As an employee at Home Credit, Ms. Thu Phan – Sales Assistant shared candidly about her journey in balancing work and family. Her story is a testament to the resilience and constant efforts of modern women, successfully fulfilling the roles of a mother and achieving success in her career.
How do you balance the demands of work and the responsibilities of being a mother? Can you share some challenges you've encountered and how you overcame them?
Every day, I start my morning by carefully preparing for my family before heading to work. For me, family is the most solid foundation that gives me peace of mind to dedicate myself to work. However, when I first joined Home Credit, I faced many difficulties in finding balance, along with understanding and support from my family, especially since the job required a lot of time and dedication. But instead of giving up, I adjusted and reorganized my time to fulfill both work and family responsibilities. I also had open conversations with my husband about the difficulties so he could understand the nature of my job and the value I brought to customers. As a result, I received much more support from him.
How has Home Credit empowered you to develop your career while supporting your role within your family?
For me, Home Credit is a dynamic and fair environment where I can fully unleash my creativity and potential. In the beginning, there were times when I felt like stepping back or stopping, but the flexibility of time and the support from my direct manager – who was also an inspiration – encouraged me to continue developing and bringing the positive value of the industry to potential customers. Thanks to this, I not only excelled in my job but also ensured financial stability for my family. This made me feel empowered to grow my career while taking care of my family.
Can you share a proud achievement in your career at Home Credit, especially while managing both work and family?
I modestly say I don’t feel I have many achievements, but what I'm most proud of is helping and earning the trust of many customers, helping them better understand financial products. In my area, people generally have limited information about consumer financial services, so they remain hesitant and hold many misconceptions. During the recent major floods caused by Typhoon Yagi, my area was heavily affected, and I faced numerous difficulties. Despite my home being flooded and having to care for two young children, my husband and I reminded each other to stay positive and work together to overcome the challenges. Even during this time, I was determined to continue my work and support customers because I believed this was when they needed me the most. The geographical distance and regional obstacles didn’t stop me from visiting each customer, helping them with loan disbursements. I’m very grateful for the continuous support from the company, colleagues nationwide, and my direct manager during this difficult period.
In your opinion, what is the most important factor that has helped you achieve these successes, despite facing many challenges in your personal life and career?
For me, creativity and perseverance are the key elements I value most. I believe that in the modern era, women need to be sharp and constantly reinvent themselves, while maintaining a determined spirit in the face of adversity. I see that a positive mindset and optimistic thinking will help overcome many challenges in both personal and work life. For instance, I recognize the invisible barriers in my job and the misunderstandings about the industry, but I have made it my mission to use my integrity and enthusiasm to explain and help customers access reliable financial resources for their various needs. Given the remote nature of my area, there are days when I have to travel more than 10 kilometers to visit customers’ homes directly, addressing their concerns to ensure they feel confident partnering with Home Credit.
How has becoming a mother influenced your work style? Do you feel empowered by this experience?
As a mother, I see caring for my family not just as a responsibility but also as a major source of motivation to strive harder in my work. While focusing solely on work might lead to higher productivity for anyone, as a wife and mother, I frequently face many busy and challenging moments. However, this does not diminish my work performance; on the contrary, being a mother drives me to push harder in my career while fulfilling my family responsibilities. The key is knowing how to manage and allocate time effectively for both roles.
Do you have any advice for women facing challenges in balancing their careers and family life?
For me, women have always been extraordinary, not only taking care of their families but also contributing to society. We should cherish every moment and opportunity around us, stay confident, and persevere with a spirit of continuously exploring new experiences to make life fuller and more meaningful.
Thank you for sharing your story of persistence and relentless effort, Ms. Thu.
Ms. Thu’s story is not just a personal journey, but a great source of inspiration, showing that women can succeed in every stage of life – from raising children to advancing their careers. And with the support of Home Credit, every individual can go further, not just for themselves, but for their families and those around them.
