Family or Career First: How Professional Women Fare in Making the Choice

Abstract

Many studies have found that deviations from the "normative" sequence of life events—education, pursuit of a career, and then marriage and child rearing—may have a negative effect on people's lives. The study presented in this article explored, through a questionnaire sent to 663 women and indepth interviews with 7 women, the career and family conflicts of professional women in relation to the sequencing of life events. The women in the sample fell into two groups: the family committed, who gave priority to their families; and the career committed, who emphasized their careers. Both groups, it was found, expressed regrets and concerns about their choices. The implications of the findings for practice and policy are presented.

Women in Human Services Management

“…Statham (1986) found in her research of professional women that sequencing of career and the timing of marriage and family impact professional women's career choices. For instance, a woman who married before obtaining her degree significantly increased her propensity to underutilize her training.…”