The meaning of career success: Voices from the executive women’s resources sector of Western Australia

 In an interview to each of the 31 executive women in the oil, gas and mining sector of WA, I asked this question, “How do you define career success?” It is understood that success in their career was a life goal and highly important, that is why they are in this position.

 The Executive Women described career success as a process of pushing beyond standard work boundaries and barriers in order to attain a sustainable balance in all aspects of their lives. Their ideal notion of career success was one that comprised an ‘overall package’, and that there was ‘balance’ between work and family life. Thus, success was broadly defined and not limited to a particular organisational role, material rewards or set of managerial or leadership responsibilities. Some of the responses are below in italics.

I think women define success as when they’ve got all of the parts of their lives humming… so career success comes as an overall package when I’ve been working with women.

I suppose I don’t see career success can ever stand by itself, its life success and everything I achieve in my career is reflected and has to be reflected in my family life.

I have defined career success as having [both a work and home life], because I do have a family, I do have two children, in my view success is having both. It’s having a professional career and having a strong family career.

If I am encountering difficulties, challenges, whatever they may be, whether they be in terms of HR, difficult people, an issue that I don’t know how to deal with, whatever that is, being able to go home and do the things that I have to do there gives me that balance and keeps me going. So that’s important – both are important I couldn’t live one without the other.

Self-reflection: How do You define career success?