High Tech women minorities numbers plunge

[Robert Oak]

The percentage of women in the information technology work force declined from a high of 41 percent in 1996 to 32.4 percent in 2004, according to a report Wednesday by the Information Technology Association of America trade group. The shrinking representation of women is due largely to the fact that one out of every three women in the IT work force falls into administrative job categories that have experienced significant overall declines in recent years, the ITAA said.

But even after excluding those administrative categories--such as "data entry keyer"--from analysis, the report finds that women's share of the IT work force has declined, from 32.4 percent to 24.9 percent.

http://news.com.com/Study+finds+too+few+women+and+minorities+in+tech/2100-1022_3-5758177.html

There is no doubt that offshore outsourcing is affecting women worse than men from the results of this study...plus the fact that high
tech is stuck in the 1950's with their attitudes towards competent technical women and minorities.

[Triana]

1. As a woman in IT I can also tell you...

...that women are the first laid off and last to ever find work in the field again. They fight tooth and nail to keep from hiring women in any IT positions. I've been told that jobs 'only pay $30K', when the same hiring manager turned right around and hired a male for almost 3x that much - this particular organization, the hiring managers decide salary when they want to hire someone. When they don't, they tell the person 'it only pays $30K per year' so the person won't take the job.

Another thing they'll tell women to keep them from applying for or wanting an IT job: "It requires a lot of travel...unless you want to be a road warrior, you probably won't want this job." But then they'll turn around and hire a male and won't mention any such thing to him - and at least two of these positions I KNEW they involved little or no travel.

The hiring managers were just trying to discourage me from taking the position(s) - they don't want to hire women. They have to INTERVIEW some women so it looks like they're being EO - but they're NOT. EVERY TIME, they'll hire the guy. Interview women, but hire the men.

These are the games they play to keep from hiring women for an IT job. They'll tell them anything to discourage them, but will turn around and hire a male for a 'normal' salary or with no travel (because the position doesn't involve it anyway but they want to discourage women from applying).

Then there's ageism. If you're a woman over 35 - FORGET IT.

Just FORGET IT. It's a double whammy of age and sex discrimination.

[Robert Oak]

3. I formally apologize

for all of the immature frikkin assholes in the field.

You gotta apologize for all of the women HR hatchet men who are worse
than the frikken sexist assholes helping this whole thing along...:)

You guys need to get it together and raise hell. I noticed a "feminism"
coalition forming over at boomantribune.com and some geek gals posting about this...

I track outsourcing overall and started noticing some pretty odd
that the number of women seemed to outnumber the guys who are getting
their careers toasted.

I posted this story on dailykos and am immediately getting crap about it
when to me, it's pretty damn obvious from the stats plus I work in the field.

[Triana]

4. Thanks..

...I appreciate your apology though the ones who need to do the apologizing are the ones (women and men) doing this crap. Some recruiters don't even want to send me on interviews with certain companies. They come up with the most 'interesting' excuses not to submit me though my resume and background has the required experience.

*ugh...

[Robert Oak]

5. Recruiters are very annoying

Truly not looking out for your best interest almost all of the time. Frankly try for a recruiters job...any techie is better than
many.

Anyway, if a corporation is using a recruiter, odds are multiple recruiters have the rec or you can find out the company and go direct.
Go direct is the best way and if one recruiter is an idiot, you can
often just find another with the same rec.

I am a consultant and have to make direct contact with the engineers
internal to a corporation constantly, so getting around this
people is a little google research project I constantly do.

[Erika]

2. Yes, outsourcing is taking it's toll on women

It was hard enough for them to break into higher management here.