Clearly Redefine Your Career Value

In my conversation with Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer on her Climbing the Corporate Ladder podcast, we covered what it really takes to reinvent yourself in mid-career and how to navigate a job market that often ignores the value of experience. Our discussion focused on the number one quality that you need as a job seeker: clarity.

Knowing who you are, what you offer, and how to position yourself in a marketplace that is too frazzled to pay attention. We started with my favorite reframe, which is that instead of following your passion, follow your usefulness. Usefulness is what moves the needle and makes a real impact. Once you understand where and how you consistently create value, you stop chasing roles that won’t leverage your best assets or abilities. Instead, you start pursuing the work that aligns directly and exclusively with your talent, skills, and purpose.

That shift takes pressure off the job search because you are no longer trying to contort yourself into every opportunity that hits your radar. Cynthia and I also explored the mindset traps that mid-career professionals fall into. Titles, perceived status, and comfortable/familiar environments can isolate and insulate you. You lose your edge. What actually moves things forward is stepping back, challenging the status quo, and questioning your limiting beliefs.

Reassess your strengths, weaknesses, and mission. When you run that SWOT analysis, you make stronger decisions and show up with more confidence. And of course, we talked about ageism. But venting about it online will not help you get hired. Don’t get sucked into the conversation. It will just bring you down. Instead, focus on learning now to best articulate your value.

That is how you cut through bias and stand out. We also got into practical prescriptions. Write a mission-driven LinkedIn About section. Embrace the opportunities available through informational interviews. Think of networking as a way to lead with curiosity instead of need. And never forget that your day-to-day self-care matters more than you realize, especially when you are in a challenging career transition. Bottom line, mid-career is not a decline. It is a reset.

You have experience, perspective, and a track record that younger candidates simply cannot match. Make that visible. Opportunities are still out there.