Tackling a High Profile Career as a Mother

Being a mother and a having a high profile career can often feel at odds with one another. You have likely heard people criticizing your choice one way or another. There are always people who butt in on your decisions once you have children. Some will be on the fence that you are being a bad mother. Others will complain that you gave up your chances of a great career for family. For moms, it can feel like there is no winning. 

If you do pursue your career as a mother, you should be applauded. Children need someone to look up to, and it should be their mom. Show your daughter that you can be a head engineer, and she will believe she can do anything. So long as you have the right support system, and follow this guide, you can maintain a close relationship with your kids and smash barriers. 

Build Up Your Support System 

They say it takes a village to raise a child, so take some time to build up your support system. This way, both you and your partner can have a career, or, if you are a single parent, you can support your children on all levels, rather than just financially. Some great ideas to build up such a support system include: 

Consider Moving Closer to Parents 

Either consider moving in or closer to your parents (or vice versa). This way, you can always have someone nearby to care for your children in emergencies. If they are happy to, they can even take care of them when you are unable to, especially if the commute to your work is a long one. 

Find a Great Daycare

Be very strict on the daycare selection process, because consistency is best for young children. This way, they can become familiar with their routine and come to trust their caretakers and of course, make friends with the other kids. 

Consider Hiring Help for the House 

Depending on the level of your career and how much you make, you should consider hiring a cleaning service for your home. Bringing someone in to deep clean your home once a week will keep it in good condition and healthy for everyone at home. 

Address Issues at Work 

This is a modern world, and for many jobs, either all or parts of it can be completed remotely. Further, the old concept of overworking to get ahead is a tired one. By enforcing your rights, you set yourself as more of a leader than if you were to cater to the demands of your superiors. That is why at work you should: 

Introduce the Concept of Remote Working

Push for the digital parts of your job, such as answering emails or writing up reports, to be done at home. There is no reason for you to be in the office during those times, and by working out a means to tally the work done at home, your employer should be satisfied and happy with the arrangement.

For example, if your job is to get all the reports done before tomorrow, you can take the afternoon off, work from home until your kids are done with school, spend time with them, eat dinner with them, and then continue your work afterward. 

This way, you can better split up your time between work and family time and take back hours of your life if you consistently get stuck in rush hour traffic. 

Push for Flextime 

Flextime is another great working concept that only benefits your employer. Rather than being strict with the 9 to 5 workday, the concept is to allow you to work hours that suit you, while still punching in the same 40-hour workweek you are expected to. This way, you can take time off work if your kids get sick, and then make up for it by working earlier or later the rest of the week. 

Create Routines with Your Kids 

Kids thrive off of routine because it means making and fulfilling a promise day after day. By committing to routines, even if they are less than conventional, you make the promise that you are there for them. Some routines could include making dinner together every night. Others might involve spending the entire Sunday together or reading together before bed. 

How to Show Your Kids You Care Even if You’re Away 

If your job requires you to be away from your kids, make full use of technology. You can play games with them online, talk to them, and, if they are old enough, even start a texting relationship. By being actively engaged, they will know you care, and in return, you will still be a big part of their lives and even develop a closer bond than you might expect. 

How to Advance Your Career as a Full Time Professional 

To further your career while being a great mom, you will want to consider: 

Opting for Online Degrees 

Though it will take you away from the field, often the best move for your career, family, and retirement is to move into a managerial role slowly. In high-profile and STEM-based careers, this will need more than just experience, but formal qualifications. That is why those of you who are in the STEM industries, like engineering, should opt for an online degree. 

These online degrees can be completed on your own time, are practical-based, and allow you to qualify for high-profile jobs. With some specialized degree, you can even expand your degree efforts. By taking just four additional courses, you can apply for an MBA on top of your MSEM, which gives you twice the value and double the experience. With these two managerial and business-based degrees at your side, you can apply for director roles, executive management roles, and more. 

Pushing for Raises and Promotions

You need to push for raises and promotions, and be prepared to leverage how important you are to a company against them. Some employers will be happy to give you the raise or promotion you want, once you can prove you deserve them. Others won’t. 

Be Prepared to Relocate for a Better Professional 

If your employer doesn’t see your value and won’t respect your demands for either a pay raise or promotion, then look for the job position you want elsewhere. San Francisco startup companies can open great opportunities for you if you’re specialized in tech. This can also be your climbing ladder to get promoted and lead a team as these companies begin to grow.  The best way to be promoted is to be hired at that level, and with two Masters under your belt and years of experience, you will be a prime candidate for any company.