A few weeks ago, when I asked my Instagram followers what they wanted me to share and blog about, a few people mentioned stuff around career – why I chose what I did, what I love, what I don’t love, the future, etc.
Today, I’m going to share more about my current job/career, how it supports me as a working mom, what I love, and what I wish was different.
Background info
This will likely mean nothing, but I’m a Senior People and Culture Manager for a global professional services organization. I’ve been with my current company for just about seven years now. In those seven years, I’ve not only been able to work with really amazing people on some cool global projects and initiatives, but I’ve also been able to take my career with me as we moved around for Vishnu’s (from Miami to St. Petersburg (FL) to Chicago.
Working mama support
On the working mama front, everyone I worked with, especially my boss at the time, was super supportive – both when I left on maternity leave and when I returned. Speaking of maternity leave, I was able to take 16 weeks under my company’s policy, which obviously wasn’t long enough, but I know how lucky I am compared to some. And as I’ve talked about in the past, upon my return to work, I was (and still am) able to start back on 4/10 schedule where I essentially work four 10 hour days and get Friday off (to do all the things I can’t during the week/weekends). This alone has helped me maintain some degree of sanity, so while my Fridays aren’t always relaxing, I do love my high level of productivity. A good way to go into the weekend!
What I love
First and foremost, I love the people I work with. They are the #1 reason why I’ve decided to stay here.
I also love project management, which is a large part of what I do. And even better, I get to do it on a global scale. On a given day, I could be working with our firm in the UK, the Philippines, and Argentina. I get to travel the world without leaving my desk!
Now that I’m a mom, I also appreciate that I can pretty much do my job from anywhere, and that I don’t have to travel too often. I’m also lucky in that I have the option to work from home a couple of times a week.
I also love where my office is located. On the days I do go into the office, I love that I can walk to work. I don’t know how this happened (I strongly prefer warm weather), but unless the temperature is in the teens, I’m walking. Chicago will do that to you I guess!
What I wish was different
Honestly, from a working mom perspective, this is the ideal role and company for me. But given that I’ve been here seven years, sometimes I itch for something new. New company, new industry, new problems to solve, etc. Then I look at my what I love list and think otherwise!
My two cents
Whether you’re a work outside of the home mama or not, when it comes to career, I think taking a big picture view is important. Know what your priorities are and align your decisions to those. And know that things shift. Life is made of different seasons. Some seasons are filled with work travel and long hours, while some are more about balance.
As I’m learning over time, your career isn’t black or white. There’s some gray. But mostly, it’s what you make of it and how you frame it for yourself and the season you’re in.
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