Intelligence, confidence, and a sense of womanly wit are all I need to win over them,?murmurs Choi Kyung-ah (36) to herself in the job interview waiting room of P&G (Procter & Gamble) as she takes a deep breath and intensely prepares for the ultimate battlefield amidst professional-looking men in dark suits. As a mother of two children, Choi aspires to become the manager of the Marketing Division at P&G after the interview session.
Although some still believe in the existence of the supposed glass ceilings that hinders women from climbing up the corporate ladders, Choi does not feel intimidated as a woman. Of course, she has her reasons: Choi has acquired an MBA from a top-ranking business school in the United States and has accumulated various work experiences from renowned firms. Also, Choi is well aware of the changing business environment of this information era in which women are regarded highly with respect. Acknowledging her personal competence, background and the favorable atmosphere, Choi steps in the interview room with her male counterparts with a winning smile.
As Choi? case illustrates, most women are no longer marginalized in Korean society and can achieve equal or even better status in the job field, while raising children and being a housewife at the same time. ?n this rapidly revolutionizing Digital Age, a workforce that is agile and quick to adapt to the new changes and fads is needed,?says Professor Yoon Yuh-sun (Business Administration). ?uch contemporary settings have made trend-sensitive females more welcome in many occupations,?comments Professor Yoon. Furthermore, a new term called ?omad,?which is a merge of the word ?omen?and ?omad?has emerged to indicate women who move freely from one job to another due to their highly alert and responsive characteristics in the digital age.?
Working women? participation and positions are currently being elevated for other circumstantial factors such as the aging society, low birth-rates, and the civic mindset towards gender equality.杆As more workers are needed in the high-tech, silver, and service sectors, females are more employed in the aging society,?comments Kang Woon-sik, the vice president of Samsung SDI Finance Venture. ?n addition, because the government has implemented more childcare services as well as complementary systems for working mothers, females are given more opportunities as workers,?remarks Kang.
?he recognition towards gender equality that has entered Korea with the effect of globalization and foreign values is now deeply embedded in most of the younger generations,?says Lee Yoon-jin (Law, 2). ?uch insight of gender equality is expected to bring a brighter future for aspiring female leaders and workers such as myself,?comments Lee.