Networking with boundary spanners : A quasi‐case study on why women are less likely to be offered an engineering role

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore a potential mechanism through which gender segregation in the engineering profession is created and sustained. Specifically, boundary spanners for women and men were examined because they may be a source of valuable information to job seekers. Design/methodology/approach – Applicant data for the role of a senior technical engineer ( n =100) from an engineering organisation in the UK were analyzed. Findings – A logistic regression analysis showed that women applicants were significantly less likely than men to be offered a job as a senior engineer. A mediation analysis revealed that women did not use networking with boundary spanners as a primary job search tool, providing a partial explanation for why women are less likely to be hired in senior engineering roles. Originality/value – This study uses a dataset collected in 2009 to widen the investigative lens of processes that influence hiring outcomes for women in a male‐stereotyped job, namely, engineering.