SHRM President and Chief Executive Officer Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, answers your workplace questions each week. Do you have a work-related question you’d like him to answer? Submit it here.
I’m 36 and have spent five years at my company with strong performance reviews. My manager is 71, has no plans to retire, and holds the only role above mine. With no path to promotion, I feel stuck. Is it reasonable to expect me to wait years to move up, or should I be looking elsewhere? — Rosa
You’re not wrong to want movement. And you’re not wrong to question waiting indefinitely.
People are working longer. Career timelines have stretched. That’s reality. But extended careers at the top can create real bottlenecks below. What you’re feeling is increasingly common.
So the key question isn’t your manager’s age. It’s your access to growth.
Start with a professional development conversation. Not about your manager’s retirement. Not about timelines you can’t control. Talk about you. Ask what experiences would prepare you for the next level. Ask where you can expand the scope of your work now. A strong leader should care about your growth, even if they aren’t going anywhere.
Growth doesn’t only mean promotion. It can mean broader responsibility, bigger and higher-level projects, cross-functional exposure, and increased visibility. If those opportunities exist, take advantage of them.
Also, look laterally. Many careers accelerate sideways before they move up through different teams, different functions, and new skill sets. Internal mobility is often the smartest first move.
Now, here’s the harder truth: If there’s truly no pathway in your company — no expanded scope, no internal options, and no succession planning — you may be facing structural stagnation. And structure rarely fixes itself.
Loyalty matters, but so does your career momentum. If you’re continuing to perform at a high level and the only message is “sit tight and we’ll see what happens,” that’s not a development plan. That’s a holding pattern.
You don’t have to leave tomorrow. But you should always manage your career actively. Build new skills, strengthen your network, and keep your options open. Exploring externally isn’t disloyal. It’s responsible.
Careers shouldn’t feel paused indefinitely. If you can grow where you are, do it. If you can’t, move on.
Was this resource helpful?
Validate your HR expertise
Earning your SHRM-CP credential makes you a recognized expert and leader in the HR field.
Related Content
Learn how Marsh McLennan successfully boosts staff well-being with digital tools, improving productivity and work satisfaction for more than 20,000 employees.
The proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the ensuing expected increase in productivity and efficiency, could help usher in the four-day workweek, some experts predict.
As artificial intelligence technology continues to develop, the demand for workers with the ability to work alongside and manage AI systems will increase. This means that workers who are not able to adapt and learn these new skills will be left behind in the job market.