Who’s breaking PR’s glass ceiling?

Answer: Not enough young women just starting in PR and not enough mature women in mid-career who are angry, fed up and determined to change things, says this observer.

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There aren’t many cracks in PR’s glass ceiling … yet.

PR is among the most rapidly growing “best jobs” according to U.S. News and World Report. But PR’s seemingly progressive culture fails the majority of its professionals—women.

Although women make up about 70 percent of the PR workforce, they hold only 30 percent of the top positions. And research suggests women have more challenges attaining leader positions than men.

Women in PR still face a glass ceiling—the invisible barrier to advancement.

To a woman PR pro, it’s disheartening that opportunities get scarcer as women reach higher positions, especially later in their careers.

Many studies show women hit the glass ceiling long before they can expect to be considered for CEO jobs, likely a result of deliberate decisions and subconscious bias at the top.

In an industry overwhelmingly female in its lower ranks—and overwhelmingly male in upper management—how can such a blatant imbalance persist?

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