Can women really have it all? Most think yes
From the career, the car, the home and loving family, to the beach vacation and sprinkled cupcake: Women want to “have it all.” And almost all of them think they can.
According to a report this week from Citi and LinkedIn, 96% of women said “having it all” is attainable, but women were split on what that meant.
The national survey, aptly named Today’s Professional Woman Report, asked what women see as their biggest career challenges, their most pressing financial concerns, and how they define success.
Whether married or unmarried, 96% of women said a strong, loving relationship was part of having it all, though not as many -- 64% -- believed having an enjoyable job where they felt valued should be on the list.
“These results reinforce how women’s definitions of success have evolved beyond a one-size-fits-all ideal,” said Linda Descano, chief executive of Citi’s personal finance resource for women, Women & Co.
“Having it all” has long been debated and placed under a sometimes harsh microscope for female public figures. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer gave birth this week, prompting comments about whether or not her plan to return to the company in a few weeks is too soon.
A recent piece by Anne-Marie Slaughter, a professor at Princeton University and former director of Policy Planning for the U.S. State Department, about how women “can’t have it all” sparked both criticism and praise.
For 27% of women, children are not a factor of “having it all,” and for 36% of women, neither is marriage, according to the study.
The report also found that women’s definition of career success changes over time. Ladies over the age of 35 were more than twice as likely to report that being their own boss was “having it all,” while respondents under 35 felt it included reaching the height of success in their field.
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