Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited
Return to career-consulting-limited.com
People |
|
|
 |
Mid-Life Crisis: Its Not Just for Men Anymore!
A recent story in Career Journal begins: "The "midlife crisis" has long been thought of as something that afflicts men and often involves expensive toys and second wives. But the Wall Street Journal's Work & Family columnist, Sue Shellenbarger, says that as gender roles change, women are increasingly experiencing their own version of these upheavals." I've certainly seen evidence of this in my own work as a personal development and business coach. My practice is comprised primarily of women and although it tends to be my male clients who volunteer the term "mid-life crisis". When describing their current state, however, the women are certainly running a parallel course. What constitutes a crisis? For many, it appears to be a realization that life is finite. The older we get, the more we are apt to say, "Wow, this summer FLEW by!" "Where did the month go?!" And then friends start to lose parents. I personally know of 35 deaths this year! Two of my clients have lost parents just this week. At some point the awareness dawns on you. It's not the month or the season that is flying by. It's your LIFE! What do you do with that realization? The Chinese symbol for "crisis" combining "danger" and "opportunity" could not be more appropriate. The fact that many people at mid-life have accumulated the skills, financial cushion and talent to make true consideration of career and life style changes possible is exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. The trickiest part for both the men and the women that I have spoken with appears to be in making the distinction between a "risk" and a "gamble". How can you tell the difference? Simply stated, a risk is calculated. You know you could lose, but you are able to take an educated guess as to what is at stake and how the loss could impact you. Having a "worst case scenario" in mind helps you to know what kind of safety net needs to be in place in order to make a mid-life transition possible. Analysis of the situation with a confidante or coach also helps an individual differentiate between psychological "heebie jeebies" and rational fears that need to be taken into consideration. Very difficult questions are faced directly and no actions are taken until careful consideration of the answers. What if I do lose my job? Could we still survive? What if my new business fails? How bad would it be if we did have to sell our home? Will my family allow for a change of lifestyle in order for me to try to make my dream come true? A gamble, on the other hand is impulsive and often based on emotional needs rather than logical analysis of a situation leaving one vulnerable to losing more than one can afford. Unfortunately we have some cultural beliefs that can seduce people into taking leaps that they can ill afford. "Build it and they will come" is a common mantra in this set. Can you always know what is a gamble and what is a risk? This is a hard one for people who are facing significant burn out and who have begun to feel desperate in their circumstances. Many times I have listened to people fantasize about the choice words they will use when they quit their job. (I was one, myself!). Some people are so afraid that they won't get family support to make a big change that they try to do it with no one noticing. As a result, they avoid difficult conversations about needed changes in family spending habits to build a cushion or anticipated changes in roles to allow for a return to school. The key is to recognize burn out and desperation before it becomes intolerable and to pay attention to that little voice that keeps whispering in your ear that maybe there is a different road you should be on. If it's too late, and you don't feel like you can stand your situation any longer, it's critical to take your self care seriously and implement some stress management strategies to help you get your focus back so you can lay a solid foundation for what could be one of the most interesting and exciting chapters of your life. Laura Young is a personal development and business coach. She is a contributing author to A Guide to Getting It: Purpose and Passion and Become Your Own Great and Powerful: A Woman's Guide to Leading a Real, Big Life. She has recently been featured on By, For and About Women and Artists First Radio. To learn more about her, visit http://www.wellspringcoaching.com To visit Laura's blog, visit http://antwatching.blogspot.com
MORE RESOURCES: Supply Chain Lowe's Careers Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) Working for ICE ice.gov Careers University of Northern Colorado How to use AI to get a job interview and nail it – along with the salary you deserve | Job hunting The Guardian Careers City of Ontario, California (.gov) Meet a millennial who quit her tech job, temporarily moved to Paris, and started a baking business in NYC Business Insider Careers at Prairie View A&M University PVAMU Home Careers | Home USDA (.gov) Jobs Multnomah County Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Job Loss Is a Kind of Grief The Atlantic Careers - MDOT Maryland.gov Work at Fairfield Fairfield University Careers Baxter Store Hourly Job Areas Target Corporate Career Job Areas Target Employment Opportunities | Game Commission Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) Careers at USCIS USCIS (.gov) Improve Your Chances of Landing That Job Interview IEEE Spectrum Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Jobs and Training at FDA fda.gov Work at Butler Butler University Amazon CEO Andy Jassy shares his top tips for a successful career: ‘Don’t be afraid to fail’ AboutAmazon.com Water Services Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) Job Search Results UnitedHealth Group Careers Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Employment | Department of Corrections Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) Work With Us National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (.gov) Career Opportunities UMHB Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Careers Johnson & Johnson Finding Your New Career at the City of Phoenix City of Phoenix (.gov) Careers at Willamette Willamette University IOM career gateways International Organization for Migration Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care Careers Washington State University Careers BASF Careers at the IOC Olympics.com Jobs at Liberty University Liberty University Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Jobs And Careers | VA Montana Health Care | Veterans Affairs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Student internships at J&J Johnson & Johnson Careers Future of Jobs Report 2025: The jobs of the future – and the skills you need to get them The World Economic Forum Work for the City of St. Louis City of St. Louis, MO (.gov) Career Comeback UBS Certified Direct Care Professional (CDCP) Wisconsin Department of Health Services (.gov) Jobs & Employment Monmouthshire County Council Ready for your next great job? ADP Careers Careers WV Department of Education Our Hiring Process Target Careers The Ocean Cleanup UF Health Careers UF Health Careers Job Seekers Illinois Human Resources Careers CrowdStrike EPA employees rally in Denver against President Trump’s job and funding cuts - Colorado Public Radio EPA employees rally in Denver against President Trump’s job and funding cuts Colorado Public Radio Careers at Union Union College KPMG Careers KPMG March 2025 Preview: What to Expect in the Jobs Report Center for Economic and Policy Research Why hasn’t AI taken your job yet? Financial Times Matching Talent to the Jobs of Tomorrow: A Guidebook for Public Employment Services 2025 The World Economic Forum Jobs for Veterans and transitioning military VA Careers (.gov) Human Resources Department City of Phoenix (.gov) Provincial Government Job Opportunities Government of Prince Edward Island DOE Report Shows Clean Energy Jobs Grew at More Than Twice the Rate of Overall U.S. Employment Department of Energy (.gov) Current opportunities Turner & Townsend 60+ Stats On AI Replacing Jobs (2024) Exploding Topics Talent Solutions CBIZ Careers Euromonitor Job Opportunities Bellevue School District As Layoffs Continue, Federal Workers Face Sluggish Job Market The New York Times 20 Careers With the Most Job Security in 2025 US News Money Careers El Dorado County (.gov) The Job Market Is Frozen The Atlantic 15 jobs that work with wild animals International Fund for Animal Welfare | IFAW Recorded Video Interviews Target 15 Most Stressful Jobs for 2025 US News Money RESTORING ACCOUNTABILITY TO POLICY-INFLUENCING POSITIONS WITHIN THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE The White House (.gov) |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Build New Habits -- Payday Will Come -- Feeling that it never works is not a good excuse. You may even remember last year not getting past February. Does Your Resume Lack Vision? You're just getting over the shock of having become unemployed. You know you need to begin a job search, but you may not know the best way to proceed, or where to start. Career Strategy When Your Boss is a Bully Q. Right after I accepted my new position, the manager who hired me quit. How Can You Find Freelance Writing Jobs? Do you think that there is a big sign that reads, "Freelance Writing Jobs, Apply Within"? There just is not. In fact, you may have a hard time finding writing jobs of any type advertised in any employment magazine or newspaper either. Make A Lasting Impression With Interview Etiquette (Des Moines, Iowa - February 2, 2005) Behaving appropriately during every course of an interview is just one way to increase your success with finding a job. Here are some tips to consider before you're seated across from your interviewer. The Interviewable Resume It is rumored that the only word William Shakespeare wrote on his resume was "Available." We'll probably never know if that is true. Medical Billing Businesses Are Growing Fast And Providing A Needed Service For Doctors You've seen the commercials and web sites about starting medical billing businesses in your home. You can't just start calling doctors and telling them you will take care of the billing for them. How I Joined the Outsourcing Revolution Mention "outsourcing" to a programmer and you may as well be uttering profanity. The word suggests all the evils that have befallen the Information Technology sector since the Internet bubble burst a few years ago. Working Abroad - Employment Advice In Spain Jobs and employment on the Costa BlancaThe Council of Europe regulations forced Spain to end all restrictions on the free circulation of European Union workers as of January 1st, 1992 - which means that all EU citizens can work in Spain under the same conditions as Spaniards complete with employment contracts and employers contributions into the Spanish Social Security system on your behalf, giving both yourself and your dependants, access to the Spanish National Health Service. These rights extend even to family members who are non EU nationals. How to Success On The Job from Job Hunting to Keep Your Job and Get Most of Out of It INTRODUCTIONThis article will prepare you for the difficult task of job hunting. Not only will it show you how to get a job but it will show you how to keep your job and get the most out of it. How To Write A Job Winning Resume That Puts Yours On Top Many people would love to get a better job. And most of these same people have the proper training and skills to achieve this goal. Stay At Home Moms No Longer Struggling To Make Ends Meet It is hard to be a stay at home mom. You deal with a lot of pressures that most people would not understand. Using Your Whine Factor Brian's work was exceptional. Still, as his boss, I rarely offered him additional responsibilities, never thought of promoting him or selecting him for a critical project. Outsmart Other Job Seekers by Showing These 5 Key Strengths Getting an appointment for an interview these days is an accomplishment. It indicates that you have a good resume, and/or that networking has paid off. How to Create a Great Electronic Resume After creating the perfect resume, you then need todistribute it. You'll likely be sending some professionallyprinted hard copies, especially to "A list" companies ororganizations you've set your sights on. Why You Need To Be An Intrapreneur When a client asks me if I think he or she is a good candidate for starting a new business, I ask several questions (see our free assessment, "Are You an Entrepreneur?"). But the truth of the matter is that these questions are similar to ones that I'd ask someone who wants to move up in an organization or find a new position elsewhere. Finding a Career in Harmony with Your Life Path Which of the following would you chose? Doing your lifework as a permanent occupation or a regular activity performed in exchange for payment. The first is the definition of a career and the second that of a job. Little Mistakes That Keep You Unemployed If your job search is dragging on and on, you might want to look in the mirror. Because the person looking back may be sabotaging your efforts. Using Keywords to Find Legitimate Telecommuting Job Leads Many people are choosing telecommuting as an option to bring in an income while being at home. Whatever the reasons that we choose to work at home, the one thing we all have in common is the problem of locating legitimate jobs online. How to Crash - Proof Your Job Search Think you have the speed, endurance, and know-how to fix what's broken? Bet not. The smartest people in the world are those who can leave their ego at the door, and know when its wise to seek help.
|
|
|
| © Career Consulting Limited.com 2011
|