The Role of Strengths in Managing Midlife Career Transition for Corporate Professionals

Trends within midlife professionals suggest individuals are increasingly seeking opportunities for career transitions, and are often searching for careers that are more intrinsically motivated, individually meaningful and self-congruent. However, developmental transitions are by their very nature stressful. This research seeks to understand how corporate professionals between the ages of 35-54 successfully manage midlife career transition amidst the stress and anxiety associated with that transition. The traditional approach to career transition is based on a competence framework either focusing on retraining or applying transferrable skills. This approach might not be most appropriate for corporate professionals over the age of 35. A strength-based approach is therefore being proposed in this paper as an alternative approach. Phenomenological research involving six professionals between the ages of 35-54 who have gone through the midlife career transition will be utilised to identify common experiences, and investigate what role strengths may play in managing ones career transition.