AIBU to hate the question...

[user659008]

where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

Had my yearly review at work today and the question came up. I have always hated answering as I don't have any ambitions to improve myself at work and I'm happy in the role I am doing which I always think gets frowned upon.
This year really hit me I was diagnosed with cancer last year so don't really think about what life might be like in 5 years.
AIBU to really hate this question?

As you get older you get asked that question less

I’ve always felt this way about it too. Also hate being asked what my hobbies are because I’ve honestly never really had one. Nightmare questions, I don’t know how to answer them at all.

Yeah it's a shit question. My real answer is always "not still here" but I go vague.

Sorry about your diagnosis, they really should have been more sensitive to that!

It's so unoriginal isn't it? And doesn't really tell you anything as a hiring manager. I mean, no ones going to say they expect to be on mat leave with baby number 2 are they?!

Maybe you think that the person asking the question is expecting more than they actually are? You don't necessarily need to respond that you want to be promoted etc if that's not your plan. Could you think of a low key response like improving your skills in x area?

I think it's important for this question to be asked. Otherwise only the pushy confident people get support for their career goals. This question gives the manager a chance to find out about the quieter people who are hoping to progress. But if you're not ambitious, that's fine too and as I say a low key answer should still be valid.

@StepladderToHeaven

Maybe you think that the person asking the question is expecting more than they actually are? You don't necessarily need to respond that you want to be promoted etc if that's not your plan. Could you think of a low key response like improving your skills in x area?

I think it's important for this question to be asked. Otherwise only the pushy confident people get support for their career goals. This question gives the manager a chance to find out about the quieter people who are hoping to progress. But if you're not ambitious, that's fine too and as I say a low key answer should still be valid.

Assessing people's goals can be asked with a simple "what are your aims, would you like to be put in for training on anything this year?" Which is far better than a 5 year plan. Its an annual review so it should be focussed on the year ahead. Longer term goals can be useful to plan training but life changes so much that 2026 is a very long way away.

Well ok, I agree that the question could be worded differently. I'm just saying that it's important for a line manager to ask about future aims and goals.

It’s a crap question, but I’d honestly answer with what you said.

I hate it as I never know what to say.

When my boss asked me that a few months ago I believe I said ‘fuck knows, Mike’.

An accurate answer in my case would be similar to you - still in the same role. If that's not accepted I tend to give a long, waffly answer bringing in all kinds of variables that are totally irrelevant to work. Boss glazes over and moves on. Job done.

I got asked this interviewing for my current job, which is in a retail environment. I had taken the job as my previous work in childcare wasn’t flexible enough around school hours and now I work only about 12 hours a week. What did he want me to say, in 5 years I’m sure I will be head of the entire huge chain of stores and I’ll be your boss? It was pretty obvious I was after just a job - which I do competently.

You could say that you want to be in a role where you feel like you’re completely in control and competent in every task that comes along, that you’d be respected by your colleagues and valued by the company for the work that you do. Keep it vague like that?