A Career Break No One Talks About

This story starts in a smaller but fiercely competitive auditing firm. On paper, it looked like a place where talent could rise quickly. In reality, hard work alone did not guarantee recognition. Connections often carried more weight than performance. Speaking up too much, especially as a young woman, could quietly close doors. The boys' club atmosphere was less blatant than in prior decades, but it still shaped who got ahead and how.

Sarah was twenty-four, a recent accounting grad, new to the firm, and already making an impression. She had an easy confidence with clients. And that stood out in an office where most auditors were quiet, reserved, and serious. She worked alongside Lisa, who had been there a couple years longer. Lisa was the kind of auditor you wanted on your most challenging accounts. She was precise, reliable, unshakable. She fit the traditional, by-the-book mold of the profession.

Then there was Tom. The son of one of the firm’s partners, Tom carried influence that did not need to be spelled out. And one day, he made Sarah an offer: a sexual relationship that came with the promise of a promotion.

Sarah said yes.

Within months, she was promoted ahead of Lisa. The news was met with polite congratulations. But also confusion. Some figured it was due to Sarah’s ability to charm clients. Others wondered why Lisa had been passed over. But no one confronted anyone directly. And what had once been a friendly relationship between Sarah and Lisa shifted overnight into something strictly professional. Mainly because Lisa now reported to Sarah.

At the time, Sarah told herself it was both survival and ambition. She figured the game was already rigged, so she might as well play it to her advantage. When the promotion came, she felt excited but also unprepared. She worked hard to earn respect, but inside the firm, that respect never really came. It was only after she moved to a new firm that her abilities were recognized and respected. But… it seemed that the early boost by Tom was what had made the leap possible.

Looking back, she sees it as just one chapter in a long career. Though it’s not one she seems proud of or talks about openly.

From the outside, Lisa seemed to accept the situation quietly. Maybe she wondered if she had not proven herself enough, though many of us suspected something else was at play. She stayed in the industry and built a good career. She seems happy in life. Still, no one from that original circle who stayed in the same field earns anywhere near what Sarah makes today.

Sarah is now the CEO of a rather large firm. She has two young children and a flexible schedule, while Jason, her husband, stays home with them. (Jason worked in the same industry but his career never reached the same heights. And he does not know about the arrangement with Tom.) At networking events, Sarah is a frequent speaker and respected subject matter expert. Everyone is cordial. Lisa is there too. And their conversations are warm enough. But the history is there, unspoken.

Sarah has read this article and is comfortable with me sharing this story. We have changed all names for privacy. She wants me to be clear that she would not make the same choice again. And she says she would not recommend it to anyone starting out. But, she acknowledges it gave her an undeniable advantage. An advantage that has made her career and her life easier in many ways.

This is not about deciding who was right or wrong. Every choice leaves its trace. It shapes how others see you, how you see yourself, and the course your life takes. Decisions do not vanish with time. They become part of the map you continue to follow, guiding you toward places you may have never expected to go. And only later do you understand that the journey changed you as much as the decision that began it.

More questions, stories, and rabbit holes await... 

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