family and career. Despite their
)high salaries and prestigious job
titles, Glaser tound that many savvy
businesswomen were left wonder-
ing, "Is this it?"
In response to the increased
demands of the workplace, Glaser
says that many women are opting to
be their own bosses. They're often
working at home in order to be more
available for their children and spous-
es. Increasingly, banks and other lend-
ing institutions are looking at
women-owned companies as viable
business investments, funneling more
and more money into start-up busi-
nesses created by women.
"There are currently more
Americans that are employed by
women-owned business than there are
)by the Fortune 500 companies com-
bined," says Glaser. Statistics show
that women-owned businesses gener-
ated more than 53 billion in sales last
year alone.
Some of this desire for a better bal-
ance between work and family life
reflects the new generation now enter-
ing the workforce, she says. The so-
)called "Generation Xers" were mostly
latchkey kids, raised in households
with two working parents who spent
little time at home. As these children
begin working, many of them are
making job decisions based on a corn-
pany's.commitment to life balance.
"Ten years ago, you didn't ask [for]
it until you had been in the job sever-
\ al years," Glaser notes of the new
-)trend. "You were grateful for the job
— even flattered."
Others are intentionally choosing
careers that can be easily adapted to
home-based businesses, such as
accounting or consulting positions.
Already there are nearly 4 million
businesses run by women from their
homes. Technological advances have
enabled both men and women to
make their jobs portable, telecom-
muting from home or easily taking
work with them on the road. Some
60 percent of the 9.2 million
Americans who now work from home
are women.
"It's even more attractive than a
promotion or a raise, if you want to
be home when your kids come home
from school," Glaser says of the new
corporate willingness to consider
employees' personal lives. "We're see-
ing a lot more emphasis put on flexi-
bility."
But before you think of ditching
your current job, there are a number of
important factors to consider, she sug-
gests.
Perhaps most importantly, could
you and your family afford the signif-
icant drop in income that usually
accompanies a major job change? If
not, there are ways to explore work
that interests you without leaving
your current position.
"People want
control over their
lives. They want
balance between
work and life."
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Orchard Mall
Orchard Lake Rd. • N. of Maple
W. Bloomfield • 851-5566
"Serving the Community for over 40 Years"
— Connie Glaser
Volunteer organizations are always
in need of people willing to dedicate
time to their cause. Many local uni-
versities offer evening classes that may
help you to better assess whether a
new job is right for you. If you have
the rime, you migh
t even think of
working in a new field on a part-time
basis during time off from your main
job.
Glaser recommends those seriously
considering making the leap from one
career to another begin the process by
getting in touch with a career coun-
selor who is board certified. Some
communities even offer job coaches
who help job seekers define their
skills and coordinate a strategy for
making work changes. -
Whether a woman chooses to
remain in her existing job or take a
chance at pursuing her dream, Glaser
says the key to personal success is
learning how to maintain a healthy
balance between work life and per-
sonal life. Rather than remaining
married to an unfulfilling job, women
should explore other opportunities to
branch out and try new things. But
remember, as was the case with
Brenda Barnes, a decision that is right
for one person may not be feasible for
another.
No matter what direction a
woman's career path takes her, it helps
to keep work-related things in per-
spective. In the infamous words of
comedian Lily Tomlin, "The trouble
with the rat race is that even if you
win, you're still a rat." H
Dina Fuchs writes for our sister paper,
the Atlanta Jewish Times.
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Detroit Jewish News
7/2
1999
103