You work hard, earn your designation, and spend years building a meaningful career. Along the way, you gain experience, take on leadership opportunities, and make an impact within your organization. That growth can also spark new questions about what’s next and where your skills could lead.
So, what does come next?
For many mid-career professionals, that question is not easy to answer. Some continue forward without fully addressing it. Others try to work through it alone. And some seek out a trusted person who can offer perspective, ask thoughtful questions, and help them think more clearly about the next stage of their career.
Mentorship during a time of uncertainty
In a recent episode of the Uncommon Sense podcast, Rod Gatti CPA, CGA, a past mentee in the CPA Alberta Mentorship Program, shared how mentorship unexpectedly helped him during a period of uncertainty in his career.
At the time, Rod was facing the possibility of organizational restructuring and wanted to prepare for potential change. Initially, he did not believe he needed a formal mentoring relationship. He was simply looking for one or two conversations with someone who could offer an outside perspective as he considered his next step.
Like many professionals, Rod initially questioned the value of going further. As he shared, “I didn’t necessarily think I needed mentorship at that stage in my career, but the conversations ended up being more valuable than I expected.”
Why mentorship matters mid-career
One of the most important takeaways from those conversations was that mentorship is not only valuable early in a career. Mid-career professionals can benefit just as much, particularly during periods of transition, uncertainty, or professional change.
Through his conversations with mentor Sandy Lyons CPA, CA, a returning mentor in the CPA Alberta Mentorship Program, Rod gained something many mid-career professionals are seeking: clarity. Not because someone handed him the answers, but because mentorship created space to reflect openly, challenge assumptions, and think differently about his career direction.
As Sandy explained, “Mentorship is not about telling someone what decision to make. It is about helping them think through the situation for themselves.” Over time, what began as a one-time conversation developed into an ongoing professional connection built on trust, openness, and honest discussion.
A practical takeaway
For professionals who are unsure about their next step, mentorship may not provide a roadmap, but it can offer perspective, clarity, and the confidence to move forward. Rod’s experience is a reminder that sometimes you are too close to your own situation to see it clearly. Having an outsider ask thoughtful questions and offer perspective can make a meaningful difference.
Listen to the full conversation between Sandy and Rod here: Two Perspectives on Mentorship – Uncommon Sense.
If you are uncertain about your next step, the CPA Alberta Mentorship Program is open for applications.
