Career stages and mentoring

It is generally recognised that there are five career stages, and we examine which are the best career stages to receive and/or give mentoring.

1. Exploration is the first career stage. This is the stage before gaining permanent employment and shapes the direction of our professional ambitions.
2. Establishment is the second stage, when we are focused on learning our profession and establishing our place in the workplace.
3. The third stage is mid-career when we are confident in the workplace, taking on additional roles and very often enjoy promotions.
4. Late-career is when we are more focused on supporting others’ careers, rather than our own.
5. The final stage is decline, when we generally retire from our profession, although we may take on further roles during our retirement. We will refer to this as reset rather than decline.

The natural assumption may be that the most appropriate time to receive mentoring is during the exploration and establishment stages; whilst people in the late-career and decline stages should be mentors.  But is that the case?

People in the exploration stage should consider what their passion is and what motivates them.  They should also consider their personality and skills to identify the professions that fit with them.  In addition, they should consider the lifestyle, salary and work/life balance they would like.  Mentors at this stage can help explore different career paths, helping the mentee to understand which professions may suit them best.

During the establishment stage very often the realities of the job replace the expectations and possibly excitement from the exploration stage.  The individual may experience uncertainty and anxiety entering the workforce for the first time, encountering countless new situations and people, and identifying the skills they require.  On the flip side this stage also brings excitement for a new phase in the person’s life and anticipation of what the future may hold.  This stage is very much about soaking up all the training and development the person can; and is a pivotal time to have a mentor.

As someone moves from the establishment to mid-career stages, they have so much to offer as a mentor themselves to someone entering the establishment stage.  The anxiety they felt entering the workforce will still be fresh, enabling them to empathise with a new recruit and reassure them that they will not only survive but thrive during the establishment phase.

Mid-career can be characterised by career stability and progression or possibly movement into a new profession or field.  At this stage individuals are often at their peak level of productivity, resulting in increased responsibility, rewards and recognition.  Additionally at this stage, an individual may have work-life balance concerns, wanting to ensure that they can spend time with family and undertake the activities outside work which will support their overall wellbeing.  People at the mid-career stage will have plenty to give as a mentor – they have a wealth of experience and contacts for a mentee to draw upon.  However, it is similarly important that individuals at this stage receive mentoring.  Their confidence in the workplace, alongside their desire for greater responsibility and recognition and their search for work-life balance, can make them re-assess their employer and their job role.  Receiving mentoring can help them re-focus their goals and ensure their continued development and happiness.

The concept of individuals in their late-career shouts out that they should be mentors – so much experience and contacts – they most definitely have “been there, done that”.  However, they also still have so much to learn from those coming up behind them and can receive reverse mentoring from their less experienced mentees.  At the same time, as they start to consider what retirement may look like, they can gain a lot from receiving mentoring from those that have entered retirement.

The final stage is generally known as “decline” and what a terrible name for this stage.  The term decline brings connotations of having nothing to offer – and that is simply not the case.  So, we will rename this stage as “reset”.  At this stage an individual will be retiring, or at least reducing their hours in the workplace so they can spend more time with family, friends and travelling.  They may want to revive past hobbies and develop new interests or give “something back” after years in a successful career.  This is a prime time for the individual to mentor, sharing their knowledge, skills and experience; and as they relax into their reset stage, they will similarly find receiving mentoring very useful and insightful.

In summary, regardless of the career stage we find ourselves at, there is clear value in giving and receiving mentoring.