"That said, with people living longer, and as a result working longer, the timeframe for what can be considered "mid-career" is extending: "The number of employed Americans 65 and older ballooned more than 33% between 2015 and 2024, according to a CNBC analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By comparison, the labor force for all workers 16 or older has increased less than 9% during the same time period" (Harring, 2025)."
"Mid-career, then, is more of a mindset than a clearly defined stage. While individuals in early career (first and second jobs and figuring out work, first homes, and adulthood) and late career (moving into retirement, second and third act careers, legacy building, health and financial planning) tend to experience some similar, though certainly not universal, milestones, those in mid-career share a broad range of experiences from parenting to aging parent caretaking to management roles to stepping out of the workforce and more."
The U.S. workforce median age now sits in the 40s, placing tens of millions in mid-career and expanding the timeframe for mid-career as people work longer. Employment among Americans 65 and older grew over 33% between 2015 and 2024, while overall labor-force growth remained under 9%. Mid-career functions more as a mindset than a fixed stage, encompassing parenting, aging-parent caregiving, management roles, career pivots, and temporary workforce exits. Diverse mid-career experiences resist uniform prescriptions for navigation. Mid-career professionals face challenges such as finding balance and burnout while also bringing strengths from accumulated life and work experience.
Read at Psychology Today
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