decreased over the past 20 years. The career preferences of 21,767 young adult women and 15,532 men-who used an Internet-based career guidance system in 2010 to assist them in making a career decision-were analyzed and compared with the respective preferences of 1,252 young adult women and 751 young adult men who used a previous version of the system in 1990. As hypothesized, gender differences were attenuated in most aspects (e.g., professional advancement, management); however, these differences increased in a few aspects (e.g., community service and counseling are increasingly preferred by women). The findings and their implications are discussed.