Valérie’s story

Valérie has received invaluable support to shape part-time programs following her two maternity leaves

I found out I was pregnant a few months after joining McKinsey, so I wasn’t sure about starting a part-time program at such an early tenure.  I took off a little over a year following my first daughter’s birth and then returned to McKinsey on a 60% program.  Once I settled back into work, I transitioned to an 80% program and was designated an engagement manager a couple of months later.  I took a year off following the birth of my second daughter, and I’m returning again on a 60% program with plans to ramp up to 80% for the foreseeable future. More often than not I take one full day off at home with the girls, which makes a tremendous difference in all our lives.

I’m passionate about my children and about my work, and being on a part-time program means that I don’t have to sacrifice what’s fundamentally important to me at work and at home.  Of course, there are some compromises, like opting for local work over a cool but far-away engagement – but I’ve been lucky enough to work on some very exciting local studies and to collaborate with colleagues around the world while staying close to home. I get to be there when the girls wake up in the morning, and I put them to bed every night after we’ve read our goodnight stories. 

I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the level of support I receive from the whole office – everyone from the office manager to my professional development manager to the associates and business analysts on my studies.  And of course there’s also McKinsey’s wonderful support networks for women – McKinsey Women Americas and the McKinsey Mothers Network.  I feel incredibly lucky to work with people who care about me, trust me and want me to be successful.  It’s all about compartmentalizing, taking risks, working with the right people – and doing the little things that make a huge difference, like the arts and crafts project with my four year-old, or seeing my baby smile as I push her in the swing. I take it one week at a time, make the most of what’s happening both in my family and work life, and focus on what makes me happy.