This paper analyses hiring practices in Chile in relation to the scarcity of women in leadership positions in Chile. It problematizes the discourse about hiring and selection practices in contrast with the current employment law. The paper shows how gender discrimination operates both directly and indirectly in various productive sectors. Despite the standardization of professional entry requirements in many labour domains, discrimination exists in most steps of the selection process. This discrimination not only limits women’s careers and their likelihood of reaching top positions, but also unveils how economic and social modernization in its neoliberal phase clashes with certain ethic ruling principles in contemporary Chilean society. The study is based on 43 interviews with employers, recruiters and professional candidates