In this article you’ll learn:
- That having a family and a successful consulting career is possible
- The reality of being a woman in an ‘Old Boy’s Club’
- That consulting offers women more support and personal development opportunities
In October 2017, the #MeToo Movement went viral globally sparking conversation around sexual harassment and sexism, both in personal lives and professionally. Male dominated industries like management consulting, financial services, oil and gas, etc. appear to be the worst perpetrators across both dimensions in the workplace. However, as we know, change takes time and unity in a shared goal. Which can be found when reflecting upon the overall consulting industry.
Over the last couple of weeks, Hiperpool surveyed over 150 female consultants, as well as conducted a number of interviews to identify assumptions that exist around gender within their industry. Hiperpool wanted to learn how much validity these assumptions carried, and if management consulting is taking steps in the right direction when it comes to addressing some pressing issues. The women came from a variety of geographies, therefore, cultural customs, ethnicity, religion, and sexuality must be taken into consideration when discussing women in the workforce, even if they are not directly discussed.
The research identified several recurring themes as the primary concerns and surprises for the women before and after they joined the industry; family, sexism, personal development, support are but only some. In the following sections, we will highlight the assumptions and realities around these topics:
- Assumption #1: You Can’t Have a Family and a Successful Career in Consulting
- Assumption #2: Consulting is an “Old Boys Club”
- Assumption #3: Consulting Favours Women with Personal Development Opportunities
The results were varied in terms of positives and negatives, which does not come as a surprise. What did, however, was the general consensus that management consulting was still one of the best ways to start or accelerate your career. Especially as a woman.