Michele needed some help to overcome the stereotypes. She also needed to realize that some stereotypes can work in her favor, if she lets them. Skills on the computer are not enough for a female technician - she needs a battle plan, for the interview and after. Let's return to the female mechanic, and learn a bit from women who have done it before. First, find something that competes effectively with people's preconceived notions about women.
Money is a good one.
Risk management is another. If you find a way to save them money and reduce their risk to boot, you're well on the way to acceptance. The female mechanic can, for example, advertise that she is offering a discount, a money-back guarantee, until she builds up a clientele. Loyalty is a quality that every employer values, and that gives you a big leg up on men, if you use it. Michele should take the stereotype head on, lay it on the table at the interview and give it a proper burial right before their eyes.