Gendered self-presentation in the construction industry: Insights from linkedin narratives and in-depth interviews

Despite ongoing commitments to support women's career advancement, the construction industry continues to show low representation of women in managerial roles. Existing research has found that women bring unique strengths to leadership, which differ from the traditional assertive leadership style often associated with male leaders. However, women continue to face barriers in professional self-presentation, making it challenging to self-promote and advance into managerial roles, thereby further contributing to leadership disparities. Limited research has explored gender differences in professional self-presentation within the construction industry, or the unique value and strengths women offer. Understanding these differences presents an opportunity to challenge gender norms and advance women's careers in the sector. To address this gap, the study adopted a mixed-methods approach by integrating large-scale LinkedIn data with in-depth one-on-one interviews. Drawing on career capital theory and the Golden Circle framework, Phase 1 involved a narrative analysis of the summary sections of 4,493 LinkedIn profiles using a traditional rule-based keyword search combined with a chain-of-thought approach powered by a large language model. A subsequent chi-square test of independence revealed that female managers were significantly less likely than male managers to use achievement-related statements that emphasize tangible results and accomplishments. In contrast, they were significantly more likely to use story-related statements that convey personal motivation and the purpose behind their work. Phase 2 expanded on these findings through interviews with 15 female managers, which confirmed the patterns identified in Phase 1. Participants were reluctant to highlight achievements and emphasized the importance of communicating personal motivation in their professional self-presentation. Thematic analysis revealed key strengths commonly shared by female managers, including emotional intelligence, communication skills, and self-driven motivation and initiative. By consolidating insights from both phases, the study offers recommendations for individuals, organizations, and future researchers aiming to promote women in leadership within the construction industry.