Differences in Promotion Stress across Career Stage and Orientation

Promotion stress is the experienced feelings of anxiety, concern, or tension with one's career reality in terms of the level one has reached in the organization. This study considers how promotion stress may differ depending on an individual's internal career orientation (balance, high, free, ahead, secure) as well as an individual's external, professional career stage (apprentice, colleague, mentor, sponsor). The results suggest no clear pattern of differences based on internal career orientation; however, there is a clear pattern with regard to external career stage such that as an individual progresses in his/her professional career, promotion stress decreases. Implications for research and practice are discussed.