Career Aspirations and Gender Norms: How Socialization Influences Women’s Professional Choices

While legal frameworks grant women equal rights and opportunities to participate in any occupation, gender inequality continues in part due to the persistent gender segregation within the workforce. Gender socialization places women into roles that limit their occupational opportunities, so this study explores women’s understanding of their career options based upon the potential constraints that come from their identity as a woman. This study uses a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews conducted with students at Butler University to gather information on women’s personal perspectives on how their gender impacted their perceived career options. A sample of nine undergraduate women were interviewed, and thematic coding was used to analyze the data. Findings from the study provide insight into how gender socialization can impact women’s perceived opportunities and how they personally understand those influences.