Career Vs Job

So this isn’t the standard question of SAHM Vs WM…..This is more like a Career Vs a Job question….

Before R, I was a complete career person….Working for one of the top companies, I put in long hours at work, travelled out of the country on projects, et al. Loved what I was doing and did it with a sense of ownership…..then baby R happened. After a year’s break, I resumed office. I was bitten by the career growth bug and so changed jobs.  I was super lucky in that my new job was not only a step up from my previous role, but it was a hop away from my home. So I came home during lunch to check on baby, superbly managed meetings and pediatrician visits and eventually as Honeybunch started pre-school, even managed to drop and pick her up at times…all the while the career thingy alive and kicking in me…..Then I changed jobs again.

This time coz the company I worked for was planning to shut shop. I got to work for a super duper firm. But somehow around the same time I noticed a complete erosion of my career gene!! I was no longer interested in doing the high visibility jobs just for the sake of getting visibility, I was not into the “me too” group, had no qualms about being left out of the high profile offsite. All I wanted was to complete my day’s work and head home. That’s all. I was in the office at the dot of 9 and did all that I was supposed too….gave my best to every task that I did….and left as soon as I got done for the day. On good days, I left for home at 7 pm and on bad days…well…whenever I was done salvaging the day. But once shut down for the day, I was out of the door.  No last minute reporting, discussions, light talk, nada….straight out head for home. I had somehow settled into the “Job” mode and “Career” had taken a backseat. I am still in the same job. Haven’t switched….….yet!! I do occasionally browse job posts and reach out to head hunters…but am not super active!

A debate rages internally….Career Vs Job….The Mom in me does not want to lose out on R time because of the innumerable work demands that usually accompany a high profile job. So every time there is a wonderful offer on the anvil, I come clean on my “can’t dos”….one “can’t do” actually….travel!! I can’t travel…..at all. And that pretty much rules out a lot of high profile jobs. Most senior positions in top firms come with the unwritten requirement of “travel”. The travel can range from less than 5 days for a quick exhibition to a 15 day tour of established accounts to account set up engagements that could run into a couple of months. While it is not mandatory for every senior person to travel, just by virtue of having travelled and stretched well beyond the routine gets one the accolades and the most coveted assignments, promotions and bonus!!! While travel may not be mandatory, it definitely acts as an escalator to the upper echelons……and must admit, in most cases, rightly so!!

So I am often torn between staying where I am…which is very cushy too…..and going for a high profile upper management job….…..I have now hit upon a middle path…I aim to scout for jobs in companies that service domestic customers. That way I cut down the travel need and yet manage to be in a crème de la crème job!! May the force be with me on this job hunt..!!