More people than ever are leaving their jobs - or starting completely new careers - in search of more meaning and fulfilment. Especially in tech, this movement has been so significant that it got its own label: the great resignation.

What caught my attention is the fact that this wave is driven by mid-career professionals. Professionals in mid-career are typically well-established and have created financial stability of some sort. They’re between the ages of 30 and 50 and have attained success in their careers. Despite their achievements and having created financial security, many of them feel demotivated, unfulfilled, and exhausted. 

What is a mid-career crisis?

The mid-career crisis is defined as “the feeling of being stuck in your career”. Similar to the classic midlife crisis, which refers to a crisis in personal life, the “mid-career crisis” describes a crisis in work. For some, this feels like being stagnant, despite having a successful career. Others report having regrets and a sense of being on the wrong career path. In my work with mid-career professionals, I often hear people say they chose their career path because “it was safe”. By choosing safety and security they followed their head, but not their heart.

And it’s possible that you are thinking the same thing while reading my blog.

Telltale signs you are in a mid-career crisis

There are a few signs pointing to a mid-career crisis. Before we take a closer look, please remember that even if you feel stuck, anxious or a bit lost: this too will pass. You are not alone, many people experience a career crisis at some point in their lives.

You feel stagnant in your current role, organisation, or both. You may question the meaning of your work, your job autonomy, your contributions and the purpose and value of your organisation. Midlife is a time when many people reassess their own values and what is important to them. What got you here, might not be what motivates you going forward. This can lead to feeling stuck in the role or industry you used to love.

Having imposter feelings is another sign. When you’re in a mid-career crisis, you’re more acutely aware of the change that’s happening within you. You don’t feel as happy and committed to your role or organisation, and this leaves you feeling anxious and frustrated. Your confidence levels might take a dip, and your imposter appears again. Externally, you witness culture and values change, so you feel that you don’t belong anymore.

You dread Monday mornings. Sometimes, not just Monday mornings, but most of the week. Even if you’re being paid well, you still feel unhappy. This is one of the most common signs that it’s time to reassess your career trajectory.

You feel stuck in your career path. You still have the drive to learn and develop yourself, but are meeting obstacles that leave you stressed and exhausted. For example, your company may be in the middle of an acquisition or restructuring and is looking to make significant organisational changes, so you’re unsure where your place is and if you want to leave or stay.

Lastly, you’re not feeling as healthy as you used to. You feel stressed out and exhausted. As a result, you may be struggling with mental and physical health, and your energy is low.

How career coaching can help you

Even if you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, or even hit a wall in your career, you can do something about it and design a positive career journey forward. The mid-career crisis does come to pass. Happiness data from across the globe tells us that life satisfaction follows a U-curve through life: in early adulthood, we experience a high level of happiness, which takes a sharp decline throughout our 20’s and 30’s, until it bottoms out in our mid-40s. From then it’s all the way up, with people in their 70’s reporting the highest happiness scores in their lifetime. Career coaching can help you manage that time of low job-satisfaction and move forward from this crisis with confidence and a clear direction.

Career coaching helps professionals explore their individual career journeys, reflect on challenges, decisions, and actions throughout the years, and take steps towards positive behavioural change. It’s a process that can help you make impactful long-term changes in your career and life in general. Overall, coaching is an evidence-based method for anyone who wants to get more out of their career in terms of job satisfaction, fulfilment, and progression.

There’s a lot that coaching can do. Coaching is well researched, confirming career coaching as an effective tool for individuals at all career stages and industries. Here is how career coaching can benefit you:

Coaching supports you in your current role

Professionals share that after working with a career coach, they were able to work through their feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. They felt more satisfied with their roles and the organisations they work for. They found purpose in what they do, which is what a lot of people in mid-career are yearning to rediscover. As a result, they became more committed, and they performed better. They also worked proactively, offering support to colleagues and team members, and reported having better relationships with other people. 

They also found themselves to be more open to new behaviours and more capable of tackling concerns at work and more resilient in general. Their confidence levels also improved and were able to exhibit leadership behaviour.

A career coach can help you design your future career path

Coaching also helps people progress their careers outside the role or organisation they are in. It helps them redesign their careers and find a transition into a career that offers more meaningful rewards, a stronger alignment to their values and a long-term prospect of high job satisfaction. Especially for people who seek to create more impact and a higher emphasis on purpose and meaning in work, benefit from working with a coach.

Coaching benefits the whole organisation

You know that a person went through good career coaching if their colleagues notice the changes. 

The same professionals received positive supervisory ratings in terms of performing their tasks and roles. Some had their staff report seeing them display transformational leadership abilities. This is very important for people mid-career, as they are leading newer and more empowered employees bringing in a new work culture.

Career coaching improves your mental fitness and quality of life

Career coaching also helped professionals improve their mental fitness and quality of life. They developed mental resilience, allowing them to feel more in control, commit to tasks and overcome challenges.

Strengths-based career coaching

One of the most prominent coaching methods is strengths-based career coaching. This coaching framework is grounded on the principles of applied positive psychology that focuses on building on people’s authentic strengths and using those to their advantage in their careers. If you’re in a mid-career crisis, strengths-based career coaching can help you reframe your thinking, break through negative thoughts and progress in your journey.

Do I need to go through a crisis to get a coach?

The short answer is: no. Many people seek out a coach at a point where they feel they need help. But career coaching isn’t just for professionals experiencing a mid-career crisis. It’s for anyone! Whether you’re starting out as an individual contributor in a tech start-up geared up for making a difference, or a seasoned professional in Big Tech, you’ll find yourself benefiting from career coaching.

What makes an effective career coach?

An effective career coach uses evidence-based coaching methods that help people improve their mindsets and are solutions-focused. They teach effective goal setting and increase goal attainment. They enhance hope and optimism and reduce stress and anxiety. Most importantly, a helpful career coach provides their clients with a safe and non-judgmental learning space where they can share openly about themselves and enhance their thinking and behaviour.

What separates an effective coach are two things: their qualification and background, and what other clients say about them. It’s best to get someone who is academically and professionally trained in positive psychology and coaching psychology and recognised by regulatory bodies in the coaching industry. That means that that person follows established codes of ethics for dealing with their clients, ensuring privacy and full confidentiality. If people speak highly of them, then chances are you’ll have a good relationship with her or with him.

Knowing the industry of the people they’re working with is a plus. There are career coaches who focus on specific industries. If you’re in tech, you have come to the right place! I specialise in working with tech professionals at all stages of their careers, supporting you to find meaning, purpose and joy at work.

Do you need to break through your career crisis? Message or meet me for a chat on how coaching can work for you.

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