Planning a professional life is starting seriously after having finished school. Young people have to find out whether they would like to study or not. What topic hits best to their abilities, where do they want to study? And may be some of them also take into account where the girl or boy friend will go and what about compatibility of a future job and a family life?

Having finished studying somehow the decision has to be taken again. Does a graduate want to leave University for a business elsewhere or would she like to continue as a doctoral student? At this point different professional lives or careers are implying various interesting models of work life balance. Often at this stage of life the question of having its own family is coming more and more to the fore. Is a decision in one direction is in favouring having both an interesting job and a family life? Cleary this question cannot be answered with yes or no. Of course, there is no golden rule of right or wrong! Many issues are influencing a good or bad work life balance: the job itself, the employer, the colleagues, the partner etc. It remains a decision under uncertainty. Consequently, the only advice one may give regarding the job decision:

If you like doing research and you may think of continuing with an academic career, take the courage and do it. And if you are starting having your own family, you will find solutions of combining both. Planning a professional life is starting seriously after having finished school. Young people have to find out whether they would like to study or not. What topic hits best to their abilities, where do they want to study? And may be some of them also take into account where the girl or boy friend will go and what about compatibility of a future job and a family life?

In the following some researchers introduce their professional career and answer how they deal with the questions listed above. When you click on the pictures you find more about them.

Please visit the Genderportal of Bielefeld University.