to ask what the "stereotypical 6 figure MN mum" does?

[TigerJoy]

And how can the rest of us get a job like that?!

Solicitor in the City on just under £150K.

Data scientist

In my day that meant get a masters or PhD in economics or statistics. Today, there are actual data science programs so that is another pathway.

46 year old here no qualifications got into law at 28 already. Already had a 4 year old and was a single mum. Grew up on a council estate. Went to a state school in crappy area and left with 9 GCSE’s only 1 b and rest c,d and an e! Teachers said I could do better! At 28 I studied law when my little one went to school and worked part time. Worked my ar** off got qualified in 2014! Been a lawyer for ten years! Don’t want to earn 100k lol will pay too much tax! With bonus I make sure I’m just short😂😂😂😂😂

I’m a lawyer. Did a double degree and was working full time by 22. Had one child in my late 30s. Back to work full time after mat leave.

For sure it is massively male dominated and that has been a problem for me/female colleagues but a lot of the old dead wood is finally clearing out (along with their patriarchal views) but unfortunately because the industry now is so demonised there’s not a lot of talent coming in the other side and still male dominated despite the best efforts to engage girls.

Me too 😄

@Eigen exactly!

I went to a comprehensive, got really good GCSEs and A Levels, good red-brick degree, struggled to get into management consulting (as in didn't get in).

I just don't think I had enough social/cultural capital in addition to my god qualifications.

I'm pretty-much there now but it's taken 20 years of graft and hustling.

That would only work if everyone did it though. Otherwise you wouldn’t be able to get anyone competent to take the job on half pay, even for half the hours.

Depends really. We hire a psychologist for our buisness ( she freelances for several big companies) and we pay 50k and that’s jus a few hours a month.

Uni degree, then studied for a professional qualification, worked 16+ hour days had 4 DC but continued to work as any gap would have made it impossible to progress & have had challenges as a working mum as no flexi, working from home or flexible working - not as progressive then as things are now. Had no family nearby so have always had to pay a fortune for childcare - a killer initially. Now work for myself as a consultant - not guaranteed income, no holiday pay & no sick pay so insurances important (had cancer so had to take some down time) but freedom to pick and chose. Thinking of retiring soon (I am 60) but don’t quite feel ready yet - love my job. It works for me - some may not like the uncertainty. I have always been the major wage earner so initially with DC it was pressurised now we are more evenly matched.

I make a £65k base salary as a Sales Manager in the Print industry & my annual commission bonus works out to be around £40k a year.
Doesn’t feel like a 6 figure salary after tax, though 😖

I didn’t go to uni as wasn’t sure what I wanted to do.
I worked my way up from Sales Admin since I was 19 (around £18k salary), became a Sales Account Manager & eventually Sales Manager in 11 years (worked at 3 different companies).

I’m pregnant with my first baby, due to go on mat leave in April… company just offers statutory pay which is going to be a bloody killer 😂

NHS board level director

I earn the lower end of 6 figures as a medical consultant. I think most of my colleagues are into 6 figures as consultants unless they’re in the first few years.
No private practice, went to the local massive comp that was mainly in special measures. There’s roughly a 50 50 split between private and state educated doctors where I work amongst the ones who trained in the uk

i did work very long hours though and still do, 72 hr shifts etc in the early years and still very antisocial hours now

Directed my mathematician gifted ds2 into the world of banking / finance. Originally he was going to do a degree in something sports related, but turns out he just wanted to play sports, not be a physio etc. Year 2 of degree and internship sorted for the summer and hopefully a graduate role out of it. Hopefully he can buy his old mum a house when he’s earning mega bucks! I earn 63k and it’s way more than I ever thought I’d earn, and I’ve got another 20yrs of my career before retirement so if I can go up one more grade I’ll be content. I find my current job stressful enough (love it though) so can’t imagine the stress of being a few more grades you in my organisation to put me on that 6 figure. Id rather have more of a work life balance and less stress

I work in IT (either business change or ITSM) as a contractor.

I have some professional qualifications that were more meaningful in the beginning of my career. Now I am typically headhunted and hired on the strength of a solid CV.

I know a number of women who are HR directors, Senior Sales Directors, Lawyers and IT consultants who earn six figures.

I'm in my late 40s now and hit the 6 figures by my late 30s. I'm in a global role responsible for strategy and all large programmes in a corporate company. Did a Bachelors in Org Psychology and then after about 5 years work experience getting nowhere, I did a MBA to move up the ranks quickly. Then I strategically joined a Consulting firm for 5 years to learn about business and how to run and make it profitable...60 hour weeks and away from home every single week. It was a hard graft and the type most people never have to experience. Worked like a dog but learnt so much. I left by early 30s when I fell pregnant and then joined the corporate ladder being in a position of fortune as its a very gruelling experience but gaining invaluable business insight if you come from that background. The benefit being you learn from some incredibly talented people but your life is effectively on hold...
Been in corporate now for almost 15 years in various roles and now I get roles based on experience, stakeholder influencing skills, leadership and converting strategy to action. I've never been able to work part time as you just don't get the opportunity or big bucks I find. I also put having a 2nd child on hold and then it was too late...so, I'm successful but not without major sacrifices. I am good at my role but I only want to do this for another 5 years or so then slow down. Its the considered choices you make early in life and major sacrifice that get u to this place in my experience.... nearly had a marriage breakdown during consulting years. I don't know anyone on 6 figures plus that just fell into it or got there by just working hard...everyone either invested considerably in their education ( I had over 30k debt after MBA) and/or making life sacrifices like marriage, children, family etc. I wish I had the foresight to be self employed as that's another route but I am not a big risk taker so thst wasn't for me...

The people I know who earn that money in their 30s:
Two psychiatrists
A software engineer
An accountant

I earn 6 figures as an NHS consultant 5 years into the job. Came from a council flat, very deprived primary school, won a scholarship to a prestigious secondary school and studied medicine at Cambridge. Years and years of study and horrible long hours as a junior doctor. Work antisocial long hours even now.

Consultancy (though not classic McKinsey stuff). I started pretty late, after doing a phd in an unrelated field.

I pushed myself very hard in early career, lots of travel, late nights, at the beck and call of more senior people. I never cancelled holidays, but certainly weekend plans and nights out.

I put my hand up for everything. I moved around a lot for promotions.

I'm now a senior director at a small, but highly profitable company. Over six figures plus very decent bonus. No equity though. I work hard now, but it isn't excessive compared to earlier in my career.

Also I'm still reading through the thread and note lots of people mention hard work and sacrifice.

Prob worth noting my first contract opportunity came 3 months into mat leave. I discussed with my then husband and agreed I'd do it although it meant travelling a lot and being away from home. It would allow me to clear debts and for us to buy a larger home.

Also, in bed last night I was researching and reading up on things to help me implement a new strategic approach I've been asked to develop.

I echo other posters frustrations over the doubts and aspersions that women (who post on MN) can earn six figures and above.

marketing at a law firm

Re “hard slog / working hard” I get that lots of people work incredibly hard and don’t earn 6 figures. I mentioned it in my account because in my industry there were people who had the same opportunities as me but didn’t rise as high because they didn’t work as hard/make the most of opportunites available to them.
Quite possibly they had different priorities and they were happy with that.

To end up earning 6 figures it isn’t just choosing the right career path alone.

That's interesting - what does she do for you in those few hours? sounds valuable.

I earn 6 figures as a partner in a commercial law firm. It hasn't been easy. I worked really hard at school and got 4 good a-levels, went straight to uni for the next 5 years then did 2 years on the job training. I have 2 DS but went back full time after both.

I am 29 and am on £65k as a management consultant since starting work in 2017. I fully expect to hit 6 figures by mid 30s (maternity leave pending). My DH is 33 and is on £90k as a consultant project management but with bonus he is over 6 figures. We both work hard hrs and are ambitious- neither one of us went to amazing unis or started in bank/tech/law but we know the life we want and we work excess of our contracted hrs.