Correlation of gendered language and the gender gap in job vacancies in the Lithuanian logistics sector

Abstract

Purpose – This article looks at how the gender divide isreflected in the wording of vacancies by analysing offers for drivers (mostly men) and middle managers (mostly women) in the logistics sector of Lithuania. Design/methodology/approach – A list ofstereotypically feminine and masculine wordsrelevant to our corpus was compiled based on previous studies and adapted to our study. This was correlated with 126 job postings found during a 5-month period thanksto a Python programme especially developed to find patterns, connections and similarities. Findings – We found significant differences in the wording of adverts for predominantly men’s and women’s positions, and a correlation of certain words with a specific gender, which we have called red flags. Research limitations/implications – Although our study focuses on a local sector, we believe that its findings can be transposable to other countries and industries. Nevertheless,studiesthat look at the actual gender of both applicants and selected candidates are necessary to confirm the findings. Also, corpus studies can deepen our understanding of qualitative aspects of gendered wording. Originality/value – We study gender wording in recruitment in the logisticssector, in two positionsthatshow a reverse gender divide. Sector-specific lists of feminine and masculine words have been compiled, and we have created an open-access customisable gender checker website that can be used by employers and researchers.