Analysis: Overconfidence dictates who gets ’top jobs’ and research shows men benefit more than women

Dr Nikki Sure and Anna Adamecz-Volgyi (both IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society) describe in The Conversation how their research links a person's overconfidence in adolescence to their job market outcomes later in life. There has been a steady stream of popular literature in recent years telling women to "lean in", be more confident, and not worry about "imposter syndrome". Men, on the other hand, are often seen to be overconfident compared to women. Our recent research shows they are 19% more likely to self-assess their abilities higher than they actually are - and this difference can actually affect career outcomes for men and women. We already know that women are less likely to make partner at law firms and reach corporate leadership positions. But roles such as chief executive, production manager, senior police officer, lawyer and doctor tend to be well paid and secure. The over-representation of men in such jobs may be an important driver of inequalities in the labour market such as the gender pay gap.