Women in Russia are career-minded, ambitious and happy to act in such a way. Moreover, in the profession they are full-fledged players, without additional preferences based on gender.

These statements are the conclusions reached by the authors of the study "Features of career orientations of women in Russia" from the Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg State University (GSOM SPbU). Analyzing the results of the survey, researchers found out that women in Russia show a high level of awareness, a clear understanding of their desires and goals, and are focused on challenge and self-determination.

70% of the respondents have a Master's degree or higher. They devote more than 70% of time to their careers, and almost 40% of them are constantly overworked (they work more than 40 hours a week). More than 60% of respondents are top managers or heads of companies and organizations.

As a result, their income level is also high. This is important, since the economic situation in the country makes the women's contribution fundamentally significant for the family budget. At the same time, women often combine the role of a mother (42%) and the main breadwinner of the family (50%), which is partly due to a fairly high percentage of single-parent families (35% of respondents indicated that they are not in a relationship). Rather often they are also responsible for supporting their own parents (47% of the respondents).

Combining a career with the traditional responsibilities of a mother and a housewife is a characteristic feature of Russian society. 48% of the respondents noted the difficulties associated with this.

At the same time, these women are both motivated for a career and enjoy it, and the older they are, the more they enjoy their careers.. A focus on self-determination is  high among all age groups, reaching a maximum at 40-50 years. The need to find a balance between work and children diminishes with age (orientation towards this value grows in the middle-aged group of 30-40 and 40-50, and then it diminishes). While experience and self-confidence continue to grow.

46% of the respondents do not notice any serious influence in the form of gender stereotypes on their career development. Another 33% find that the degree of this type of influence is below average. Only 14% of the respondents say that in their company they prefer to see men in leadership positions rather than women. This is specific to the Russian environment — in which, however, women have to play at the level as men.