By Jamie | Leave A Comment
Last week I got together with one of my best friends from college. Although I hadn’t seen him in three years it literally took just a few seconds for us to jump into a friendly conversation and feel as if we’d only gone three days, and not three years, without seeing one another. My friend is a national sales account manager and next year he’s planning to move to Cincinnati to change career paths once again. But he’s a 40-year-old bachelor and he’s been able to easily pick up and move as his career has shifted throughout the years.
On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve been with the same company now seven years and I’ve worked in Nashville since I graduated in December 1991 with a degree in print journalism and sociology. I’ve had more exciting and visible PR type jobs in the past. At my previous job I edited the employee magazine for a national sales force. I flew on a company chartered jet with our CEO and other company executives several times and my husband and I had the opportunity to travel to San Diego and Puerto Rico as part of the company’s sales leaders conference.
Eight years ago I went to Houston to apply for a management type position in marketing communications at that same company. I didn’t get the job and I ended up leaving the company a few months later and getting hired at my current workplace. I got pregnant with my first daughter just four months after that. I now know that it was a blessing in disguise that I didn’t get the management job. Yes it would have meant more money, but it would have meant more responsibility, more stress, and more travel.
Now that I’m a mom to two little ones, I just want a flexible schedule and I am grateful I have an employer who understands that I want to work just 30 hours a week so I can have afternoons open for school activities. I have no desire to manage a group of employees or travel extensively for work or land that big corporate job that translates into working long, crazy hours, even if it would mean a higher salary.
What about you? Did your career goals change once you started a family? Did your perception of career success change?
ABOUT Jamie
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I wasn’t really a career-woman to start with. But being a mother only reinforces my desire to take a job that I love and at the same time will give me opportunity to spend more time with my son.
I think parents still want a successful career,but they don’t want it at the expense of thier kids.
I work in state government, but our ability to flex our work schedules drastically diminished when our new governor moved state operations to a strict 8-5 schedule. It makes it so difficult for families. I had to carry the load for 6 months after my husband lost his job at a major clothing company when they were sold off last year. He now also works in state government.
I’ve never had major career aspirations- working in public health is not a place to earn big bucks!
More than anything I want to be a stay at home mom but I currently earn more than my husband, and with one child it doesn’t make financial sense to quit. My daughter is thriving in her daycare, but we do want more kids and I hope to quit employment after our next child comes along.
I have a master’s degree, and I don’t think it is a waste to quit working while caring for my young family.
I don’t have children yet and I’m not pregnant but my only career desire is to be a mommy. I think the universe is telling me to get knocked up as I go from one bad job to another, to a job where I think I’ve arrived, to getting laid off, to now a job that isn’t what it’s cracked up to be but in this less than thriving economy is my only option here in my town.
I’m always looking for a job that will be flexible for mommas in case the staying at home with children doesn’t pan out as hubs and I hope.
My career goals have shifted somewhat, because my focus is on spending time with my daughter and family. My expectations of the company I work for are definitely different. Since having my daughter, I have switched departments so I don’t have to travel. I have stayed with my current company strictly because they have great flex options and wonderful maternity benefits. I would LOVE to stay home, but don’t see this as a viable option…though it is a great motivator when it comes to planning our savings and budgeting strategies. Great topic!
My goals totally changed after having my son almost 5 years ago. I thought I would always want to work but as soon as I had him, all I wanted to do was stay home with him. My husband had just started a new job a few months earlier so staying home wasn’t really an option at first. I went back to work after 12 weeks but my company was so un-family friendly. Now I know it was a blessing in disguise. I ended up quitting 9 months later to stay home. If they had been more accommodating I might still be working there. Instead I am still at home and loving every minute of it.
I, too, never thought I would want to stay home but the minute I got pregnant my mind changed. I think the internet has really given the women in my generation an outlet to spend more time at home. The internet allows for a more flexible job by telecommuting and you can have companionship with other moms.
I walked away from a booming journalism career after my daughter joined our family, got my master’s degree, started my own home-based business and haven’t looked back since. I can’t imagine ever going back to work for anyone else.
Absolutely. I always say I am pleasantly surprised to love being a sahm. I didn’t know how hard it would be. I love it and realize it’s really the most important job I’ve ever had!
Yep. Big time. We didn’t think we could have kids, and had discussed adoption. After much thought and consideration, we decided we weren’t going to adopt – would stay just the two of us, and that we’d focus on our careers/businesses and travel a lot. I had almost completed my PhD in Clinical Psych when I found out I was pregnant. Three months of bedrest led to a leave of absence, and ongoing medical issues with our little girl led to withdrawl from the program. I decided to stay at home and have never regretted it. Being a mom is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s also the most rewarding. Maybe someday when she’s in school/older, I’ll go back. Maybe I’ll do something completely different……
http://psychmamma.wordpress.com