The decision forced upon President Biden to withdraw from the presidential race is a reminder that all careers have a sell-by date. And, although it may be tempting to just look at sell-by date through the lens of age, that would be a mistake. I was recently speaking with a 29-year-old in public relations about whether or not he’s reached his sell by date in his current job.  

In our careers we will reach a point – often multiple times – where the company we work for no longer values what we are doing; we feel we can do more than an employer is offering us; what we are being paid is no longer aligned with the “perceived” value we are seen to generate by an employer or we feel we are worth; or our skillsets have aged out.

The bottom line is there are multiple reasons why we reach a point where it’s either time to move on of our own volition or be moved along. And, as I wrote recently about President Biden, our ability to recognize these moments and respond to them will define us as well as the next stage in our careers.       

There are always cues to pay attention to, if we decide to look. The advice I gave to the person who is still early in their career was not dissimilar to what I’ve provided to others closer to the end of their careers - we all need to seek outside perspective about where we are from people we trust. And, where possible, we need to get from our employers an honest assessment of our work and opportunities (or otherwise) for growth. And then we need to do something about it.

I have long advocated for framing these conversations in ways that are designed to encourage truth telling. I have found that if you genuinely ask for honest feedback and give others permission to share it, warts and all, no matter how uncomfortable, they are more likely to share insights we can act on. 

We may find that our performance is not as good as we think. Or that the opportunities for promotion are not going to come along as soon as we’d like. Or our self-perception is not aligned with how others see us. This can make for jarring conversations.  

Our plans and ego may be dented, but it’s important to look at the alternative. If we keep doing what we are doing oblivious to what may be coming down the line, we’re going to be surprised. And, because we haven’t done the hard work of trying to better understand how an employer, or a client, sees us, we have no ability to learn, adjust or change what we are doing to create different outcomes.  

We all have the power to make things happen. But if we don’t take responsibility for managing our careers, things will happen to us. Sometimes they may be good, but more often they aren’t. When the unexpected happens and we get consigned to a role we don’t want or get laid off, it’s very likely it will take longer to get back on our feet.  

Having a sense of what’s coming and managing expectations about our capabilities and opportunities at different stages in our careers provides the ability to plan, address weaknesses or become more comfortable with what we are good at and what we want. 

I’m a huge believer in the potential and capacity we all have. I’m also realistic. Most of us could have arrived more quickly on our journeys by engaging with trusted mentors and asking for their feedback and perspective.  

As the example of President Biden reminds us, we may not always recognize that we’ve reached a sell-by date. Listening to others, drawing our own conclusions from the messages we are, or are not getting, from employers, friends or the world around us, will allow us, on our own terms, to make decisions that will help us change direction, develop new skillsets or find new ways to add value. This puts us in a position to control our destinies. 

Hanging on to a job or career path that fits neither you nor your company is not a recipe for success. Recognizing your own potential to learn, do different things, and seize the opportunity that turning the page in a career represents, seems brave, but it’s generally the start to a more fulfilling path to new and satisfying opportunities.

I know from my experience and that of many others, that the journey is rarely straight and there are always bumps along the way. But when you reach a fork in the road, having a better sense of where you are on your career journey will make it more likely that you’ll follow American poet Robert Frost and take the path less traveled.