It's a Womans World

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Attention men: if you want to meet women, go to work. For the first time in our labor history, women will soon outnumber men in the workplace. Two factors are responsible for this landmark statistic: not only are more and more women choosing to work, even while having and raising children, but once in the workplace, fewer women are getting laid off than their male counterparts. According to the latest Bureau of Labor statistics, 10.3 percent of adult men are now unemployed, compared to 7.8 percent women.
Are glass ceilings being shattered here? Probably not. The reason for women's stronger hold on jobs is not because their economic contribution is finally being fairly and fully valued. Rather these new statistics reflect the kinds of positions women typically choose: "safe" jobs in sectors that have not been as hard hit by the current recession, namely government, education, and health care. Studies have shown that women are drawn to jobs in these fields because they are friendlier to flex- or part-time arrangements which women often require in order to balance work and families.
To catch up financially, women need to take more risk. Both in their career choices as well as in their investments, women are often too risk averse for their own good. Their fear of loss means they rarely win the race for financial security. And the ground is far from even in this race: because women live longer, they need more financial resources than men. They need to invest for growth both in their portfolios and in their professions.
Here's a risky move with a big potential pay-off for employed women to consider: ask for a raise. Not just at the moment, perhaps, given the current economic storm clouds, but when the weather clears, as it certainly will. The failure of women to ask for more money, or to negotiate for better perks and promotions, is legendary among human resource professionals.
Whether because of nature or nurture, men rarely have the same problem with the ask. They know what they're worth, and don't hesitate to ask for a bit more.
Ladies, you now have the employment numbers at your backs. You're taking charge of the labor force. Now you need to use this advantage to take charge of your financial destiny. Ask for (and expect) more - more money, more flexible schedules, more benefits, more upward mobility. And while you're at it: more stalls in the women's rest rooms. There are now too many of you to be waiting in line.