Is A Driving Licence Still The Key To Career Success?

If you want to hear an inspiring story about a woman breaking a glass ceiling, look no further than Susie Wolff. She’s a race driver, and she’s desperate to get into Formula 1. She’s the first woman in 22 years to get a chance to drive in a race weekend. She wants to break up the boy’s club of modern motor racing. She believes that, someday soon, a woman will get a chance to race in Formula 1. Isn’t that fantastic?

For Wolff, the car is key to her success. For the rest of us, that might not be the case anymore. The world of work has moved itself online over the past decade. We conduct more business than ever over the internet. Susie Wolff still needs her car, but do you?

It’s true to say that learning to drive is easier than ever in today’s world. Booking your exams is a piece of cake – not like in the past. You should book your DSA theory test by phone and get on the fast track to passing. The same is true of the practical exam. You can use apps to help you pass your test. There’s even a virtual version of the Highway Code. Does that mean that driving is still necessary? It may be easy, but is it something that we all need? Can you have a successful career without a driving licence?

It depends, for most women, on their choice of job. Women who spend most of their time working inside a busy city don’t need a car. Modern cities are full of public transport choices. You don’t need a car if you work in London. What’s more, you can’t drive a car in London even if you want to, these days. Congestion charging and city traffic make it an impossibility. For some women, the choice is out of their hands. Walking to work is a better option for those of us who don’t live far away from the office. Health-conscious women can choose the bicycle. There’s always the Tube, the train or a bus. We have all sorts of options at our disposal.

Of course, some of us do need cars. If you need to stay flexible and travel for work, the car is the best option. You can’t rely on long-distance rail travel most of the time. The car also looks more professional to a potential client if you’re arriving at a big meeting. It’s also true to say that not everyone has to be on the move. Lots of women work from home and make lots of money in the process. Today, it’s possible to earn a living from your desk at home. You won’t need a car for that, will you?

The point is that, while a car can be helpful, it’s not the be-all and end-all for career success. You can do well in life without having a vehicle on the drive. It all depends on what you want to do. Some of us can do a great job in the car – but that’s not the case for everyone anymore.

Photo by Sergey Nivens | Shutterstock