We know from research that women only apply to jobs that they feel 100% qualified for, while men apply when they meet 60% of the requirements.

I loved the perspective that this Boston Globe article presents on the topic:
The problem isn’t that women lack confidence — it’s that men have too much of it

In this interview with Boston Scientific CEO, Michael Mahoney and Wendy Carruthers Chief of Human Resources, they talk about the fact that “when management jobs open… male candidates often believe they’re eminently qualified. Women, on the other hand, frequently need a nudge to raise their hands.”

Wendy Carruthers admits that when the position of Chief of Human Resources opened up she did not apply for it, and also declined the offer when initially approached to take on the role. She says:  “I overestimated the experience that was needed. The gap wasn’t as big as I thought it was.”
Reflecting on her personal experience with the issue of women not feeling qualified for certain positions and thus not applying for them “now Carruthers tells hiring managers that posting a job and evaluating only those who have applied isn’t good enough. “You have to think about who is not applying,” she says. “Your role is to go out and ask, and sit down and have that conversation.”

Women in general tend to understate their skills and achievements and this can work against them not just in not applying for certain roles, but also in the interview process when compared to men who are overstating theirs. I love that “Carruthers emphasizes to hiring managers that “confidence does not equal competence.”

I could not agree more with Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic’s, the author of Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? (And How to Fix It) suggestion to attempt to level the playing field by regularly providing feedback to all employees, then both men and women would have a more realistic sense of their abilities and advancement prospects.

As managers, we should all make sure to regularly provide feedback to our employees and seek out the qualified candidates, not just those who raise their hand to take on open positions.

To the women out there, do not underestimate your skills and abilities. Seek feedback to gain a realistic sense of your capabilities, and do not be shy to apply to those jobs where you do not meet 100% of the requirements!

The above article is part of the Boston Globe’s Women & Power issue coming out tomorrow, I am looking forward to reading it.

Miki Feldman Simon,
Founder & CEO,  IamBackatWork