Johnny C. Taylor Jr. answers workplace questions every week on USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of SHRM, the world’s largest human resources professional organization, and author of Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval.
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Question: I am 36 years old and have worked for my company for 5 years and received high performance reviews. My manager is 71 years old, has no plans to retire, and is the only person above me. I can’t see a path to promotion and feel stuck. Is it worth waiting years for a promotion or should I look elsewhere? – Rosa
Answer: There’s nothing wrong with wanting to move. And it’s not wrong to have doubts about waiting indefinitely.
People are working longer hours. Career timelines have gotten longer. That’s the reality. But longer careers at the top can create real bottlenecks at the bottom. What you are feeling is becoming more and more common.
So the important question is not the manager’s age. It’s access to growth.
Let’s start with a conversation about professional development. I’m not talking about my boss’s retirement. I’m not talking about a timeline you can’t control. Please tell me about yourself. Ask them what experiences prepared them for the next level. Ask where you can expand your scope of work today. A strong leader will care about your growth, even if it doesn’t get you anywhere.
Growth doesn’t just mean promotion. That could mean broader responsibilities. Larger, higher level projects. Exposure across sectors. Improved visibility. If you have such an opportunity, take advantage of it.
Please also look from the side. Many careers accelerate laterally before being promoted. different teams. Various functions. new skill set. Internal mobility is often the smartest first move.
Here’s an even harsher truth. If your company truly has no path forward – no scope expansion, no internal options, no succession planning – you may be facing structural stagnation. And the structure rarely corrects itself.
Loyalty is important, but so is career momentum. If you’re continuing to perform at a high level and the message is just “stay still and see what happens,” that’s not a growth plan. That’s the ownership pattern.
You don’t have to leave tomorrow. However, you should always actively manage your career. Build new skills. Strengthen your network. Keep your options open. Exploring the outside world is not dishonest. I have a responsibility.
You shouldn’t feel like your career is on hold indefinitely. If you can grow where you are, do it. If you can’t do that, please move on.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.
