The careers of professional women and men in Finland

Abstract

The different conditions for a successful career of professional women & men were investigated on the basis of a mail questionnaire sent to 581 per sons with academic degrees in agricultural sciences, architecture, engineering, law, medicine, & forestry. The sample was stratified according to sex & field of study. The response rate was 80 %; 223 women & 230 men returned the questionnaire. Career success was measured by income & own evaluation of the appropriateness of professional placement. The following variables were correlated with the career success of both sexes: broad scope of professional activity, academic degree beyond the lowest one, contact with male co workers outside working hours, & freedom from homemaking obligations. Among women also good performance in secondary school, faithful service to the same employer, urban location, & progressive attitude toward woman's role in working life were correlated significantly with success. Among men only good academic performance, high prestige of father's profession, job changes, working overtime, keeping up with professional literature, & a non- employed wife were characteristic of those successful in their careers. The results were discussed in terms of sex role differentiation. In addition to household obligations, segregation of the sexes in the working life is also one of the many structural barriers against the equality of the sexes.