A man and his son were in a terrible accident. The man died; the son was rushed into emergency surgery. The doctor walked into the room, looked down at the boy, and said, “I can’t operate on this boy; he’s my son.”
Who was the doctor?
A lot of stress is placed upon the barriers women face as they struggle to take their place in careers that are stereotypically male-oriented. As a child, I wracked my brain trying to figure out the answer to the above brainteaser. As an adult, it’s easy to see that the doctor was the boy’s mom. It’s also easy to see just how systematic the stereotypes are for men and women as they attempt to choose a career.
Unfortunately, not a lot has changed since I was a kid. Or maybe it has…
That Was Then…
According to a recent New York Times report, this decade, nearly one-third of job-seeking males will fill positions in industries where 70% of the workforce has been female. (Click here to tweet this thought.)
This is occurring in part because many men in blue-collar jobs found themselves on the unemployment line when the recession began in 2008. Their jobs were downsized, sent overseas or removed completely. As a result, gender lines are beginning to blur — not only because of the recent economic recession, but also because as we evolve as a more gender-neutral society, people are being hired based upon the skills they bring to the table, not because they fit the stereotypical mold of the traditional job.
The term “pink-collar job” was coined during the Second World War when women occupied jobs such as secretaries and typists. But now, it refers to any class of job traditionally filled by women, like nurse, teacher, receptionist, paralegal, social worker and personal aide.
So who cares? You do… if you’re a guy.
This Is Now…
The field of pink-collar jobs has been opened up to men as job growth continues in these roles that were traditionally dominated by women:
Nurse
As our Baby Boomers continue to age, the demand for medical care is on the rise, and the demand for professionals in the medical field is growing in proportion. Additionally, with the passing of the Affordable Care Act, the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates there will be a shortage of 63,000 doctors by 2015.
With demand outpacing the growth of healthcare professionals, the need for nurses, physician assistants and other medical paraprofessionals has dramatically increased.
Paralegal
This job has traditionally been female-dominated, but in an economy where many lawyers have lost their jobs, newer attorneys are turning to paralegal jobs or skipping law school altogether.
The median salary of an attorney is just over $100,000, while the median salary of a paralegal is inching closer to $50,000. With law school costs topping $200,000 and the job outlook for attorneys shrinking, getting started as a paralegal is looking like the more stable option.
Teacher
Despite the uncertainty teachers have faced over the past few years, there are signs that there is growth for elementary school teachers. A large number of educators are expected to retire through this decade, and the demand for teachers in the areas of math and science is strong. California boasts the highest average teacher salary by state, while South Dakota has the lowest.
While traditionally a female-dominated job, male role models are needed in the school systems, and job growth is projected at 4% above the norm. Salaries top out at around $76,000 a year, but median salaries are a none-too-shabby $51,000.
Bookkeeper/Accounting Clerk
According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, this is one of the 10 female-dominated occupations that account for 30% of all female employees. Working as a bookkeeper or accounting clerk isn’t the most glamorous of professions, but with its low barrier to entry, it can be a great place to start in the accounting field. Once again, California tops the list, with some of the highest-paid wages in San Francisco and San Jose, at $47,860 and $45,960 respectively.
Receptionist
Even with coworking offices on the rise, companies still need someone to route phone calls and greet clients. Starting salaries vary greatly depending upon the size of the city you’re in and the size of the company, but with titles like “Director of First Impressions,” this position is still one that’s vital to many organizations. The job outlook for receptionists is 10% higher than the average for other positions.
Final Note
A number of the jobs that are dominated by women pay higher wages to men. However, the reverse also seems to be true for women in traditionally male-dominated jobs. It seems that both sexes fare better when they’re in the minority, so either reverse gender discrimination is in full effect or the gender lines truly are blurring.
Whatever the reasoning may be, choosing a career based upon your skills and passion for the job — rather than societal pressures or how much money you can earn — is the best decision you can make.
What do you think about the pink collar trend?
As Founder of Rework Work, Stacey is a Career Coach and talent acquisition strategist with expertise in diversity & inclusion. With so many questions coming her way each year about career change, resumes, conducting effective job searches and more, she has created e-courses on early career success as well as resume writing, which has been viewed more than 350,000 times in the past year.
