Influence of Gender and Sex-role Stereo-typing on Career Decision Making

This paper examined the vocational development and aspirations of women since creation. In all human societies across the world, a disparity existed between traditionally male and traditionally female occupations. Women were not encouraged to work outside the home. At various times throughout history, working women were viewed as immoral and unfeminine objects of pity. Some critics accused working women of being negligent mothers. Women employees were not therefore taken seriously by their bosses, colleagues or society. The introduction of western education in to the African continent contributed in liberating the African woman from female-oriented jobs. More and more women continued to enter in to male-dominated jobs, thus abandoning their traditionally approved occupations. Today, the population of women in schools and male oriented employment is almost overtaking their male counterparts. This has made things difficult for the working woman to take care of the family and at the same time carry out her duties in the work place with satisfaction. This has exposed the educated woman to a lot of challenges which range from reduced chances of getting married to child abandonment in pursuit of material things. It is therefore recommended that Vocational Psychologists should assist young Women to enter in to occupations that will give them enough time to take care of their families.