Abstract: The underrepresentation of women in information technology has been a much-discussed issue in information systems research and practice for years. Although few women see a personal fit with an IT career and explicitly choose this career choice, most of them experience barriers and stress at different career stages. A serious consequence is that women abandon their information technology careers and turn away from the IT domain. Our study focuses on the stress experienced in early career stages. We conduct a qualitative study with 31 female IT students using guided retrospective introspection. We examine young women’s process in responding to stressors during higher education. Our study identifies stressors young women face early in their IT careers during higher education, examines their impact on women’s perceived fit with an IT career, and illustrates the resulting career outcomes. We contribute to IS research by identifying patterns and proposing a theorized process. We also discuss implications for practice and the need for future research.

Keywords: Careers, Gender issues, IT education, Higher education, Student perceptions

Download This Article: JISE2025v36n2pp130-147.pdf

Recommended Citation: Oehlhorn, C. E., Maier, C., Laumer, S., & Weitzel, T. (2025). Females’ Perceptions and Stress in IT Education: A Person-Environment Fit and Coping Perspective on Staying In or Turning Away From IT Majors. Journal of Information Systems Education, 36(2), 130-147. https://doi.org/10.62273/WIHA7189