Most HBS students are aware of the complementary coaching opportunities available through Career & Professional Development (CPD). Yet many of them, and their alumni colleagues, may not know that coaching remains available to them long after graduation, and can be an outstanding resource for midcareer professionals.

"The triggers are different," says Timothy Butler, Senior Fellow and Faculty Advisor to HBS CPD. "Students are inspired by a predictable crisis – graduation. For alumni, the crises are often unpredictable: a sense that a new direction is needed, an urgent health issue, the loss of a job." The midcareer professional may have a desire to go deeper. Or may recognize that their accumulated knowledge and experience can open previously unavailable options.

Whatever the motivation, Butler believes, coaching can help participants move forward, in life as well as in career. "Career decisions are life decisions," he says. "All the dimensions of your life will be part of your career decision-making; anything that impinges on your choices merits attention."

Re-visioning the fundamentals
Regardless of where one is on the career path – at the starting gate or far along the road – the fundamental dimensions of career vision, strategy and tactics remain relevant. But with experience, the content of these dimensions can change dramatically. "Life is intricate," says Butler. "Our experience as our careers unfold makes our lives more complex, foreclosing some opportunities and opening others." As we mature, we need to reflect on how the fundamentals have changed, and what consequences these changes have on our lives and careers. Areas for reflection include:

Identity
Our roles (what we do, what skills we apply) change as we acquire more knowledge and experience. "The question is, 'what will my role be next?' Part of it is shaped by your deeply embedded life interests," Butler says. "Your identity will be modified by where you currently are in your lifecycle."

Community
In terms of organizational culture, what have you learned about the places where you work and where you would like to work? "Often, you've learned the hard way that culture has an enormous impact on your job satisfaction. As you gain experience, you become better at getting a feel for a culture before you commit." Midcareer, you have an opportunity to make more informed choices about which communities you'd like to join – and which you'd prefer to avoid.

Necessity
As we age, our obligations change over time: some decrease, such as child care responsibilities, while others, like health and retirement planning, increase. By definition, our obligations make pressing demands upon us. But we often have more leeway than we imagine. "We always need to look honestly at what really is a necessity for us," Butler urges.

Horizon
Horizon, your deepest and most central aspirations, "are a lifelong project," says Butler. "We may have experiences that draw us closer to the impermanence of life, challenging us to define what's really essential. The question is, how do we understand life in its fullest and what does that mean for my next career or life decision?"

Get real
Effective coaching, at any age or stage, begins with where you are, here and now. Fortunately, there's one thing it should not begin with. "Don't come with the first draft of your action plan!" says Butler. "One of the things that coaching can do is help you understand what the real issues are – and it's okay if they're complex or thorny."

Give yourself permission to not know exactly what you want or where you're going. Instead of a plan, coaching participants are better served by bringing an open mind and a willingness to reflect.

"The four dimensions of career decision-making – identity, community, necessity and horizon – are always active and in need of attention," says Butler. "The more self-aware we are, the more we realize how they are showing themselves at this particular moment in our lives and how they shape our next choices."