Balancing Dating With Your Career

In the modern world women can become high-flyers in their chosen career, whether they work in finance, medicine, management, politics or any other area. If a woman is highly successful however, can it compromise her chances of finding a relationship?

Some women find that men can be intimidated by their success. Either they prefer to have traditional gender-roles in a relationship, where the man provides financially and the woman looks after the home, or the man feels that they can't live up to the woman's expectations when it comes to a partner.

Successful women may indeed have high expectations, but that doesn't have to mean that finding a relationship is impossible. We often build up a picture in our heads of what the perfect partner would be like - tall, handsome, with a university degree and a certain type of job. In reality, the most compatible person might only have a couple of these qualities, or none at all.

Letting go of your preconceptions and having an open mind is the first step to finding a meaningful relationship. Okay, so he might earn less than you, or it might not be love at first sight, but getting to know someone means knowing more than their bank balance.

Successful women who find that men rarely approach them can solve this problem too by taking one simple step - taking the initiative. Even though women have equality in the workplace, there's still an inequality when it comes to dating, and men are still expected to take the lead and make the first move. Who says this has to be the case? If you find a man attractive or think you might have a lot in common, pluck up the courage to ask him out for coffee or even dinner. Women who are successful in the board room sometimes need to carry some of that confidence over to the dating scene too.

Some high-flying girls feel that they have to dumb themselves down, or pretend not to be so successful in order to get a date. Whilst it's true that men who are looking for a partner with a lower-status job, or who isn't as educated as them, might be interested, is that really the sort of man you want to end up with? Relationships should be built on mutual respect, trust and appreciation. Finding a man who relates to you because you're intelligent and successful is a lot better than finding one who prefers you not to be.

Finally, many women have their own careers, houses and life plans, so it's important they find a partner who fits in with these. It might sound selfish, but being honest in the first place about what you're looking for and the place a partner would occupy in your life is very important. If you compromise on lots of things at the start of a relationship when you're used to having your own way, you might find that this breeds resentment later on. Be honest up front and date someone who is willing and able to fit into your life without lots of disruption - someone who adds to it rather than takes away.