Gendered Musical Chairs: Job Succession and Gender Segregation

Abstract

Among the many sources of evidence on the phenomenon of job sex segregation is research showing that job vacancies tend to be filled by new hires who match the gender of the previous job holder. In this paper, we seek to understand how the gender composition of job vacancies is reproduced over time. Since multiple organizational processes may contribute to this pattern, this research focuses on separating the mechanisms that reproduce the gender composition of jobs. Using unique data from a retail bank, we studied the distinct steps in the hiring process for job openings produced when the previous incumbent of the job was female versus male. Our findings highlight the multifaceted nature of the processes by which gender typing of jobs is reproduced and maintained. We show that gender segregation is present at job succession not only through screeners‘ preferences but also through applicants’ self-selecting into vacancies.