Bridging gender gaps with keywords

You’ve probably heard the following statistic:

“Men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them.”

Since Hewlett Packard published the report that made this claim, there have been dozens of reports that debunk this drastic difference. Unsurprisingly though, all the reports, that I’ve seen, do demonstrate some difference between the confidence and approach of men and women to applying for jobs.

This got me thinking.

If women are less confident to apply for a job – are they less willing to sell their skills and experience to hiring managers as well?

Looking at a random sample of 50 men and 50 women on our database, we found that men had 32% more keywords on their About Me section of their LinkedIn profiles than the women did.

In the world of executive search, we rely on keywords.Our research focuses heavily on keyword searching for those ideal candidates that fit your brief. Of course, we use a combination of LinkedIn, our database, extensive desk research, industry events, networking and a whole host of other resources to make sure no one slips through the net.

However, time scarce hiring managers or contingent recruitment firms may solely focus on LinkedIn searching. Logic suggests that women are 32% less likely to show up on a longlist.

So, make sure your search partner is utilising all research options, not just LinkedIn, to ensure you are getting the most diverse longlists and shortlists possible.

We really pride ourselves on making a difference when it comes to supporting diversity across Transport & Infrastructure. Having placed 33% female leaders into senior roles compared with an industry average of 16.6%, we have a few tips to attract and retain diverse talent.