ABSTRACT
The development of the middle class in Russia ranks among the most debatable issues both in practice and in theory, since the formation of the professional-managerial class has always been one of the vital tasks facing any country embarking on the road of reform. The national history of different countries lends evidence to the fact that the formation of the professional-managerial class has depended on three constituents: state policy in the production sphere; employer—employees relationship in the workplace; and the subjective strategies adopted by economic actors themselves. The chapter deals with the component from the point of view of the market and work situation of young professionals. The main distinctive characteristic of the identity of the interviewed professionals employed in the private sector is that they link themselves firmly with the new form of ownership. Some professionals had given up their professional career altogether and moved into other spheres, e.g. trade or business, where no professional skills are required.
