There are various points in a career trajectory where problems can occur， from recruitment，training and mentorship， to promotion and retention. Recruitment can be particularly difficultbecause a new employee is an unknown factor. The evidence that many companies are failingto recruit the right people is the number of people who are patently in the wrong job！ Onereason for this is that organizations make job offers based on past performance rather than onrealistic assessment of furore potential.
The mismatch between an individual and their position within a company may， however，be due to factors other than poor recruitment practices. Employees can be promoted intopositions that no longer match their skills； rigidity in organizational structures may inhibitopportunities for employees， particularly women， who need to balance work and familyresponsibilities； and organizational reward structures can encourage people to take jobs for thewrong reasons.
Failing to promote employees with the aptitude and skills to be effective managerscan be just as big a mistake as promoting the wrong people. Recent evidence indicates thatorganizations with women in top management positions outperform those with more traditional，male-dominated leadership structures.
However， many women who begin their careers on an equal footing with their malecolleagues fail to reach the highest level of management because of rigid organizationalstructures that inhibit an achievable work-life balance. Although many companies are beginningto recognize the value of a more flexible approach to working， employees who take advantageof this are often seen as less committed or ambitious.
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