So often I speak with advertising candidates who have accumulated a great resume and are well into their careers, but are suddenly in the midst of a mid-career crisis. This is somewhat comparable to a man’s mid-life crisis… you know… getting something pierced, buying a bright yellow sports car and trading in a comfortable house in the ‘burbs for a sailboat. These are typically rash, nonsensical decisions that nobody benefits from… except for the nice family who now lives in your old abode for the price of a 26 foot sailboat.

In any event, the mid-career crisis usually occurs around the time that you’re making more than enough money to live comfortably and you’ve graduated to an office with a door instead of a cubicle. But one day, you wake up and you’re suddenly not content with your life as an Associate Media Director. You decide that you’re sick of media and you want to pursue your dreams, whatever those may be. After telling your wife that you’re quitting your job, you call a TZ recruiter to see how we can help.

I received a very similar phone call recently. A Management Sup candidate with a fantastic resume decided that a career in Account Services was simply not for him anymore… he wanted to pursue a career as a Creative Director. As his recruiter, I told him what I would tell any candidate in a similar situation. Go with what you know. If you’re great at your current advertising job, stick with it. Pursue your dreams as a hobby until you can turn it into a full-time gig or until the feeling passes. If you want to go in an entirely new direction, you will have to start on the bottom rung of a very long ladder. You’ll probably be reporting to someone younger than you and you’ll be making close to an entry level salary.

My advice is certainly not intended to crush your dreams… it’s just to give you a realistic perspective. If you’re feeling like you need a major change of pace, you’re probably in the wrong agency or city, not the wrong profession. It’s amazing the difference that a smart career move can make. But if all else fails, I know someone who’s selling a sailboat…

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