Love and Money

Over the years some of the businesswomen I’ve crossed paths with stayed single, because their careers, or moving up the career ladder interfered with their private life and their ability to involve themselves in a serious relationship. They were incredibly motivated, and knew their biological clock was about to run out, but just wasn’t able to get involved in a relationship they could commit to. Maybe the fear of an unsuccessful relationship scared them. Or maybe finding an acceptable partner meant finding a person who was more, or at least equally successful as they were. I’m not an expert on psychology, so my guess is as good as yours.

A while back CNN featured an article, ‘Young Women Choosing Careers Over Love,’ which looked at a study done by the scientific journal “Gender Issues.” After surveying 237 undergraduates researchers found 61% of men were more likely to postpone career goals as opposed to 51% for women. Of course the sample was fairly small, but I definitely found it interesting. One reason is the findings didn’t fit into the stereotypes society assigns to men and women when it comes to their business careers. Many feel men will put all other matters aside in hot pursue of moving up the corporate ladder. Women efforts, on the other hand are more directed toward pursuing a family. Although this study refutes these stereotypes the article suggest rarely are the reasons completely in black and white. Psychologist Ellen Klosson says the study shows an evolving relationship between women and their workplace rather then women’s preference for their careers versus romance.

“Changes in family economics likely play a role, too. Now that most families have dual incomes, Klosson points out, “men may feel more freed up to prioritize as they did in this study. There is less pressure, because of a shift in their role definition, to put their careers first.”