Women’s Careers Are Broken – And How to Fix Them | Elizabeth Willetts – Investing in Women

After being made redundant with two young kids, Elizabeth Willetts couldn’t find a flexible, senior role, so she created one. She founded Investing in Women — a platform helping women find flexible, part-time and meaningful work. In this episode, Maria Hvorostovsky talks to Elizabeth about how recruitment is changing, why flexible working is the key to closing the gender pay gap, and why ‘you cannot be diverse and inclusive if you don’t embrace flexible work.’ We explore how flexibility creates better workplaces for everyone, the emotional cost of ‘doing it all,’ and what job sharing, part-time leadership, and hybrid work really look like in practice. We also discuss how women can build wealth while staying in the workforce — and hear Elizabeth’s most unpopular opinion about women’s careers.00:18 – Founding Investing in Women01:36 – The Myth of Flexibility When You Work for Yourself02:51 – How to Create Real Flexible Work Opportunities06:17 – Job Sharing: How It Actually Works08:28 – The Future of Work, AI & the Gig Economy14:48 – How Flexibility Can Close the Gender Pay Gap16:24 – Spotting Red Flags in Companies Before You Join24:48 – Flex: Building a Career Around Your Life25:30 – Why Knowing What You Want Is a Career Superpower30:07 – CVs & Cover Letters That Stand Out38:07 – LinkedIn Tips That Get You Hired44:22 – Will Recruiters Be Replaced by AI?54:48 – What’s Next for Investing in WomenAbout Elizabeth WillettsElizabeth Willetts is the Founder of Investing in Women, a UK-based recruitment platform and job board connecting employers with talented women and parents seeking flexible, part-time, and remote work. Elizabeth is a leading advocate for gender equality, flexible working, and closing the gender pay gap. Through Investing in Women, she’s reshaping the UK employment landscape by helping organisations attract, hire, and retain diverse talent while promoting careers that support modern family life and caregiving responsibilities.Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-willettsIG: https://www.instagram.com/investinginwomencareers/Website: https://investinginwomen.co.uk/Follow host Maria HvorostovskyIG: https://www.instagram.com/anatomyofaleader/IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvorostovsky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariahvorostovsky/Website: https://www.anatomyofaleader.com/Artwork and video by https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com/📖 Be the first to get Anatomy of a Leader Diary: https://bit.ly/4qkvC3M