GENDER, MENTORING, AND CAREER SUCCESS: THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Abstract

This study examines the moderating effects of protégé sex and organizational context on relationships between senior‐male mentors and objective and subjective career outcomes among midcareer managers and professionals. Extending signaling theory, and using a 3‐way interaction, we found that associations between senior‐male mentoring, cash compensation, and career progress satisfaction were greatest among women working in male‐gendered industries. By contextualizing the protégé sex‐by‐mentoring interaction and by considering key mentor attributes, the results of this study provide important insights into where, why, and for whom access to a senior‐male mentor is related to career success and contribute to building more complete models of the career attainment process.