Relative influence of sex composition on job desirability

The purpose of this study was to examine the relative influence which the sex composition of a job exerts on its perceived desirability. The influence of job sex composition was studied in relation to three other factors: security, suitability of type of work, and company recognition. Ninety-five college students rated 108 job profiles on desirability based on various combinations of the four factors studied. The results indicated that sex composition exerted the least influence on job desirability while security and suitability of type of work exerted the greatest influence. It is suggested that past research focusing on the sex composition of a job as a determinant of its desirability has produced findings which are primarily a function of the research method utilized.