July 2024
Article
Management Science

Whether to Apply

By: Katherine B. Coffman, Manuela Collis and Leena Kulkarni

Format:Print
| Pages:21

Abstract

Labor market outcomes depend, in part, upon an individual’s willingness to put herself forward for different opportunities. We use a series of experiments to explore gender differences in willingness to apply for higher return, more challenging work. We find that, in male-typed domains, qualified women are significantly less likely to apply than similarly well-qualified men. We provide evidence both in a controlled setting and in the field that reducing ambiguity surrounding required qualifications increases the rate at which qualified women apply. The effects are mixed for men. Our results point to a way to increase the pool of qualified women applicants.