Any way you slice it, women behaving in stereotypical ways reinforces the stereotype and that is harmful to all women. Some don't care. That is their perrogative.
The message I'm sending to future female engineers by switching from engineering to teaching is that we have an obligation to give back that which we were given. I will be making this change at a time when my employer will be more than happy to see me leave. You see, the over 50 crowd isn't valued in engineering unless they have some special talent, which I do not. While they do need to keep some older folks around to keep their knowledge base, they only need about 1 in 5 to stay. Since 20 somethings are more energetic, willing to work long hours, valued for fresh ideas and cheaper, my company will be more than happy to see me go. It will save them having to downsize me or someone else out the door the next time they decide to clean house.
Why do you think that I'm sending a negative message to enter the classroom and teach what I've learned? Each generation of engineers has taught the one behind them for centuries. We've just changed how we do that. Engineering is now taught in the classroom. What better place to help young women realize their potential than in the high school classroom (and college as I also plan to teach night classes).
Edited 7/17/2004 11:26 pm ET ET by grimalkinskeeper
LOL, Um, pregnancy is kind of noticable. If you don't come back from maternity leave, it will be assumed you're SAH. Technically, you're correct, but if you time a job change with the end of maternity leave, it will be assumed you just quit because you had a baby. It is very unusual to change careers with a new baby. With all the changes in the family, who needs to be proving themselves in a new job and starting over WRT accrued time off?
Edited 7/17/2004 11:04 pm ET ET by grimalkinskeeper
Yes. When women do what the stereotype says they'll do, it reinforces the stereotype. I went to school with a surprising number of female engineers who only wanted their MRS degrees. They've all quit now. I do know of one who had intended to return but just couldn't bring herself to leave her baby. Yes, she reinforced the stereotype too. The stereotype says we can't handle working once we have kids. Leaving he work force reinforces it. Leaving also does little to facilitate change in the way of more family friendly work arrangements. You have to stick around to facilitate change.
Nope. For every 22 yo man they lose to another company, there is one they get to hire from another company. For ever mom who quits to SAH, they get to start over and train someone new.
Yes, companies are aware that people move between companies but it goes both ways. It doesn't go both ways when moms quit to SAH. Hence, hiring the woman is more risky. If a man quits company A to go to work for company B and company A then hires another man from company B, they come out even. If a woman quits company A to SAH and a woman quits company B to SAH, both companies lose because they took their experience out of the work force instead of just changing the address where they use it.
Yes and no. I used to sit across from a very experienced HR rep. He told me that the to 10% of people will leave no matter what you do but that doesn't matter because they'll then hire from among those who leave other companies, the bottom 10% will weed themeselves out no matter what you do and the remaning 80% will stay no matter what so why should the company do anything?
Nope, not 70's at all. Very 21st century. While people don't tend to have 30 year careers any more, they do work 30+ years which gives companies experienced people to choose from. When someone quits to move to another job, they're still in the market. When someone quits to SAH, they're not.
Maybe you just can't bring yourself to admit that women actually want to be home with their kids, playing with them, enjoying a leisure lifestyle? But we do exist. I don't think I'm the only one on the planet either. If you think I'm going to stick around to help people who think like you I'd suggest you find another link of support. I'm not going to do what helps you when it isn't what I want out of my life. Nice try Grim! It isn't handling woh & being mom. It is not wanting to do both. I wohpt right now for blowing money for my hubby & I to use. We have blowing money through his income, but hey, more is nice. We are going to be moving soon down the road and I'm not going to woh any more. It isn't because I can't handle working & being a mom. It is because I don't want to work, I'd rather spend time with my baby. I can handle it fine. Whether I woh or sah I have a maid twice a week and a husband who does all the marketing, errands, cooking. He did this when I woh ft and we didn't have any kids. This is how we would do it if I sah and we didn't have kids. Not because I can't handle it. Because we said why should I clean? He does the marketing because he loves to cook and knows better what he needs than making me a list. He also gets in to the whole marketing thing. I'm not a shopper. I've been known to buy groc online when I had to do the marketing. My point is that not all women who decide to not woh are doing it based on not being able to handle working and having kids.
To some it may seem that you're sending the message that women can't hack it in a man's world, and they should hightail it back to traditional women's professions.
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Why do you think that I'm sending a negative message to enter the classroom and teach what I've learned? Each generation of engineers has taught the one behind them for centuries. We've just changed how we do that. Engineering is now taught in the classroom. What better place to help young women realize their potential than in the high school classroom (and college as I also plan to teach night classes).
Edited 7/17/2004 11:26 pm ET ET by grimalkinskeeper
Edited 7/17/2004 11:04 pm ET ET by grimalkinskeeper
Yes, companies are aware that people move between companies but it goes both ways. It doesn't go both ways when moms quit to SAH. Hence, hiring the woman is more risky. If a man quits company A to go to work for company B and company A then hires another man from company B, they come out even. If a woman quits company A to SAH and a woman quits company B to SAH, both companies lose because they took their experience out of the work force instead of just changing the address where they use it.
Nope, not 70's at all. Very 21st century. While people don't tend to have 30 year careers any more, they do work 30+ years which gives companies experienced people to choose from. When someone quits to move to another job, they're still in the market. When someone quits to SAH, they're not.
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