This paper summarizes the results of a qualitative study focused on the career shifts of professionals who previously worked in non-academic organizations and transitioned into academic careers. It explores the factors that influence the decision of professionals to reinvent themselves as career academics as well as their level of satisfaction…

This paper presents the early findings from a study that addresses the topic of mature age professionals making a career change into the secondary teaching profession by undertaking a postgraduate coursework initial teacher education program. The paper specifically addresses the factors that affect the decision for mature age professionals to make…

Previous research confirms that many employees work in jobs not well matched to their skills and education, resulting in lower pay and job satisfaction. While this literature typically uses cross-sectional data, we examine the evolution of mismatch and its consequences over a career, by using a panel data set of scientists in the USA. The results…

The challenge of retaining beginning teachers, particularly in shortage areas such as special education, math, and science, has long been the focus of both research and special induction programs at universities and in school districts. The difficulty of retaining mid-career teachers, however, has received little attention in comparison. Such…

Multiple methods were used to explore the character, contexts, and correlates of generativity among 41 men aged 45-55. Generativity in the role of worker was unrelated to generativity in men's roles as father, citizen and "leisurite". Individuals who were generative in their work reported greater job satisfaction and subjective career success.…

Teaching is a popular pursuit among many second-generation career-seekers. The road from the private sector to the classroom often is littered with time-consuming and difficult requirements--for subject matter mastery, credentialing, and licensure. Too often qualified people check out the rules, consider the challenges, and give up. That wasn't…

The mid-career time-frame in student affairs is often defined by title, position, and responsibility. It is also the most under-researched and misunderstood time-frame in student affairs (Benke & Disque, 1990; Carpenter, Guido-DiBrito, & Kelly, 1987; Evans, 1988). Missing in the mid-career definition and research is an examination and…

Examines phenomena of mid-career dissatisfaction and presents ideas to overcome dissatisfaction from Daniel Nagy, executive director of placement at the University of Pittsburgh's Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business. Discusses need to identify sources of dissatisfaction and explores options to make one's career more rewarding. (NB)

Because of the complexity and high stakes involved in counseling women successful in careers they dislike, a variety of techniques for assessment, goal setting, and intervention must be used in conjunction with more traditional career choice and work adjustment strategies. (Author)

Examined motivations and outcomes of mid-life career change among men who left professional careers between ages 34 and 54. Changers differed in amount of education completed, additional schooling undertaken, time taken to make changes, radicalness of change, and importance of personal values. Respondents were highly satisfied with their career…

Examined the impact of career orientation and demographic variables on retirement attitudes, intended age of retirement, and retirement preparation among university employees (N=213). Results indicated that occupational status is associated with unique patterns of career orientation as well as differences in anticipated age of retirement.…

Describes how women executives in their 40s and 50s are finding the corporate workplace less than fulfilling and are making major life changes. (JOW)

The original report of this investigation into career development among secondary school teachers was published in Dutch and contained two parts. The first part was a coherent survey of literature about adult (career) development which formed a necessary condition for a justified division into different age groups of teachers involved in the…

Investigated adult development of police officers compared to the development of subjects in Daniel Levinson's study. Interviews with 23 male police officers indicated that their lives generally corresponded to Levinson's theory. The nature of subjects' psychosocial stages was similar to Levinson's model for some age periods, but not all.…

Discusses why midlife career change occurs, the number and type of people it affects, and how it causes problems (financially, emotionally, etc.). A list of selected studies of midlife career change is provided. (CT)