Women in the workplace have all experienced different consequences of behaviour that is normally associated with success; in other words, behaviour that is associated with white males. If a woman displays anger, she is labeled "emotional"; if a man displays anger it is perceived as "authority". The same goes for aggression and volubility. If a woman is aggressive, she is labeled "domineering" as opposed to a male who "has potential"; if she is voluble, she is "an idle talker" while a male has "good communication skills". Women in the non-traditional areas may experience these different consequences of behaviour to the extreme.

Certain stereotypical behaviour is also often assumed simply as a result of the presence of a woman. In another situation, I was involved in persuading the aviation department of a company to hire their first female pilot. Resistance was encountered in the attitude that since pilots are away from home much of the time, the company would be encouraging deviant behaviour by allowing male and female pilots to travel together. Once again, it was my role to point out the assumptions being made and to emphasize that men and women have to work and travel together all the time.

Isolation may be difficult for women who work in non-traditional occupations. Relationships are paramount to achievement and are often as important as competence. It is difficult for women to become "one of the club" when the men are reluctant to admit them to due their fear and their desire to protect their territory. Generally, women must prove they belong; men are perceived as belonging unless it is proven otherwise.

Although women may face discrimination in non-traditional situations, and job placement officers attempting to place women face frustration, there are good reasons to integrate women into these occupational categories. For instance, blue collar jobs pay significantly higher than low level white collar jobs, and women, many of whom otherwise would live below the poverty line, should not be barred from financially rewarding work. As well, with the current encouragement to women to choose mathematics and sciences and with advancing technology that diminishes the need for physical strength, there is no reason why women should not be given the opportunity to try non-traditional occupations.

So what is required to help ensure success for the woman who ventures into non-traditional work? General awareness sessions should take place to prepare the workforce prior to placing a woman in a department or unit. Men still believe women cannot do non-traditional work, and they fear they will be burdened with an unqualified employee who cannot pull her own weight. It is important for the men to realize it would be a disservice to everyone involved to place an unqualified worker in the job.