Myth #5 - IT Departments are Boys' Clubs Full of Geeks and Nerds

Whoops...This myth is true...LOL! Well, it's mostly true. The majority of IT jobs are currently filled by men. A U.S. Department of Commerce and the Census Bureau reports reveals that although women comprise 46 percent of the total work force, they only represent 30 percent of the IT work force.^x

There is no reason why women shouldn't seek careers in IT. An important reason why they should is the favorable salaries in IT positions. IT jobs have the lowest salary gender gap of all professions. In a recent study by techies.com, women reported making 92 cents for every dollar their male counterparts made.^xi Yes, there is still a gap, but at least it is considerably smaller than the average earnings of 73 cents on every dollar reported by the 1998 U.S. Census.^xii As long as demand for workers continues to outstrip the supply of qualified employees, this gap should continue to narrow.

Due to the high percentage of male IT workers, many women who work in technology today believe that a glass ceiling exists. Women IT professionals feel the ceiling exists for the same reasons that women believe it exists in other industries: "the perception that women are less knowledgeable and/or qualified than their male counterparts, their experience with gender bias, sex discrimination and stereotypes and the lack of women leaders."^xiii The only way this will change, of course, is the way it has changed in other industries (such as medical fields). More women must be encouraged to enter IT professions to provide role models and leadership for other women. The current gender biases that exist in many IT departments should eventually change as the ratio of men to women employees improves, but it is not going to happen overnight. Still, despite the current gender bias, IT still represents an exciting opportunity for women to receive high pay and meaningful job responsibility.