Adulthood is considered a process of three stages : (1) Early, (2) Middle and (3) Late Adulthood.  Early adulthood starts at age 18 or 21 and continues until the mid-30's.  During middle adulthood , people start to show signs of aging.  Late adulthood is when most people retire from work and reflect on life.

Early adulthood is a crucial period where one is seeking :

• Achieving autonomy - trying to establish oneself as an independent person with a life of one's own.

• Establishing identity - more firmly establishing likes, dislikes, preferences, and philosophies.

• Developing emotional stability - becoming more stable emotionally which is considered a sign of maturing.

Building a team of coaches and mentors during this period can help formulate a path leading to career decisions for growing through this period in preparation of the stages of adulthood.

Is Hiring a Career Coach the Right Move for You?

Have you ever wondered whether it’d be helpful to work with a career coach? Hiring one requires time and money, so it’s important to do your due diligence before making the investment. Here are five reasons you might consider hiring one.

• You don’t know what you want to do next. If you’re not sure what will bring you fulfillment, a coach can help you consider possibilities that are a departure from your past experiences or that you hadn’t considered.

• You want to drastically improve your resume and LinkedIn profile. Maybe you need support in identifying transferable skills that are relevant to a role you’re interested in, even if they don’t match up exactly with what’s in the job description.

• You aren’t over your previous job. Perhaps the way your last job ended has left you feeling wounded and lacking confidence. A career coach can encourage you to move past unpleasant career experiences and rebuild your belief in yourself.

• You’ve been interviewing, but it's going nowhere. A coach can help you refine your answers to other common interview questions, polish your executive presence, and practice with you so you feel confident in your next interview.

• You’re not moving up in your career. Coaches can decode performance feedback from your manager to uncover behaviors you need to adjust to continue to grow.

Please refer to The Hawk's Home Page for Testimonials and Life Story page for Career History and Accomplishments

What is Work-life integration?

Work-life integration involves blending both personal and professional responsibilities. Rather than viewing work and personal time as separate entities, busy professionals can find areas of compromise. This might look like completing household chores while on a conference call or bringing children into the office when schools are closed.

The largest advantage of work-life integration is flexibility. When employees are able to properly coordinate their schedules and responsibilities, they are more likely to experience satisfaction in all areas of their life. On the flip side, studies have shown that boundary violations — when work and personal life seep into each other — can also have negative consequences. When work-life integration is out of balance, employees may actually experience decreased satisfaction and productivity in both areas.

Work-life integration vs. work-life balance: What's the difference?

Both work-life integration and work-life balance are valid means of achieving an equilibrium between personal and professional responsibilities. The primary difference between work-life integration and work-life balance lies in how they achieve that equilibrium.

Work-life integration seeks to bring work and life closer together. Rather than drawing lines between “work time” and “personal time,” professionals can tackle their responsibilities at the times that work well for them. Work-life balance involves having your work life and personal life coexist, but each thrives separately. Employees maintain firm boundaries between home and office, allowing them to devote their full attention to each at a given time.