Knowing work colleague makes higher salary and is younger than you

[Anonymous]

Does it ever annoy you or make you take pause? Work colleague is a year younger than me (both of us are in our early 40s) and we are both Directors/VP positions. She makes 2x what I make (I know because I work on budgets) and it sometimes makes me think I should have worked harder/not mommy-tracked myself so much. I make $150,000 and she makes $300,000. She definitely has more responsibilities than I do and I am not thinking she doesn't deserve her salary. However I think if I pushed harder in my own career I could also be making similar amount of money.

I mommy-tracked hard and had 3 kids in less than 5 years. Husband makes a high salary and there was no ability for me to push my career forward with so many maternity leaves/kid duties.

[Anonymous]

No, it's common for younger colleagues to make more money when they have more experience, do more work and are generally smarter.

[Anonymous]

What does this have to do with her being (one year!) younger?

[Anonymous]

I prioritized my family when the kids were young. Maybe I’d be making a higher salary if I hadn’t, but I wouldn’t trade having my kids or the relationship that I have with my kids for that. I think a strong foundation is so important, and I think we’re reaping the rewards of that now that they are in their teens and doing well.

You can’t have everything. I’m grateful for what I do have.

[Anonymous]

Yes, there are trade-offs in life. Focus on the positives and run your own race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does this have to do with her being (one year!) younger?

Yeah it's not really about a younger co-worker making more. You are basically the same age but took different paths and are compensated accordingly.
It's a misleading post title.

[Anonymous]

The one year age difference isn't the factor. It's the difference in work-responsibility-years that pay off for her. You chose to value those years with your kids at what's now $150k/year.

[Anonymous]

I also mommy-tracked myself. I believe I will be happier in the long run.

Everything I've read suggests that family is the right emotional choice in the long run. Unless you're a fairly emotionless, materialistic person.

I am sorry I didn't fulfill my potential to rise levels. But I gave it up to ensure financial stability and pleasant living circumstances while my kids were growing up. Ambition involves taking career risk. I am responsible for 60% of my family's HHI.

Looking back, I realize I did make choices with knowledge of the consequences and I need to continue to be confident in my decision. I was laid off right after maternity leave with DC#2 and that was a setback I have never recovered from. I always remember that your kids love you but your employer doesn't really care. Almost all of us are replaceable within a short period of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does it ever annoy you or make you take pause? Work colleague is a year younger than me (both of us are in our early 40s) and we are both Directors/VP positions. She makes 2x what I make (I know because I work on budgets) and it sometimes makes me think I should have worked harder/not mommy-tracked myself so much. I make $150,000 and she makes $300,000. She definitely has more responsibilities than I do and I am not thinking she doesn't deserve her salary. However I think if I pushed harder in my own career I could also be making similar amount of money.

I mommy-tracked hard and had 3 kids in less than 5 years. Husband makes a high salary and there was no ability for me to push my career forward with so many maternity leaves/kid duties.

Being a mom is more valuable than ditching parenthood for a career.

And one year younger is peanuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does this have to do with her being (one year!) younger?

I thought this was going to be an I'm in my 40s and my 30 year old coworker makes more money.

One year is nothing.

[Anonymous]

I made more than my much older colleagues, but I had a lower on the org chart position. I have 2 terminal degrees and have given presentations to board members.

When I hit a salary ceiling because colleagues complained they did not want me to make more than them, I brought that up to management and received a promotion and became head of the division. Now no one complains I make more than them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also mommy-tracked myself. I believe I will be happier in the long run.

Everything I've read suggests that family is the right emotional choice in the long run. Unless you're a fairly emotionless, materialistic person.

I am sorry I didn't fulfill my potential to rise levels. But I gave it up to ensure financial stability and pleasant living circumstances while my kids were growing up. Ambition involves taking career risk. I am responsible for 60% of my family's HHI.

Looking back, I realize I did make choices with knowledge of the consequences and I need to continue to be confident in my decision. I was laid off right after maternity leave with DC#2 and that was a setback I have never recovered from. I always remember that your kids love you but your employer doesn't really care. Almost all of us are replaceable within a short period of time.

Wait, does the ambition/emotionless thing apply to men, too?

[Anonymous]

You are a Director/VP and you think one year means anything? Wow.

[Anonymous]

I'm in a similar boat but wouldn't trade my time with my kids for the money. I do fine and have a great work-life balance. In addition to mommy-tracking, I took a few years off after college to travel, etc. and I look back on those days with great fondness.

There is something to be said for going straight into a career out of school and working hard to get to the top. If that's your thing, you should do that. But it's not mine. I want my job to work for me, not the opposite. And now that I am 10-15 years from retirement, I want to work at my current level for another 5 years or so and then slow back down until I ride off into the sunset. Life is short and you can't take money with you.

[Anonymous]

she negotiated better