http://www.womenonbusiness.com/taking-over-male-dominated-industries/ Leading Site for Business Women Around the World Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:43:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/taking-over-male-dominated-industries/#comment-3235 Kate Putnam Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:35:07 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/?p=3046#comment-3235 Being in a male dominated industry is not that easy- at least in machinery manufacturing. Stereotyping is still strong and people are still looking for my husband or male partner. If I were not taller than most men, I would be talked down to literally as well as figuratively. The number of times I have said something only to have it ignored and then heard it repeated (without attribution) and endorsed by males is uncountable. The problem is not within my own company, and seldom from customers, but from other potential partnering companies. In 14 years, my referrals within my industry have come from another woman owned company. The benefit to being a woman in my industry is the ability to think differently and to draw on different resource, but we are clearly not part of the "old boy" network, which is not age related. I would not recommend being afraid to enter my industry but I would recommend having suitable expectations. I would also recommend having a strong network of women CEOs, because it is not unique to my industry. Being in a male dominated industry is not that easy- at least in machinery manufacturing. Stereotyping is still strong and people are still looking for my husband or male partner. If I were not taller than most men, I would be talked down to literally as well as figuratively. The number of times I have said something only to have it ignored and then heard it repeated (without attribution) and endorsed by males is uncountable. The problem is not within my own company, and seldom from customers, but from other potential partnering companies. In 14 years, my referrals within my industry have come from another woman owned company.
The benefit to being a woman in my industry is the ability to think differently and to draw on different resource, but we are clearly not part of the “old boy” network, which is not age related.
I would not recommend being afraid to enter my industry but I would recommend having suitable expectations.
I would also recommend having a strong network of women CEOs, because it is not unique to my industry.

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