83% of Women Over 25 are Postponing Family to Focus on Career

Can you truly have it all – a successful career and a family? For many women the answer may be yes, but with a caveat. They are concentrating first on building successful careers before starting their families.

According to a new CareerBuilder survey, 83 percent of women over the age of 25 who plan to have children are postponing starting a family to focus on their careers. This is compared to 79 percent of men who say the same.

Wanting to earn and save enough money to provide for their families was the top reason given by both women and men who plan to have children (50 percent and 53 percent, respectively), followed by the desire to become more established and get ahead in their careers (28 percent and 33 percent, respectively).

Fifteen percent of women who plan to have children say they are waiting until at least age 35 to start a family, while 63 percent are waiting until at least age 30.

What Does This Mean For You?

Women and men may be more comfortable starting families if they know they have the support of their employers. That’s why companies with paid leave policies for new mothers and fathers are highly attractive to workers in this competitive job market. While paid maternity and paternity leave may not be an option for every company, having an inclusive, flexible work culture can still go a long way toward helping employees achieve success both professionally and personally.

Get CareerBuilder’s expert recruiting tips and trends, right to your inbox.