Challenges Mid Career Professionals Face In Life

The biggest concern for mid career managers is the lack of growth opportunities within the organisation. After having progressed to the managerial role, there’s a certain stagnation that midpros face. This results from a few things. Companies don’t see mid level pros as agents of change and look out for fresh legs when new projects are round the corner. Senior management thinks that this group has lost its zest for learning and lacks creative solutions. The woes are in part created by midpros themselves in their visible slow speeds at work.

The fact that companies don’t have a clear road map for mid-career professionals compounds the problem. Add to this the lack of proper HR guidelines for development of this group. Mere 4 to 5 trainings days a year doesn’t enthuse them. They are looking out for long term programs that specifically nurture them and prepare them for leadership in the organization.

The knowledge and experience of mid career managers can be tapped into by companies. But in the rush to achieve quarter on quarter targets, companies fail to fully utilize the experience of midpros. Companies need to encourage mid career managers to grow laterally to broaden their expertise. Engaging them to mentor younger workforce will go a long way in energizing mid-career managers.

Battling career dilemmas, this group is sometimes prone to jump to radically different functions mostly ending up in mid-career crisis. Loss of identity, stress, bad relationships push one to jump the ship. And the consequences are sometimes disastrous.

Unbelievably, families begin to grow without much planning. But as it begins to strain the resources of the mid career employee, the need for financial planning is felt like never before. Education of children, health of family and aged parents, rising costs of travel, need for modern amenities at home drive most people crazy. Professional guidance to manage the mid career professional’s finances is the need of the hour.

Underutilization is the highest in this segment. The recent Midpros 2008 Survey by http://midcareers.com reveals that only 5% of the respondents felt that 100% of their potential was being utilized in their current job. 51% felt that their potential was being used between 50% and 80% and a significant 23% felt their potential was used less than 50%. Being passed up for a leadership opportunity, turned down for a sabbatical or a promotion leads to lesser involvement in the activities of the organization.

Dissatisfaction rates are also the highest in this segment of workforce. The disregard for a structured environment, perceived lack of decision-making powers, resistance to change in organizations, perceived lack of accomplishments all add to the woes.

Balancing work and family is another major concern. Long work hours, bringing work home and a stressful corporate life begins to hurt the health of the individual and the relationship with family. In extreme cases it results in poor behavior.

Managing two generations – aged parents and children is a trapeze artist’s challenge. Sandwiched between the two generations, the midpros energies are dissipated.

Mid-career crisis is also characterized by a series of questioning about personal identity and values, often resulting in dramatic career shifts. Questions that beg attention are: Am I doing what’s best for me? Am I happy at work? Would I be better off pursuing my dreams? Sometimes, a corporate counselor could help set right the perspectives. But, ultimately, the individual is responsible for initiating action on these challenges.