Abstract
This article aims to identify the impact of gender in the process of candidate recruitment for vacant managerial positions at private enterprises in Kazakhstan. Methodology – in-depth semi-structured interviews with HR specialists and heads of recruitment agencies in the largest cities of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The originality/ value of the research - the first study in Kazakhstan that substantiates the gender aspect of personnel recruitment and justifies barriers for women applying for leadership positions. The results of the study – this research has revealed gender-stereotyped bias against women candidates for leadership positions in private enterprises of the Republic of Kazakhstan based on their childbearing age, motherhood, less stamina, and mobility, as well as the association of a leader with men. The study showed that women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) experience the greatest difficulties in moving up the career ladder, facing gender barriers at all levels of management and the unfriendly behavior of colleagues suffering from the Queen bee syndrome. This work demonstrates that the lack of gender competencies among decision-makers leads to bias and loss of the gender leadership potential of human resources and proposes recommendations for eliminating gender barriers in human resource management.