I've been thinking lately about whether portfolio careers are more suited to women than men. Women are renowned for their multi-tasking abilities and despite all advances in equality, are still more likely to need to juggle childcare with earning a living.
I've met women combining several unrelated fields of work, working for a broad range of clients or simply having more than one job; some of them choosing these options because they fit in with motherhood. Some of these mums feel that their careers are now somehow second rate, that their 'real careers' have been put on hold, while others feel liberated by it and embrace it. Others still, don't even have the luxury of such options and are working full time and a minority don't work at all or have reduced their hours.
Personally, I think a professional portfolio career is a legitimate option for anyone. Whether they are men, women, parents or not, portfolio careerists rightly deserve the same status and respect as any 'regular' single track careers.
There is no denying that a portfolio career can be a great choice for working mums (and dads) and it makes sense to me that children benefit from one or both parents having a portfolio career which affords them both flexibility and fulfilment to ensure their children have high quality parent-child relationships. It is right that society and the economy needs to evolve to facilitate this more readily. Equally, in my view, it should not be any less legitimate for those without children to aspire to the same benefits in order to prioritise the quality of relationships with loved ones and the making of valid contributions to society in other ways than parenthood.
Portfolio careers aren't for everyone. The focus of a single track career is as exciting to its proponents as multiple jobs and roles are to the portfolio careerist. Employers are increasingly under pressure to implement child-friendly policies which arguably, some portfolio careerists may miss out on. However, for those who are game, the portfolio career can be a chance to craft a day to day existence that you love every moment of, decide and change your workload and work type as your interests evolve and adapt and help you acheive the sort of balance conducive to family life in all its forms whether that means a family of good friends and neighbours, the two person co-habitee family, husbands and wives, civil partners, extended families, carers and parents (be they single or not) with children.
I've met women combining several unrelated fields of work, working for a broad range of clients or simply having more than one job; some of them choosing these options because they fit in with motherhood. Some of these mums feel that their careers are now somehow second rate, that their 'real careers' have been put on hold, while others feel liberated by it and embrace it. Others still, don't even have the luxury of such options and are working full time and a minority don't work at all or have reduced their hours.
Personally, I think a professional portfolio career is a legitimate option for anyone. Whether they are men, women, parents or not, portfolio careerists rightly deserve the same status and respect as any 'regular' single track careers.
There is no denying that a portfolio career can be a great choice for working mums (and dads) and it makes sense to me that children benefit from one or both parents having a portfolio career which affords them both flexibility and fulfilment to ensure their children have high quality parent-child relationships. It is right that society and the economy needs to evolve to facilitate this more readily. Equally, in my view, it should not be any less legitimate for those without children to aspire to the same benefits in order to prioritise the quality of relationships with loved ones and the making of valid contributions to society in other ways than parenthood.
Portfolio careers aren't for everyone. The focus of a single track career is as exciting to its proponents as multiple jobs and roles are to the portfolio careerist. Employers are increasingly under pressure to implement child-friendly policies which arguably, some portfolio careerists may miss out on. However, for those who are game, the portfolio career can be a chance to craft a day to day existence that you love every moment of, decide and change your workload and work type as your interests evolve and adapt and help you acheive the sort of balance conducive to family life in all its forms whether that means a family of good friends and neighbours, the two person co-habitee family, husbands and wives, civil partners, extended families, carers and parents (be they single or not) with children.
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