Young women are far less likely than young men to receive feedback after a job interview, research by the City & Guilds Group and Business in the Community (BITC) has revealed.
The survey of 4,000 18-24 year olds found that young women are at a stark disadvantage in recruitment practices. While 82 percent of young men receive feedback after applying, just under a third (30 percent) of young women are losing out on this vital constructive guidance.
Many argue that for young people applying for a job for the first time, constructive feedback can help them learn from their experiences, improve their applications and access future employment.
Difficulties
Young women generally found the experience of applying for a job more difficult, with 34 percent saying it was difficult versus just a quarter of men. Of those who found the application process difficult, young women were more likely to say it knocked their confidence. A quarter said the experience made them less likely to apply for other jobs, while 73 percent said it affected them generally. This was higher than for young men.
BITC believe that the findings make clear the importance of employers recognising the cost of poor recruitment processes, as a fifth of young women who had a bad experience said they were put off a company entirely. A further 11 percent said a bad experience put them off an entire industry, meaning valuable talent could be lost.
The findings follow earlier research by City & Guilds – part of the City & Guilds Group – into career expectations, which found that teenage girls expect to earn an annual salary of £36,876 within ten years of leaving education, 16 percent less than that their male peers expect to earn.
Robert joined the HRreview editorial team in October 2015. After graduating from the University of Salford in 2009 with a BA in Politics, Robert has spent several years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past he has been part of editorial teams at Flux Magazine, Mondo*Arc Magazine and The Marine Professional.