Challenging, flexible – and out of the way of office politics : Interim management could help more women to get into the boardroom

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the advantages and disadvantages of an interim‐management career for women. Design/methodology/approach – Describes the interim‐management experiences of three women, and reports on the results of a survey of 700 other women interim managers in the UK. Findings – Reveals that work‐life balance and challenging work are the top attractions for interim managers, pay is a relatively low priority and working away from home is the main disadvantage. Practical implications – Contends that interim management could be one way of getting more women into the boardroom. Originality/value – Provides a female perspective on interim management.