LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky declared five-year career plans outdated during a recent episode of the “No One Knows What They’re Doing” podcast, attributing this to rapid changes in technology and the labor market driven by AI and other factors.
Ryan Roslansky, who has served as LinkedIn’s chief executive since 2020, directly addressed the traditional advice of mapping out a five-year career trajectory. He recounted how individuals often advise others to chart specific steps for the next five years and adhere strictly to that outline. Roslansky challenged this approach, stating, “And in reality, when you know technology and the labor market and everything is moving beneath you, I think having a five-year plan is a little bit foolish.”
In his role leading one of the leading career-focused social media and job-search platforms, Roslansky has access to extensive data on user career paths. He has observed these paths amid a series of disruptions affecting the job market. These include the COVID-19 pandemic, shifts across different administrations, widespread layoffs, implementation of tariffs, persistent inflation, and additional economic pressures.
Among these transformations, Roslansky highlighted the swift integration of artificial intelligence into workplaces as a prominent recent development. This technology alters job requirements and opportunities at an accelerated rate, rendering distant future projections less reliable for career navigation.
To adapt, Roslansky advocated for professionals to prioritize shorter-term objectives over extended timelines. He suggested concentrating efforts on immediate horizons, such as the coming months, rather than years ahead. This shift emphasizes actionable, near-term priorities.
Data from the World Economic Forum reinforces the pace of workplace evolution. The organization projects that approximately 39 percent of core skills required in jobs will undergo transformation or become obsolete by 2030. Roslansky aligned his recommendation with this outlook, advising,
“I would much recommend people focus on maybe the next few months and a couple of things that aren’t a plan, but [rather] what do you want to learn? What type of experiences do you want to get? That’s, I think, the right mental model in this environment.”
Not all career experts concur with dismissing long-term planning. Mary McNevin, a talent management executive, spoke to Arielle Executive on the value of five-year plans. She argued that “career growth doesn’t just happen by accident,” positioning structured planning as essential for achieving specific objectives. McNevin added, “Five-year plans also give you the flexibility to change what’s no longer relevant to your long-term goals, without derailing your progress.” She emphasized that this method keeps individuals aligned with their core aspirations.
Roslansky demonstrates commitment to alternative career frameworks through his own platform. He hosts a podcast titled The Path, which examines how professionals pursue diverse, non-linear trajectories in their professional lives. The series delves into real-world examples of careers that deviate from straight progression.
On the podcast, Roslansky critiqued the widespread assumption of a prescribed linear path. He noted, “A lot of people just believe that there’s some linear career path that you jump on.” He provided examples of this belief, such as graduating high school, attending a specific college, entering consulting, and then obtaining an MBA. Roslansky pointed out that such sequences represent a common perception but not the typical experience.
LinkedIn’s internal insights and external reports confirm the prevalence of varied career journeys. A report from vocational and education provider TAFE Gippsland indicates that individuals undergo an average of three to seven career changes over their lifetimes. The same report documents an average of 16 job changes during a working life.
This pattern intensifies among younger generations. A report from recruiting firm Randstad reveals that Generation Z workers change jobs every 1.1 years on average. Randstad characterizes this behavior as “growth-hunting” rather than “job-hopping.” The firm attributes these shifts to perceptions of insufficient progression in current positions, prompting Gen Z to seek advancement elsewhere.
Roslansky encouraged embracing incremental actions to unlock broader opportunities. He stated, “If you focus on those shorter steps, gaining learning, gaining experience, a lot of your career path will open up for you.” He further stressed personal agency, adding, “And the sooner you realize that, you can take your own career into your own hands. No one is trying to figure this out for you.”
