ExpertMarket U.S., a B2B customer acquisition company and subsidiary of MVF Global Ltd, put together interesting charts and findings on the ratio of female to male managers by geography. Based on data from the International Labor Office, the U.S. ranks 15th with 42.7% female managers, while three countries actually have more female managers than male: Jamaica (59.3%), Colombia (53.1%) and St. Lucia (52.3%). The Philippines and Panama round out the top five for highest proportion of female managers.
Unless your area is labor economics or gender studies, you may not think such statistics matter. I often remind my clients not to read too much into statistics (e.g., the unemployment rate) because your own individual case is unique (i.e., your employment rate is 0 or 100%, regardless of the broader market). However, broad-based statistics can still be useful to your individual career management. Here are three takeaways for aspiring managers:
Broaden Your Employment Targets
Seeing that not all countries have equal management ratios is a great reminder that opportunities and probabilities are not equal across pools. You don’t have to move to Jamaica, Colombia or St. Lucia if you’re a woman and want to be a manager. But as you map out career possibilities, look at industry, company size, company history (start-up v. established) and client focus. If an industry has historically not had women represented in leadership, it doesn’t mean you avoid it but at least you are more aware of what you’re facing. (If your natural skills and personality favor pioneering efforts, identifying these insular industries may actually be something you want to do proactively!)
Rethink What’s Possible
Maybe you didn’t think any countries had more female managers than male. Maybe you thought only the most developed countries would have a high proportion of female managers. Finding actual data that reflects a positive outcome is a confidence booster. A lot of media is devoted to the gender wage gap or the dearth of female representation at the C-level. It can be disheartening to hear the bad news day in and day out. Hearing good news is a good counter-balance to help you reimagine what is possible.
Remember The Importance Of International Experience
Again, you don’t have to move to Jamaica to have a management position but looking at global data of any kind is a good reminder that most leadership tracks are global. International experience is valuable -- whether it’s to actually relocate and work abroad, or even study abroad, travel regularly or serve international clients Stateside.
For more career advice (for aspiring managers or other career goals), check out SixFigureStart® free toolkits on Negotiation, Networking, and Personal Branding, including a free download for entrepreneurs.
