Women work harder to make a good impression

Women really do have to work harder than men to make a good impression, scientists have found.

Demonstrating what many claim to have known for years, psychologists found female graduates applying for a fast-track trainee scheme at a big oil company tended to be better presented, more motivated and better in control than the men.

But this was not reflected in the way they were rated by their mainly male interviewers.

Men tended to be given more of a chance to shine, being asked a greater number of open questions that gave them an opportunity to answer more than 'yes' or 'no'.

To offer more information about themselves, women had to take the initiative. And when they did, they were judged to be aggressive - where men were seen as assertive and self-confident.

The findings suggest those who have risen to the top, such as City superwoman Nicola Horlick, have had to outperform male colleagues to get there.

The women were part of a group of 31 candidates interviewed by the unnamed company.

They ended up with similar ratings to the men, but their scores masked the fact that they had to work harder, the conference was told by Dr Jo Silvester of City University, London.

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