The COVID-19 crisis sparked a period of vocational reconsideration amongst workers (Jiskrova, 2022). The pandemic appeared to largely impact the employment decisions of working mothers who either reduced their working hours or exited the workforce completely at higher rates than any other demographic group (Yarvosky et al., 2021). Some data have suggested the working mothers' resignation trends were due to childcare responsibilities (Hite & McDonald, 2020). Other findings have noted feelings of burnout and the ways that COVID-19 disproportionately impacted occupational sectors dominated by women (Donald, 2020). Previous work also highlighted the vocational setbacks working mothers endured due to the familial responsibilities and financial stressors induced by the COVID-19 pandemic (Rosen et al., 2023).


To build on previous findings, it may be helpful to explore the reconsideration process working mothers underwent in the years following the pandemic and how their priorities and career aspirations shifted. As such, the purpose of the current study is to explore working mothers' career aspirations and priorities in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.


The current sample consisted of 168 working mothers in the United States. Participants responded to open-ended questions developed to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their career progression, career aspirations, and priorities. Thematic analysis of these open-ended questions revealed change in career aspirations for many working mothers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, thematic analysis also indicated that some working mothers shifted their priorities away from their career trajectory and towards family, health, and stability. The findings of the present study add to the body of research exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on working mothers and attempt to gain a more nuanced understanding of the pandemic's effect on working mothers' attitudes towards their career trajectory and priorities in a post-pandemic worker landscape. Study implications will be discussed.