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Based on a large corpus of interviews undertaken among employees of different hierarchical levels (operators, skilled workers, technicians, foremen, managers), questioned on their views of work and career, this article highlights the crucial role of middle managers in the social regulation of the careers of the company’s employees. Although middle management is often denigrated for its main assignments, it is considered as the best pathway towards executive positions. Moreover, these middle manager positions contribute to exacerbate the competition within employees of different profiles who do not have equal opportunities to fulfill their career ambitions.