Career or family often feels like a choice forced upon us. This is especially true for females, and even more so mothers, said Agnes Ng, Rookie Insurance Agency Leader of the Year 2018.
How does she feel about being faced with these two options? She shared her thoughts on “Career and family. What’s your choice?” originally posted on LinkedIn:
It doesn’t have to be this way.
I feel very lucky to be living in the 21st century where much progress has been made and there are a lot more opportunities for women. I’m also very blessed to have a supportive husband and family that never fail to support me and, in fact, spur me on to greater heights.
But society is still such that many successful women I know often end up feeling more guilt then their male counterparts about the parenting decisions made each day in order to thrive in their careers.
And when push comes to shove, women – in Asia especially – are still the ones expected to sacrifice their careers for their families.
Many ambitious females face the seemingly dichotomous choice between having a career and being a wonderful wife, mum or daughter.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
I choose both. And you can too.
With an accounting background, I did a mid-career switch to join the insurance industry. I’ve achieved multiple awards and recognition since then.
I was promoted to Master Financial Consultant, the highest ranking professionally in my company. I was also conferred the titles of ‘Wealth Manager’ and ‘Corporate Benefits Manager’.
In 2017, I emerged as the 1st Runner Up in the Associate Financial Services Manager category in the whole company and achieved the highly sought after Million Dollar Agency (MDA) Award in my first year of management.
(On stage at the 3rd Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards. Pic courtesy of Agnes Ng.)
In what is one of my proudest moments in my career, I was recognised as Rookie Insurance Agency Leader of the Year at the 3rd Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards earlier this year. A regional awards with an independently-audited judging process with some 25 judges of the industry’s C-suite executives, leaders and association presidents, it was truly an honour.
I’m proud of reaching these milestones in my career as they recognise my performance and efforts across multiple areas.
But what I’m most proud of is that I continue to be the wife, mum and daughter that I envisioned without neglect or guilt.
(Spending time with family while giving back to society. Pic courtesy of Agnes Ng.)
I’m penning these thoughts down not to impress you but to impress upon you that it is all possible.
Make no mistake about it. It takes a lot of hard work and heart breaks even. But whether you are a wife, mum, daughter or husband, father, son, it’s a false illusion that we have to choose between career and family.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Career or family?
I choose both. And you can too.
What’s your choice?
The 3rd Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards was made possible by organisers Asia Insurance Review and Asia Advisers Network, co-organiser LIMRA, and strategic partner AIA. Winners were selected in an independently-audited judging process. More information on the Awards can be found here.
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