Career confidence and gendered expectations of academic promotion

Abstract

This article discusses expectations of career progression, based on interviews with New Zealand-based university academics. In these interviews, most women said they did not expect to reach the professoriate before retirement while most men said they planned for and anticipated this promotion. The article attempts to explain gendered patterns of career confidence and progression by discussing academic practices and the backgrounds and experiences of academics, drawing on previous research on the ‘gender gap’ as well as interview findings. The article argues that perceptions and actual experiences of career support, collegiality and family circumstances are often gendered, influencing ambition and productivity. Integration into university networks and knowledge of work practices can be enhanced by mentoring programs but confidence and ambition are more difficult to influence because they are shaped by upbringing, professional experiences and family circumstances.