Sexism in the city case study: 'Women have to shout louder'

A senior female city worker describes her experiences

'I have worked in financial services for seven years and always been surrounded by men. Hiring and internal promotions are often wink-wink and hint-hint – so promotions are often decided before you get a chance to apply for them.

Women are always paid less – when managers have to make a decision, they will pay the people who will make a fuss and complain more, than people who won't complain. Because people have the perception women won't complain, they're getting less. As a woman, you have to make it three times as clear that you will not accept whatever it is: lower bonus, less than your target, you have to make it very, very clear.

You often find it takes women much longer to get promoted than it should. They say "oh, you're almost there, you need a little bit more, we'll do it next year". It seems women need to prove themselves more than men.

It hasn't happened to me because this is a subject I stay very much on top of, although I might be a little bit underpaid. Once, I saw a woman holding a Masters in Economics from a good UK university, and a foreign name, she was doing donkey work and I was shocked that she was just doing that. So I promoted her into my team, where she now does a job more in line with her abilities, for a lot more money. Had I not spotted this situation, she might still be there.

Guys wouldn't bother. You help your friends, and it's harder to make friends if you're a woman in a male-dominated atmosphere. It's not impossible, but it's harder. Friends are made at the pub, football, cricket and it's not usual for women to go to those places.

In smaller places, such as hedge funds, it's not uncommon that women are systematically held back, maybe men think women might not be capable at performing – obviously not true.

Sometimes women hold themselves back by not playing the game, by not being aggressive enough, or not being brave enough, even if they haven't done it before. Guys are just better at looking good and on top of a situation, even if that's not true."

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