3 Pieces of Career Advice From One Female Advisor to Another

Fortunately, my boss had the foresight to see my value. Though I decreased my workload to work with fewer clients, he knew that those clients would be in good hands. Further, he understood that the shift to part-time work wouldn’t be forever, and that by allowing me to live my best life, I could give even more back to my work and clients.

2. Have a Support System at Home

To succeed on the job, it’s important to have strong partnerships at home. Statistics show that women still bear the brunt of domestic work. According to Deloitte’s Women @ Work 2023: A Global Outlook, 46% of women who live with a partner and have children say they do most of the child care, while 34% say that it is an equal split. Further, 37% of respondents say they prioritize their partner’s career — typically because their partners earn more.

Often, in dual-income households, men expect their wives to cover unexpected situations — if, for example, a child is sick. It’s important to have open and honest dialogue with your partner. Discuss who has more capacity on any given day. Relationships are about give and take, and women with supportive partners are far more likely to be able to advance in their careers.

3. Rethink Work-Life Balance

From “leaning in” to “having it all,” we’re constantly resetting expectations for working mothers.

While work-life balance has become the buzzword of choice over the past few years, I see it as a misnomer that pits work and family against one another rather than seeing them as parts of a whole. I prefer to think of it as work-life mix — more like a pie chart, with individual slices getting bigger or smaller based on your stage of life.

When kids are young, the family slice is bigger, but the picture changes as kids grow older, leaving more time not only for work, but for friends, community and other passions.

Wealth management is an extremely rewarding industry, one where women can build lifelong relationships, problem-solve and help clients through the most important moments in their lives. Since the start of the pandemic, women at all stages of their careers have been reevaluating their priorities and changing career paths. And many have made their way into the wealth management industry.

In addition to considering a career in wealth management, women should be intentional about their futures, thinking carefully about their career goals, seeking out mentors and being upfront and honest with both colleagues and spouses. If you have a clear picture of what you want and understand the sacrifices you must make along the way, you can create a rich life that allows you to fulfill your full potential, both personally and professionally.

Kate Redden, CFP ChFC and CKA, is a regional director and financial advisor at Merit Financial Advisors.

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