--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Problem is: many terrific women have…" description: "\"The Problem is: many terrific women have made themselves overqualified for the job of wife, because many men are looking for a woman with 'receptionist..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/karen-salmansohn-18908_big-problem_the-problem-is-many-terrific-women-have_2529919.jpg" --- # The Problem is: many terrific women have made themselves… ![“The Problem is: many terrific women have made themselves overqualified for the job of wife, because many men are looking for a woman with 'receptionist-level wife skills', not 'CEO-level wife skills'. Meaning: If a woman doesn't hang on a man's every word, is too independent, challenges his…” quote by Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/karen-salmansohn-18908_big-problem_the-problem-is-many-terrific-women-have_2529919.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/karen-salmansohn-18908_big-problem_the-problem-is-many-terrific-women-have_2529919.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/karen-salmansohn-18908_big-problem_the-problem-is-many-terrific-women-have_2529919.jpg) > “The Problem is: many terrific women have made themselves overqualified for the job of wife, because many men are looking for a woman with 'receptionist-level wife skills', not 'CEO-level wife skills'. Meaning: If a woman doesn't hang on a man's every word, is too independent, challenges his leadership, wants to create her own hours, demands emotional raises, then there won't be as many openings for the kind of wife position she is seeking. One of the big problems with marriages in the nineties: no room for two husbands.” [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Women are overqualified for traditional wife roles, while men seek limited, subordinate qualities, reducing marriage opportunities for independent women. **In simple terms:** Women are too skilled for outdated wife expectations, limiting marriage prospects. Key Takeaway Redefine partnership expectations. Themes gender roles marriage independence Mood reflective critical Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - career planning - relationship counseling - personal boundaries Key Concepts social expectations power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can couples negotiate modern roles? - What societal shifts support equal partnerships? A Different Perspective Changing expectations may face cultural resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-problem/) [Big problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-problems/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Heartless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartless/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husband/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Job Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-wife-1332695/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Level Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/level-wife-1332696/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening/) [Overqualified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overqualified-138385/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Position Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position-seeking-1332697/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Raises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raises/) [Receptionists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/receptionists/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeking/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Terrific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrific/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Wife Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife-skills-1332694/) [Women Overqualified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-overqualified-1332693/) ## Related quotes > [I will say that I appreciate Hillary Clinton's awareness and passion for women. I think she is overqualified in the sense that she's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-will-say-that-i-appreciate-hillary-clinton-s-awareness-and-passion/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [I could be one if I wanted to, I'm just way too overqualified for a job that simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-could-be-one-if-i-wanted-to-i-m-just-way-too-overqualified-for-a/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [When the press writes scare stories about the global labor supply draining jobs from rich to poor places, the story is usually presented as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sennett/when-the-press-writes-scare-stories-about-the-global-labor-supply/) [Richard Sennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sennett/) > [The secrets of success are a good wife and a steady job. My wife told me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/the-secrets-of-success-are-a-good-wife-and-a-steady-job-my-wife-told/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [“Job’s wife went with her husband from a comfortable and well-supplied lifestyle to being homeless, bankrupt, and childless. She became a caregiver, as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddick-van-zyl/job-s-wife-went-with-her-husband-from-a-comfortable-and-well-supplied/) [Paddick Van Zyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddick-van-zyl/) > [“You know, marriage is marriage, a partnership. You aren’t the only one who needs to step up and keep one of us safe. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/you-know-marriage-is-marriage-a-partnership-you-aren-t-the-only-one/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [My deal is that I pay more attention to whatever job I have than the relationships I have. Now, if I had considered my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-slick/my-deal-is-that-i-pay-more-attention-to-whatever-job-i-have-than-the/) [Grace Slick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-slick/) > [One way I differ from my character, Coach Taylor, is that I never would have taken this faraway job without my wife's consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-chandler/one-way-i-differ-from-my-character-coach-taylor-is-that-i-never-would/) [Kyle Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-chandler/) > [I have a job to do, I have a wife and child to take care of. So I don't pay attention to things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-baio/i-have-a-job-to-do-i-have-a-wife-and-child-to-take-care-of-so-i-don-t/) [Scott Baio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-baio/) > [I realize now what a great job my wife Michelle did, not only in raising our children, Melissa, Amy, Dustin, and Jenna, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-yount/i-realize-now-what-a-great-job-my-wife-michelle-did-not-only-in/) [Robin Yount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-yount/) ## More by Karen Salmansohn > [“Don't just write a "To Do" list. Write a "To Be" list.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/don-t-just-write-a-to-do-list-write-a-to-be-list/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [“What if I told you 10 years from now your life would be exactly the same? Doubt you'd be happy. So, why are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/what-if-i-told-you-10-years-from-now-your-life-would-be-exactly-the/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [You are wonderful. Valuable. Worthwhile. Lovable. Not because others think so. Self worth comes from only one place: self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/you-are-wonderful-valuable-worthwhile-lovable-not-because-others/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [Someone who feels appreciated will always be & do more than expected. This holds true in love & business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/someone-who-feels-appreciated-will-always-be-do-more-than-expected/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [Your thoughts and actions not only influence your mood, but the moods of all you cross paths with. Thinking lovingly. Do lovingly. Be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/your-thoughts-and-actions-not-only-influence-your-mood-but-the-moods/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [“Seek out the good in the bad, the happy in your sad, the gain in your pain, what make you grateful, not hateful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/seek-out-the-good-in-the-bad-the-happy-in-your-sad-the-gain-in-your/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [Happiness is a choice; not just a matter of genes or good luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/happiness-is-a-choice-not-just-a-matter-of-genes-or-good-luck/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [Never give up; reach inside and give it all you've got. As long as you're alive, you can keep on trying. Never give up;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/never-give-up-reach-inside-and-give-it-all-you-ve-got-as-long-as-you/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [“True love is not a wish list but a “wish feeling.” And the number one feeling—even before the feeling of love—is the feeling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/true-love-is-not-a-wish-list-but-a-wish-feeling-and-the-number-one/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [“Do not worry, my sweet one. Just as night is followed by day, so too your dark times will be followed by brighter days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/do-not-worry-my-sweet-one-just-as-night-is-followed-by-day-so-too/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [Your life is a series of moments in "now." The better you make your "now" the better your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/your-life-is-a-series-of-moments-in-now-the-better-you-make-your-now/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [What we seek in love is finding someone with whom we feel safe to reveal our true self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/what-we-seek-in-love-is-finding-someone-with-whom-we-feel-safe-to/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [Happiness is not about what happens to you, but how you choose to respond to what happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/happiness-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-but-how-you-choose-to/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [What's on your mind becomes what's in your life. So think the thoughts you want to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/what-s-on-your-mind-becomes-what-s-in-your-life-so-think-the-thoughts/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [You should never have to convince someone into loving you and wanting to be with you. you deserve to see someone who can easily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/you-should-never-have-to-convince-someone-into-loving-you-and-wanting/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) [Explore all 33 Karen Salmansohn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) ## More Big problem quotes > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [The big problem for comic art is you don't want to overwork it. If a drawing is overworked it isn't funny. It's the spontaneity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sorel/the-big-problem-for-comic-art-is-you-don-t-want-to-overwork-it-if-a/) [Edward Sorel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sorel/) > [“For me -- for pretty much every writer -- the big problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the-big-problem-isn-t-piracy-it-s/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [The big problem retailers are facing is the world is moving to mobile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/the-big-problem-retailers-are-facing-is-the-world-is-moving-to-mobile/) [Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/) > [It was lonely on the hill, and cold. And all you could do was keep going. You could scream, cry, and stamp your feet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-was-lonely-on-the-hill-and-cold-and-all-you-could-do-was-keep/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Its a big problem for American movies that all their movies are produced to be global.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-a-big-problem-for-american-movies-that-all-their-movies-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“answer. Donald’s dysfunctional belief was related to Janine’s, but he’d held on to it for much longer—a life of responsible and successful work should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/answer-donald-s-dysfunctional-belief-was-related-to-janine-s-but-he-d/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [The big problem is just this kind of gigantic piece, of kids reading less and liking it less and so getting worse at it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/the-big-problem-is-just-this-kind-of-gigantic-piece-of-kids-reading/) [Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/) > [I do have a very, very big problem with someone who saw me coming and exploited me as a mascot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-vine/i-do-have-a-very-very-big-problem-with-someone-who-saw-me-coming-and/) [Stella Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-vine/) > [Don't tell GOD that u have a Big Problem,Tell your Problem that u have a Big GOD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/don-t-tell-god-that-u-have-a-big-problem-tell-your-problem-that-u/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [We're facing growing climate change, more floods, more droughts, more crisis on a planetary level, and the systems we put in place in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/we-re-facing-growing-climate-change-more-floods-more-droughts-more/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“That's my big problem. That's it! Before the Arrival,guys like Evan Walker never looked twice at me, much less shot wild game for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/that-s-my-big-problem-that-s-it-before-the-arrival-guys-like-evan/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [Well, capitalism is a big problem, because with capitalism you're just going to keep buying and selling things until there's nothing else to buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/well-capitalism-is-a-big-problem-because-with-capitalism-you-re-just/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) [Browse all 430 Big problem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-problem/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Problem is: many terrific women have made themselves overqualified for the job of wife, because many men are looking for a woman with 'receptionist-level wife skills', not 'CEO-level wife skills'. Meaning: If a woman doesn't hang on a man's every word, is too independent, challenges his leadership, wants to create her own hours, demands emotional raises, then there won't be as many openings for the kind of wife position she is seeking. One of the big problems with marriages in the nineties: no room for two husbands.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karen Salmansohn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/the-problem-is-many-terrific-women-have-made-themselves-overqualified/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big problem" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/the-problem-is-many-terrific-women-have-made-themselves-overqualified/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/karen-salmansohn-18908_big-problem_the-problem-is-many-terrific-women-have_2529919.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/karen-salmansohn-18908_big-problem_the-problem-is-many-terrific-women-have_2529919.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/karen-salmansohn-18908_big-problem_the-problem-is-many-terrific-women-have_2529919.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Problem is: many terrific women have made themselves overqualified for the job of wife, because many men…” — Karen Salmansohn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Karen Salmansohn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Problem is: many terrific women...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/the-problem-is-many-terrific-women-have-made-themselves-overqualified/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/the-problem-is-many-terrific-women-have-made-themselves-overqualified/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```