It's no secret that the real estate industry, like many others, is dominated by men. While women account for about 65 per cent of the real estate industry, only a handful of these occupy the top positions.

Even though more women are entering the real estate industry, ratios are still skewed towards men when you get to the top tier of senior employees. It's the case in a lot of industries really, especially business, and IT. 

Leading real estate recruiter, Sharon Bennie says a recent study conducted by the New South Wales Government concluded that in NSW alone, if the current labour participation and retirement trends continue, by 2030 there will be 300,000 more jobs than people in the workforce.

"Recently, it was found that only 58 per cent of women (of a working age) are employed compared to 70 per cent of men, meaning women remain a largely untapped resource in our employment economy," Ms Bennie told WILLIAMS MEDIA.

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"The smart employers will be the one’s engaging proactive recruitment and retention strategies aimed directly at getting women into their workplaces and keeping them there."

Ms Bennie says while the industry is generally very supportive of women and provides flexible working arrangements, there is still a way to go.

"Challenges that are faced in real estate, just as in any industry, is prejudice. This falls predominantly around a conscious discrimination against women who are of child-bearing age, where a company may need to fill in the maternity-leave gap, or women who have children are sometimes perceived to be less reliable," Ms Bennie said.

Ditch old recruitment methods

It's been statistically proven that female applicants need to feel they're 100 per cent qualified for a job in order to apply, whereas men only need to feel they can fulfill 60 per cent of the criteria.

It's been dubbed the 'confidence gap' and Ms Bennie says companies need to accordingly adjust the way they hire women.

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"If an employer is seeking a female applicant, requirements should be limited to about five," she said.

Related reading: Why job seekers aren't finishing your application process

"Gendered language is another contributing reason why women don't apply for roles. Research shows there is no impact on the likelihood of a male applying for a role, however, female candidates are dissuaded from applying for job ads that use masculine language. Feminine worded job ads promote a sense of inclusiveness and belonging, and therefore saw an increase in the probability of a female applying for that role."

If you're an employer, there's even a website that will analyse your job description for subtle gender bias.

Attract top female employees with perks they actually want

As more companies look to diversify in regards to gender, and become more aware of the issues women face in the workplace, knowing what perks will actually be beneficial for women is crucial.

Think beyond games areas, Kombucha on tap, and in-office haircuts and manicures (some of the perks of working at Bumble!). 

While those perks are pretty cool, Ms Bennie says it's flexibility and family-friendly policies women really want.

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"Companies should attract women through having an inclusive workplace culture, family friendly/maternity policies. Flexible working arrangements are also really important - the ability to have late or early starts and finishes or the ability to work from home or remotely," she says.

Some companies are even offering women free breast milk shipments, private lactation suites, IVF/IUI/egg freezing discounts, and pregnancy, postpartum, and return-to-work support.

Job share opportunities, community or charity involvement, and incentive programs that aren't purely financial are other benefits Ms Bennie says are important.

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Related reading:

Why real estate is a good industry for women

How real estate employers are attracting - and keeping - top staff

How to work with a recruiter to land a job in real estate