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Received an offer as Engagement Director from Salesforce (CSG, pre sales, L9). Great benefits package, 40% increase in total comp and better WLB.
I do love the people in my practice and current client, but career trajectory has stalled after taking parental leave earlier this year and (yet another) change in leadership.
Realistically, making to Director is 2-3 years away and will require sacrificing time with my family that I am not prepared to give up.
Should I stay or should I go?
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I'm on a 90% reduced schedule where I work 40 hours per week, year-round. I work when my kids are at school/daycare, and I am home for nights and weekends. It lets me avoid the extra hours around our spring & fall tax seasons, except for the occasional extra hours I'll put in if absolutely necessary during a deadline week. It's worked for me since I stick to my hours and proactively communicate with my team if I get assigned too much work.
I think it's harder when reduced schedules have extra days off during the week (like Mondays or Fridays). Clients and colleagues still call or schedule meetings, so you have to be flexible or stand up for your schedule.
When I had my first baby, I did a 60% schedule. I have busy seasons in Aug-Oct and mid-Jan to mid-April, so I did 24 hours/week in the 6 slower months and 32 hours/week in the busier months. During that time, I generally scheduled full days off on my calendar, so I had 1-2 days/week that I didn't need childcare and could stay snuggled up with my baby or go on playdates. I blocked my calendar on those days, but if there was an important meeting that couldn't be moved, I still tried to call in or switch my days (many of my clients had no idea I was part-time). As far as workload, we intentionally gave a certain number of my clients to other managers....it's not possible to do the same amount of work in less time.
As time went on, I've adjusted it a few times. At this point, I'm at 75%, which averages 34 hours/week (more or less depending on the season still). All my kids are in school now, so instead of scheduling whole days off, I work every day, but have the flexibility to pick them up from school, volunteer at school, coach a team, etc. I just block my calendar when I'm not going to be available.
The trick is to keep boundaries, but also be flexible. Now and again, I've still worked a 70+ hour week to meet a deadline, but it's not frequent, and I make sure my annual total is on track (take a lighter week once things slow down). I try to give as much flexibility as I take.
How do you manage the chargeable hours goal, our company allocates the same ratio to total hours but with same holidays learning requirements and slow weeks it feels impossible to catch up.