When I was a kid, my dad was gone before I woke up in the morning, and came home long after I went to bed. At family reunions when I’d hear epic stories about the parties he threw and snowboarding trips he took before he met my mom, I couldn’t believe it. I asked him if he missed those days and he said, “Quiet kid, I’m sleeping.”
Just kidding. He said that he only thought he knew what it was to be happy and have a good time back then, but that having a family made him realize how much more full his life could be.
When we asked dads that use ZipRecruiter what effect having a family had on their work, almost 83 percent said that having kids had helped their careers. How? Here’s what they had to say:
Tony Cantu
“My dad took me to work meetings as a kid, and that was a great thing to experience – to have that time with my dad and to see what he did, how work was important. My career really started to escalate after I got married and had kids. I think I was seen as more dependable, and stable – as a dad I had a lot of experience with people counting on me. My wife works full time, so I need to have the flexibility to be with my kids at a moment’s notice. I couldn’t accept a job that didn’t give me that. It’s always family first.”
Jasper Hawkins
“Having a family really focused me professionally. All of a sudden it wasn’t just me – I had to provide the best life for my kids, and set a good example. Children don’t ask to be here, you have to be ready to take care of them and I had to move up in my career to make sure I could do that. Family is the most important. I don’t trust any person or company that can’t see that.”
Oluwole Pitan
“Before I had kids I was working full time as an accountant, but having a family meant that I needed to be more available. I grew up in a large family where my dad was always around when we needed him, and that was really important for us. I decided to become a nurse so I could have that flexibility. I work as little or as much as I want, and my kids know I can always be there when I need them.”
My dad worked harder than anyone I’ve ever met, and he did it for me, my mom, and my two brothers. To these fathers and all the others, thank you. Happy Father’s Day.
