More than 1 in 3 women don’t feel confident in their career prospects

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More than 1 in 3 women don’t feel confident in their career prospects

By Amy Beecham

9 months ago

2 min read

Female graduates and university students feel less confident in their career prospects in today’s economic climate than their male counterparts, according to worrying new CFA Institute research. 


Whether you’re happy in your job, are chasing a promotion, returning to work from leave or looking for a new opportunity, there’s no denying that, for women, any career path can be difficult to navigate.

Earlier this year, the Young Women’s Trust found that 50% of women aged 18-30 have experienced discrimination at work, while a separate study suggested that a quarter of women have been shamed or pressured to return to work early when taking time off for health issues. Add into the mix a gender pay gap that isn’t expected to be closed until at least 2044, a crippling motherhood penalty that is even impacting those who don’t have children and the fact that 90% of women say they feel penalised because of their achievements at work, and the outlook is pretty bleak.

Now, a survey of 1000 UK-based university graduates aged between 18-25 has found that more than 1 in 3 (38%) of women surveyed were not confident in their career prospects, compared to 28% of men.  

The worrying new CFA Institute data, released as part of its Global Graduate Outlook Survey, identified that women’s top three professional concerns are lack of jobs (16%), low pay (14%) and feeling underqualified (11%) in their preferred sector. What’s more, women admitted feeling less confident in knowing what employers are looking for, with 1 in 4 (29%) female respondents stating they were not confident, compared to 22% of men.

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Credit: Adobe

Three in five (61%) respondents also believed that AI, automation and machine learning will make it harder to secure the job they want. However, they agreed that understanding this technology will be important to career success with nearly nine in ten (88%) suggesting that learning about AI would benefit their career prospects.  

But despite facing such a difficult job market, women were found to be less likely to compromise on their values than men with 93% wanting to make a positive societal and environmental contribution in their career vs. 86% of men. 


How to overcome a confidence crisis at work 

Recognise and celebrate your achievements

“I spend 30 minutes every Friday writing down what I have achieved for that week,” explains Viviane Paxinos, CEO of AllBright, the world’s largest collective of women in business. “Keep a record of your accomplishments, positive feedback, and successful projects. Looking back on these will help when you have a crisis of confidence.”

Your network is everything

“Create your own board of directors, your cheerleaders who will lift you up and push you forward,” says Paxinos. “Surrounding yourself with supportive individuals who believe in your abilities can help boost your confidence.”

Challenge your negative self-talk

“When you find yourself engaging in negative self-talk or doubting your abilities, take a step back and challenge those thoughts,” she adds. “Acknowledge the thought, ask yourself if there is evidence to support your doubts or if you are being overly critical. Then practice reframing negative thoughts into more constructive and realistic ones.”


Images: Getty

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