Episode 258 - How to Find Career Clarity When You're Feeling Stuck
As a career coach, I often work with professionals who, despite having decades of experience, find themselves uncertain about their career direction. They’ve climbed the corporate ladder, led teams, and made significant contributions to their organizations—but now, they feel stuck. Many of them come to me not because they lack experience or skills, but because they no longer know what they want to achieve next. This is an increasingly common challenge among experienced corporate professionals, and I believe it’s crucial to address this issue with a structured, thoughtful approach.
The Growing Challenge of Finding Career Goals in Mid-to-Late Career
Many seasoned professionals reach a stage where they struggle to define new career goals. This is not surprising. Research shows that career clarity diminishes as professionals move further along in their careers. According to a study published by the Harvard Business Review, professionals who have spent 20 years or more in their field often encounter a "mid-career plateau"—a period where personal fulfillment and professional advancement become harder to reconcile.
One common reason for this career stall is the sheer number of paths available. After achieving significant career success, professionals face an overwhelming array of possibilities. Should they aim for further promotions, switch industries, or take on consultancy or board roles? This abundance of options can feel paralyzing. Moreover, the pressure to maintain a high level of success can make it hard to take a step back and reassess.
Another factor is the evolving definition of success. Many professionals in their 40s, 50s, and 60s realize that the goals they set in their 20s no longer resonate with them. They may now value work-life balance, purposeful work, or flexibility over traditional markers of success, such as titles and salary. In this scenario, how do you find clarity when what motivated you earlier in your career no longer does?
This is where I believe Grounded Theory—a method traditionally used in academic research—can offer a fresh perspective.
Grounded Theory: A New Approach to Career Clarity
Grounded Theory was developed by sociologists Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss in the 1960s. It’s a research method that doesn’t start with a hypothesis. Instead, it begins by gathering data, letting patterns emerge, and then building theories based on those patterns. In other words, you start without a fixed idea of where you’re going and allow the information you gather to guide you.
I find this approach incredibly useful for professionals at a crossroads in their careers. When you’re feeling lost or uncertain, forcing yourself into a rigid career plan can often lead to frustration. Instead, by using Grounded Theory, you allow your career direction to emerge from the insights you gather about yourself and your work.
Let me give you a concrete example of how this works. When I coach clients using Grounded Theory, I ask them to start by collecting data from their past work experiences, feedback from peers, and even personal reflections. This data might include:
• Projects or roles they enjoyed most
• Feedback they’ve received from colleagues or managers over the years
• Tasks that drained or energized them
• Informal conversations where their strengths were highlighted
Using Grounded Theory When There Is Little Information
One of the most common concerns professionals express when they feel stuck is, "I don’t have enough information to make a decision." Grounded Theory is perfect for situations where there is little initial information. You don’t need a fully-formed plan to get started—you just need to start gathering insights.
Imagine a senior executive who has recently left a role and isn’t sure whether to pursue another executive position, switch industries, or explore consulting. Instead of rushing to make a decision, I would guide them to start with information gathering:
Internal Data: Reflect on past experiences. What roles have been most fulfilling? What tasks or projects energized you? What kind of feedback have you consistently received from peers and supervisors? These are all "data points" you can collect.
External Data: Have conversations with people who are working in roles you’re curious about. If consulting interests you, speak with former executives who have made the transition. Ask about their experiences and listen carefully to the language they use when describing their work. You might find patterns or insights that resonate with you.
By focusing on this type of "data collection" over a period of weeks or months, new patterns begin to emerge. Perhaps you’ll notice that the most fulfilling parts of your past roles involved building new teams or that the feedback you’ve consistently received centers on your leadership during times of change. These patterns can guide your next career steps—whether that’s moving into executive leadership in a new industry, taking on a change-management role, or even starting your own consultancy.
Grounded Theory in Action: Examples from My Clients
Here are a few examples from clients I’ve coached using the principles of Grounded Theory:
Client A: A mid-level manager was unsure whether to pursue a more senior role or transition into a different industry. By gathering data from her past projects and feedback, she realized that her most fulfilling work involved people management, particularly in dynamic and fast-paced environments. This insight guided her to pursue senior HR roles, where her strengths could shine.
Client B: An executive was burned out after years of leading a large team and wasn’t sure what to do next. After reflecting on his past experiences and speaking with former colleagues who had made career transitions, he discovered a new passion for leadership coaching. This realization led him to transition into a role that involved mentoring other leaders, where he could continue making an impact without the demands of running a large team.
These clients didn’t start with clear, defined goals. Instead, they let their career paths emerge naturally by gathering insights, reflecting, and identifying patterns.
Letting Career Purpose Emerge Over Time
One of the key benefits of Grounded Theory is that it allows for flexibility. You’re not locked into a specific path or goal from the beginning. Instead, your career purpose can evolve as you gain new experiences and insights.
For example, you might start by thinking you want to pivot into consulting, but through conversations and reflection, you realize that leading a team in a different industry is what excites you. Grounded Theory gives you the freedom to let your career direction take shape naturally, rather than forcing yourself into a plan that doesn’t feel right.
Conclusion
At some point in our careers, we all feel stuck. The paths that once seemed clear suddenly feel confusing, and it can be challenging to define new goals when the old ones no longer resonate. But there is hope in this process. By applying the principles of Grounded Theory, you can gather insights from your past experiences, talk to others who have made transitions, and allow your next steps to emerge naturally.
This approach isn’t about finding immediate answers—it’s about building a career direction based on patterns, insights, and experiences. If you’re feeling stuck, I invite you to listen to my latest podcast episode, where I explore these ideas in more detail and show you how to use Grounded Theory to find clarity in your career.
Resources Mentioned in this Episode
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