How to find the right career blend

I was driving by a gas station today and noticed gas at
a "bargain" price of 99 cents per litre. As could be
expected, there was a line up. In the midst of the
chaos, I saw one of the gas station attendants
changing the price on the sign outside (up of
course).

With oil heading to $70 a barrel, Gallop recently
released the results of a new poll:

48% of people have cut back significantly on their
driving;

54% have reduced spending on other household items
as a result of increased fuel costs; and

62% were seriously considering buying a hybrid car.

What is a hybrid? It is a blend of complimentary
technologies - gas and electric working together. You
do not have to plug your car in every 100 miles to keep
going - you can drive from Toronto to Toledo, while
getting great mileage, AND a whole lot less
hydrocarbons. It is a great compromise. Hybrid cars
are even becoming more reasonably priced - nowadays,
you pay a 10% premium rather than 50%. They are a
practical solution to a number of problems.

Career management has similar issues. You need to
look for the right blend. It is often why a person will
not take any action, as they are looking for a purist
(i.e. electric motor) response; "I am currently a
director, and I want to write for a living". Well, the
risks and the cost of buying into that kind of career
move are high, so, you return to the "gasoline" option;
"I will become a VP at a company, taking a lateral
role that incorporates more of a writing function",
or, "I will work with a publisher or media organization
that is in the business of communication".

You could consider working in a voluntary capacity in
the area that you are passionate about, while staying
on your same career track. You can also build
relationships in the sector you are interested in, and
test out if the new role is something that you really
would be a good fit for. These are examples of "hybrid"
solutions to your career quandary - achievable, lower
risk blends that will maximize the number of benefits.

Next time you are filling up, or are frustrated in your
career situation, think "hybrid". Are you looking for
help to build your hybrid? Visit us on the web at www.careerjoy.com.

What you need to know about career restlessness - part 3

Here it is - the final piece of our three part series on
managing "middlesence". For those of you who
have missed the past two articles, you can catch up
by scrolling down.

This week's edition is thanks in large part to an
excellent article I caught in the Harvard Business
Review, as well as a soon-to-be-released book by
Morison, Erickson and Dychtwald.

We have discussed the key issues of middlesence, now
it is time to focus on the concrete actions you can take
to get "unstuck". The research suggests there
are 6 common themes that really help professionals
reinvigorate:

1. Fresh assignments: Make a lateral move to
a completely different part of the organization;

2. Career Change: Do something different -
something very, very different;

3. Mentoring: Ironically, when you give, you
get. It is a great way to reconnect with your passions
and to extend your reach in the company;

4. Training: Look for courses or experiences
that are outside your domain, or that may be in a
different format than you might normally choose. You
could also look at something with more of an
investment of time or energy, such as completing an
MBA or PHD;

5. Sabbaticals: It could be a "mini" sabbatical,
or something longer; or

6. Leadership development: If your company
has a formal development program, find out what you
need to do to be chosen or to position yourself for the
next session. This could give you a lighter version
MBA, without the degree (or the cost!)

The good news is there are always options - the key is
to choose well. We can help - visit us at www.careerjoy.com
for more information.

What you need to know about career restlessness - part 2

It has been 7 days since we last connected about middlescence. In this edition, I wanted to share the 6 key areas of friction experienced by mid career professionals as discovered by researchers Morison, Erickson and Dychtwald:

1. Career bottleneck: there are currently more baby boomers competing for limited leadership opportunities, while companies are moving toward a flat organizational structure;

2. Work life tension: balancing children, income and a professional life is very challenging;

3. Lengthening horizon: mid career professionals are spending more and saving less, causing the average age of retirement to increase;

4. Skills obsolescence: professionals are having to adjust to new ways of working and adapt to the changing economy;

5. Disillusionment with employer: many employees are experiencing issues related to integrity and downsizing;

6. Burnout: after a number of years, people are stretched thin due to stress and long hours; and

7. Career Disappointment: due in part to not meeting your own expectations of where you thought you would be at this time in your life.

Do any of these areas of friction resonate with you? The good news is that you CAN change. I often remind myself that we don't live in an environment where we are being forced to work. We DO have choices. The key is not to do anything rash, but rather start working on your transition plan.

Next week I will share the final piece of this three part series, highlighting the actions you can take to get back on track.

What you need to know about career restlessness.

It is Sunday night, and you can't wait for Monday morning. Only one more sleep until work begins anew. Is this the story of your life?

There has been some new research published recently in The Harvard Business Review about the “mid-professional”. Mid-professionals – otherwise known as professionals between the ages of 35 and 54 - make up more than one half of the workforce. One in four members of this group are in managerial or supervisory roles. Harris Interactive polled more than 7,700 mid-professionals and discovered the following:

30% put in more than 50 hours a week

43% are passionate about their jobs

33% feel energized by their work

36% feel they are at a plateau

40% report feelings of burnout

A 2005 conference board survey showed the largest decline in job satisfaction over the past 10 years occurred in workers between the ages of 35 and 44, followed closely by those in the 45 to 54 age group. There is a new term associated with this - Middlescence - also known as career restlessness.

The key issue discovered in this research was that the problem is largely invisible. Employers view these employees as good corporate citizens and don't really see the issue. It is a unique phase, as both personally and professionally you have a lot more at stake. It is most likely the most complex phase of your work and life.

The good news is if you find yourself in this situation, there are some actions you can take. We will be discussing those actions over the next couple of issues. Be encouraged - you CAN change this!