Tomorrow I have my review at work. I have zero career aspirations. Help me answer pointless questions such as 'where do you see yourself in 5 years time?'

[DrNortherner]

I work 24 hours a week so I can do school run. I like it that way. I don't work on a Friday so I can visit friends and eat cake-- do house work, food shop and walk my dog. I run, I love running, I am in a club, I do it daily, I therefore have no time nor desire to increase my work hours/further my career/clib the corporate ladder. My old boss understood this. My new boss however is very corporate and extremely driven and I can not tell him I lack ambition

Any suggestions of how I can fluff it up a little?

I need to go on a typing course though that much is clear

I've done reviews with people like you. There's nothing wrong with saying you are happy with your current position and hours. What you should be doing though - what we should all do - is to develop ourselves in that role even though you aren't working towards a big role change. I would ask about how you can build and consolidate your skills. Is there anything additional you could do within the scope of your current role? For example this year I've presented a poster describing a new area of work at a big conference. So you're not looking to move on, you're looking to enrich your experience whre you are. This is good news for your boss because it effectively makes you even better value for money. Quite a lot of bang to the buck and all that.

Lol at people like me!

Oh yes, I will cover development in my current role, that's no problem. It's the 'where do you see yourself in 5/10 years' type questions I hate.

I had this problem for years and resorted to vague non-specific statements like "developing skills within my role" and "building on my current role". If you don't think it too risky you could drop in something along the lines of "home responsibilities ruling out extra hours, travel, etc for a short while so use that time to consolidate, etc"

By waffling and keeping my head down I managed to keep my part time hours until DCs were 21 and 18 :)

I meant 'people like you' in a good way not a bad one

re 10 years time - you can always decline to answer on the grounds you could all be dead by then! That's generally a conversation stopper. bloody stupid question because a review should be far more short term than that unless you have a 10 year plan you're burning to share.

tell them you want to keep up to date with software packages, that usually is good

I would tell him that in 10 years time you see yourself on a beach shagging a toy boy

What exactly is wrong with saying "In 5 years' time I see myself here, doing exactly what I'm doing now"?

I mean, I know you can't say it, but your role will exist in 5 yrs time, so why the Jeff should you be the one doing it? I hate the way you have to be constantly moving, changing, shapeshifting to be considered any good. If you're good at your job and you like it, why change? I mean, you don't have heart surgeons under pressure to operate 'creatively' or in a different way just to prove their commitment to the hospital.

But, we live in a culture of change for change's sake, so you will have to wrap the truth in a thick layer of bullshit. You will be:

-Developing your commitment to the company
-Raising the profile of your role/department
-Ensuring that you are value for money- maximum efficiency blah blah
-Reflective

10 points if you can get smartworking or thinking outside the box in there.

*should =shouldn't

Just cobble together an answer consisting of the words strategic, bold and horizon-scanning. Extra points if you can add "The platform is burning, we must seize the moment." (my chief exec actually told pit company that in an all-staff meeting and glancing around it quickly became apparent I was the only one stifling giggles).
My boss is completely out of his depth and so loves to hear buzz words. Actual content does not matter.

*pit = our
friggin iPhone

Our ward sister is very 'in' to 'reflective practice' - or as she says 'Bugger, won't do that again'

"The platform is burning, we must seize the moment."

In DH company they have decided that 360 degree appraisals and all the work that goes into that is taking far too may hours of company time that could be earned by people doing work for the people that are actually paying them.
They have cut right back on appraisals.
I work for NHS and have had only 1 KSF appraisal so far which consisted of manager going through a massive folder with post it notes attached which took 1.5 hours and meant nothing to me and probably her, and has made no difference to my job which in which I work hard and efficiently in.
I also have no ambitions to climb any further up the NHS pole ( probably because I have never learnt how to do management speak and don't like going to meetings!)

Boss - trots out standard corporste question clearly inappropriate for your current sitiation - "Where do you see yourself in 5 years time".

DrNortherner - "I have always found that to be in an interesting question and as I look back over my career, at any one point, I could not have reasonably predicted where I would have been five years hence.

At the moment, I enjoy coming to work to do something that I am good at and enjoy having a work life balance that makes me content in all aspects of my life. For now, I see no reason to change that.

In order to remain content and effective in my job, where I see changes that need to be made, where I can, I action those changes and where I see a gap in my skills, I try to bridge that gap.

Right now, I would like to go on the 3 day Womens Running Network group leaders level one training course as I believe this would make me a more effective leader at work. I also think I should increase my liaison with the marketing department role as they seem to drink more champagne on their team building activities and that Derek would benefit from taking on my role liaising with the IT department.

I like to take opportunities as they arise rather than be constrained by any rigid plan, so in short, who knows what excitement the next 5 years will bring. Out of interest, where do you think you will be?"

If only we could edit as we speak!!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
What tethersend says.
I see myself deepening my skills in my role, further strengthening my cooperation with my colleagues, drawing on a further five years' investment in my experience to increase my quality and efficiency even further. Hee hee! :o)
They just need something to tick their box with!

Print this out for him not everyone wants to be CEO

I like that Beryl.

Similarly, there is only room for one at the top and I am happy to step aside and avoid the crush.

Thanks fro some great input! It has been postponed to Monday after all that! I am prepared and ready to go!

DrNortherner - you could put your boss on the spot by replying with a question.

"I woudl be keen to hear of any roles that are available in the firm that you would consider putting me forward for?"

If he answers "Erm...none". You then ask "Why not?"

Shuts them up every time.

I have been in 2 industries now and in a lowerish position. Over TIME in both fields the demand for this position has decreased and in fact in the second industy the only growth is in the higher positions .This is happening in many other industries. So you may find yourself squeezed out in a few years withno job at all.

You sound like someone who needs the little book of management crap. As soon as I have written it I will send you a link. Tip: start the sentence with "Well, moving forward..."

putthatbookdown I am well aware that no position is forever anymore. But, at the moment my role is a vital support function to a sales team and to the Director of Sales, I know I only work 24 hours a week but I also know I am valued and appreciated.