It is most common among experienced, high-achieving professionals to choose interim management as the best option for their career. With higher rates of pay, a chance to exhibit and develop skills, and the opportunity to work flexibly on projects, the role is a viable option for many high-level executives who are seeking to branch out into pastures new.
Interim management is a field dominated by men, since 85% of them are men and in the over 50 crowd, as reported by Executives Online in March 2011. That said, is there room for professional women to gain control of this market?
Interim management is no different than many other professional careers across the UK, in that there is a gender pay gap. In a six-month report released by Russam GMS in June 2011, the recruitment agency found that an 8% gap in favor of men remained in the rates of pay awarded to professionals at the interim management level.
Even though this is less than the 11% previously reported, it continues to pay men £613 a day when women interim mangers make only £567.
This doesn't necessarily indicate that there is pay inequality in interim management. Charles Russam, the chairman of Russam GMS, proposes that the pay gap is mostly a function of the industries that typically attract men and women.
To support this argument, Executives Online found in its March 2011 report that there was a daily pay rate discrepancy of just £3 between male and female interim managers within the contracting sector alone. To be sure, it is best to have no pay discrepancy at all; nevertheless, myriad other UK industries have far more significant gaps.
Since pay rates are not necessarily a barrier to female entering interim management, it begs the question of whether it is an appropriate calling for women.
A dedicated business forum, Interim Women, recently conducted a study of 1600 female interim managers in the UK to profile the average type of professional female who pursued interim management, as well as the reasons why.
According to the survey, the average woman interim manager claimed 22 years of business experience and previously held a high executive position. The drive to move towards becoming an interim manager was found in a desire to control their own destinies, improve work/life balance, develop and improve business skills and flexibility.
However, the women’s group warns, a certain level of financial instability must factor into anyone becoming an interim manager, male or female. Winning contracts often requires having many professional connections and a lot of networking, which does not happen quickly.
Having said that, interim resourcing companies are quick to point out that women often have a good skill set. These include good networking, negotiation and organisation skills.
As a historically male dominant industry, interim management does still have a pay gap based on gender. This position is found by many leading professional women to be the ideal way to develop greater opportunities, improve skills and develop careers.
Interim management is a field dominated by men, since 85% of them are men and in the over 50 crowd, as reported by Executives Online in March 2011. That said, is there room for professional women to gain control of this market?
Interim management is no different than many other professional careers across the UK, in that there is a gender pay gap. In a six-month report released by Russam GMS in June 2011, the recruitment agency found that an 8% gap in favor of men remained in the rates of pay awarded to professionals at the interim management level.
Even though this is less than the 11% previously reported, it continues to pay men £613 a day when women interim mangers make only £567.
This doesn't necessarily indicate that there is pay inequality in interim management. Charles Russam, the chairman of Russam GMS, proposes that the pay gap is mostly a function of the industries that typically attract men and women.
To support this argument, Executives Online found in its March 2011 report that there was a daily pay rate discrepancy of just £3 between male and female interim managers within the contracting sector alone. To be sure, it is best to have no pay discrepancy at all; nevertheless, myriad other UK industries have far more significant gaps.
Since pay rates are not necessarily a barrier to female entering interim management, it begs the question of whether it is an appropriate calling for women.
A dedicated business forum, Interim Women, recently conducted a study of 1600 female interim managers in the UK to profile the average type of professional female who pursued interim management, as well as the reasons why.
According to the survey, the average woman interim manager claimed 22 years of business experience and previously held a high executive position. The drive to move towards becoming an interim manager was found in a desire to control their own destinies, improve work/life balance, develop and improve business skills and flexibility.
However, the women’s group warns, a certain level of financial instability must factor into anyone becoming an interim manager, male or female. Winning contracts often requires having many professional connections and a lot of networking, which does not happen quickly.
Having said that, interim resourcing companies are quick to point out that women often have a good skill set. These include good networking, negotiation and organisation skills.
As a historically male dominant industry, interim management does still have a pay gap based on gender. This position is found by many leading professional women to be the ideal way to develop greater opportunities, improve skills and develop careers.
