paid vacations aren't mandatory, paid time off, flextime-- they're just... we don't have good policies for balancing work and family. >> reporter: there's one thing women can't blame for trouble finding work, and that's education. women earn more bachelors and masters degrees than men, and education is a far bigger predictor of employment prospects than gender. erika miller, "nightly business report," new york. >> tom: while we're talking about the impact of the recession, have you looked at your investments lately? tonight's "money file" focuses on making up lost ground. here's donna rosato, senior writer at "money" magazine. >> the financial crisis and sluggish recovery hit your personal finances hard, but there's lots you can do to fight back. you had no choice but the stay put in your job. but with the economy improving, many are looking to fill slots. leverage that extra work you've been taking onto get a good raise or promotion. talk to recruiters about opportunities. you may have opinion playing it safe with real estate too. but if you've been waiting