Career plateauing: Implications for career development specialists

Abstract

While career plateauing is a major challenge facing contemporary organizations, possible solutions are available. The career development specialist possessing a variety of skills geared toward both proaction and reaction can be instrumental in designing interventions which minimize the negative impact of plateauing. While career plateauing can be a devastating problem for many high achieving, self-sacrificing baby boomers, for others it may present an opportunity to escape the internal pressures for “success.” Much of what happens to a plateaued employee is determined by the resources possessed by the employee as well as the organization's response to the employee. The activities of the career development specialist constitute much of what is considered the organization's response. A career plateau may mark the beginning of a period characterized by frustration and depression or it may present the opportunity for a new challenge or reappraisal of life direction and goals.