Career woman? Working mom? Going back to work? These are all possible scenarios for a woman in her 40s. Whatever the case, the professional landscape for a woman at 40 and above is very particular.  It offers an ideal balance of knowledge, maturity and energy hard to resist.  

The career woman in her 40s

She might be married and have kids, but top priority has always been her job and the satisfaction she gets from it. In her forties, this woman has been ‘in the game’ already for two decades, so she has accumulated that wealth of experience that has probably already made her already an A-lister in her job.  She still has the energy and dynamism that is required to climb higher, combined with the know-how on how to achieve it. 

Career women usually reach their income peak at this stage. They might make more money in the years until retirement, but the increases will come at smaller leaps – more adjustments to the cost of living than huge salary increases.

This presents a challenge in itself. Women like this can be labeled as being ‘too expensive’ and, if they have not reached the top managerial positions, are usually the easier targets for layoffs or replacements with ‘cheaper’ younger candidates.

The trick is to prove your uniqueness, and make yourself indispensable!

Thinking about starting your own business?  Read about the woman entrepreneur here.

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The Working Mom

Probably the most common of all labels on a forty-something: the woman who has a family and a job.  The juggler by excellence!

It can be overwhelming to balance kids and work.  In many instances the working mom feels as if she is a failure in both fronts: not a good enough mom and not a good enough worker.  She wants to do it all with the kids while succeeding in her career. She goes through her days wishing she could quit her job and stay with the children, but, truth is, she would feel totally unsatisfied leaving her work altogether.

There is no need for that.  Fortunately, there are more and more employers willing to accommodate the needs of the working mom these days: childcare at the office, tele-working, and part-time working are just a few examples.

If your employer does not offer any of these benefits maybe it’s time to have a chat with him or look into other options.

Read here some useful tips to successfully balance your family life and career.