Early to mid-career professionals can overcome burnout and imposter syndrome with support from leadership, mentorship, and proactive career engagement.
I’ve decided to write this article to speak directly to the embattled early to mid-career professionals. Congratulations – you are recently promoted, being given larger project responsibilities, and supervising staff! You are often the face of your firm for a project or a specific client. As the responsibilities increase, the walls seem to push in as well. With all that success you’ve seemingly had, you are not yet in a position to influence hiring decisions or team assignments. However, you are expected to meet the next deadline and deliver exceptional services, it seems as if your career and your ability to gain influence within your firm depends on it.
If I am describing you, trust me you are not alone. I was recently exactly where you are. I had success early in my career by meeting and exceeding manager and client expectations, always setting the bar higher for myself than it was ever set for me. I received great performance reviews with the raises and promotions that followed.
As I found myself being a manager of multiple projects for our firm, I discovered challenging schedules and the need to manage construction problems. The realization that the larger the project, the more problems that come with it, was a tough pill to swallow for someone so focused on chasing perfection. Eventually the burnout and reduced confidence followed. Despite all the success I had, imposter syndrome set in.
Fast-forward to early 2024 – I received an email from our marketing team telling me that members of our firm leadership wanted to nominate me for Zweig Group’s Rising Stars Award! The nomination alone was an accomplishment that helped me improve my mindset. A few months later I found out I was selected as a Rising Star in the AEC industry, and my firm leadership invited me to attend Zweig Group’s ElevateAEC Conference. I was able to spend multiple days with one of our founders and other key leaders as we sought ways to improve our business.
That experience allowed me to strengthen my relationship with those key firm leaders. As we have entered a new year of planning and growth opportunities, I have found myself in a different place than I was one year ago. I am more routinely invited to performance discussions; my input is given consideration around hiring decisions and many more challenges. I’ve been offered the opportunity to be a leader in our company for key initiatives. The respect I’ve earned within our firm is felt daily. With that respect I found comfort in bringing attention to the challenges I often face in my role and seeking advice on how to address them.
To that embattled mid-career professional I mentioned earlier, you don’t have to wait for an award, or even a nomination, to seek the support you need in your career. I have the following advice for you:
- Seek feedback from your leaders.
- When you have something to contribute, make sure you ask to have a seat at the table.
- Don’t be afraid to say you are overstretched and in need of additional resources.
- Add to your circle of mentors. You have grown in your career, so should your circle of mentors.
- Remember learning is ongoing, you don’t have gaps in your knowledge, just opportunities to refine your expertise.
For firm leaders considering nominating members of the team, I have this request for you:
- Nominate, but don’t wait for an award to recognize your Rising Stars.
- Offer mentorship.
- Ask and offer additional resources and support to those who are likely overstretched.
- Celebrate the accomplishments of your Rising Stars.
It took roughly one year for these changes in my own mindset, and the encouragement of leaders within my own firm, to set me up for more growth than I had before. I found myself with a much less embattled view of my day to day. Hang in there – change is close. If your mindset can change and your leadership will support you, the trajectory of your career has only just begun to show itself. You belong in the AEC industry. Learn more about Zweig Group's Rising Stars Award here.
Michael Makris, P.E. is a project manager at BHC and a 2024 Rising Star Alumni. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
