70% of women STEM candidates will not apply for a job without wage information…
In a recent Matchtech survey of more than 1,600 STEM professionals, 70% of women respondents (and 60% of men) reported that they would not apply for a role where there was no visibility on reward levels, highlighting the importance of including salaries in job ads to attract the best applicants, if you don't your competition will.
… of women respondents would not apply for a role where there was no visibility on reward levels
… of men respondents would not apply for a role where there was no visibility on reward levels
Women STEM professionals on when reward levels should be disclosed
71%: Prior to application (I would not apply for a role with no visibility on reward levels)
14%: Prior to interview
9%: At the first interview
6%: At offer stage
Men STEM professionals on when reward levels should be disclosed
60%: Prior to application (I would not apply for a role with no visibility on reward levels)
20%: Prior to interview
11%: At the first interview
8%: At offer stage
Source: Matchtech Candidate Survey 2023
… of women STEM candidates would withdraw from an application before interview stage if the salary isn't disclosed
Which means pre-interview clarity is crucial
A further 14% of women reported that they would not attend a first interview without an understanding of potential earnings.
This means that more than 4 out of 5 (84%) women STEM candidates would rule themselves out before interview stage without reward disclosure.
What women also seek information on more than men, when considering which roles to apply for, is evidence of organisational approach and commitments to ED&I. And the information that they are able to glean will influence the decision-making of more than four in ten (41%) women STEM candidates, when looking for a new role, compared to just 23% of men.
Women STEM professionals:
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
41%: Heavy influence
41%: Consider, but does not notably influence
17%: Does not influence
Men STEM professionals:
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
23%: Heavy influence
44%: Consider, but does not notably influence
33%: Does not influence
Source: Matchtech Candidate Survey 2023
What is also increasingly likely to influence the volume of women STEM candidate applications is the fact that women appear more apprehensive about using GenAI within their application processes.
A study by Arctic Shores, who recently surveyed 2,000 university students and recent graduates, found that, “while 7 in 10 respondents say they would consider using these tools to complete an application or assessment in the next 12 months, almost a fifth of candidates (17%) are already using Generative AI to help them fill in job applications or assessments”. Moreover, “the majority may not even think about whether or not doing so would be considered cheating, with only 13% of candidates believing that usage of Generative AI in an application or assessment would be dishonest”.1
Sept 2023:
17% of students and recent graduates are already using GenAI in their job application processes
By Sept 2024:
70% of students and recent graduates will consider using GenAI in their job application processes
Sept 2023:
13% view the use of GenAI in job application process as dishonest
Source: Arctic Shores: Navigating candidate use of GenAI
1. Arctic Shores: How students’ use of Generative AI will make traditional selection processes redundant, October 2023
With employers increasingly sensing a need to deploy means to detect use of GenAI within the application and recruitment processes, Artic Shores warns against the potential use of “proctoring – live-streaming or recording a test-taker’s entire assessment session via a webcam”.
It concludes that, “if only 35% of the women in your candidate pool are comfortable with this method (proctoring), this could undo years of progress toward meeting your diversity goals”.
Proportion of students and recent graduates who would feel comfortable with employer ‘proctoring’, to detect use of GenAI
Proportion of women students and recent graduates who would feel comfortable with employer ‘proctoring’, to detect use of GenAI
Source: Arctic Shores: Navigating candidate use of GenAI
Our recommendation
Employers aiming to enhance gender balance in their workforce should recognize and address the distinct decision-making processes of women and men when applying for jobs. With women comprising only 27% of the UK STEM workforce, it's crucial to acknowledge and accommodate these differences.
This may involve adapting talent attraction processes, such as providing more organisational transparency on factors that are particularly important to women. By doing so, employers can create a more inclusive recruitment environment that attracts and retains a diverse pool of talent.
2. APPG: Regional STEM Skills Equity Report, July 2023