New research showing women aren’t as confident as men to apply for jobs requiring “data” smacks of a wider trend, experts are warning Women In Tech.
Run by the National Numeracy charity, the research shows that more than one in three women would be “put off” from a role requiring “numbers and data.”
By contrast, only one in five men said they would be deterred from applying for a position that listed “using numbers and data” as a requirement.
‘Gender number confidence gap’
The charity says the “gender number confidence gap” must be addressed “urgently,” despite admitting its polls in prior years saw “similar results”.
The reason for the numeracy gap not closing, despite “women being just as capable as men at everyday maths” — as the charity put it, may be hard-wired.
“This research reflects a common theme I see in the men v women comparison of IT applicants,” tech recruiter Danielle Keegan began to Women In Tech.
‘Women in tech don’t apply for roles if they can’t hit all the job spec’
“I find that men are far more likely to apply for roles where they meet only a proportion of the job criteria.
“[By contrast] women often feedback how they don’t apply for roles if they can’t hit all or the vast majority of the points in the job spec.”
Pressed yesterday about this difference, Keegan acknowledged that she was “speaking generally.”
‘Male tech job candidates far more confident in their abilities’
Nevertheless, “male applicants are far more confident in their abilities than women,” says Keegan, associate director of IT staffing firm VIQU.
“Although it’s improving, the IT industry still has a massive gender gap issue, so [the National Numeracy’s findings] are disheartening.
“Women will only continue to face issues with career progression and pay gaps if this lack of [numeracy] confidence in the female workforce is not addressed”.
‘Women somehow reluctant to take on work linked to numbers’
Polled in December 2024, 20% of men agreed with the statement “If a job…listed ‘using numbers and data’ as a requirement, it would put me off applying,” versus 35% of women.
Elaine Richardson, a consultant business analyst, is a bit stumped.
“Women manage their own finances more now than they ever have, yet somehow, we are still reluctant to take on work that is linked to numbers.
“The older among us are likely to remember the ‘boys-only’ attitude to mathematics and physics that often prevented us from following these paths at school.
“But hopefully that hasn’t been the case for decades. So why is it that more professional women aren’t number confident?”
‘Differing levels of confidence men and women need before applying for roles’
With both full-time and contract assignments under her belt, the business analyst is forced to the same conclusion as Keegan.
“I suspect [the 20%: 35% finding] it’s an extrapolation of the differing levels of confidence men and women feel they need before applying to roles.
“Most women wouldn’t apply unless they met all the requested criteria,” Richardson told Women In Tech. “Yet many men would match half, and decide to give it a go! Could it be genetic? Risk-taking Vs nurturing? Who knows for certain.”
‘Worrying that strong female tech job candidates hold themselves back’
Either way, Sarah Mason of SThree, a recruitment firm specialising in placements requiring science, technology, engineering and maths, told Women In Tech that she’s concerned.
“It is worrying to see how many women are put off applying for jobs that involve maths.
“Often the issue is a lack of confidence rather than ability, and that’s something we need to take seriously.”
SThree’s people officer, Mason continued in a statement yesterday: “We see this in STEM roles, where strong [female] candidates may hold themselves back because they don’t see themselves as ‘good with numbers’.
“That’s a loss for them and the workforce as a whole. It is important that we show that numeracy is a skill that can be learned and supported, not a barrier.”
Simon Moore
Managing Director at Moore News Ltd, Simon Moore is a journalist with NCTJ-approved journalism training, who has worked inside the newsrooms of local, consumer and national media titles.
He today writes news and features for trade publications specialising in freelancing, small business and the self-employed. Simon’s articles have been linked to by The Daily Telegraph and the biggest newspaper website in the world, MailOnline.
