How do you change careers when you’ve never really had one? In usual fashion, my biannual crisis found its way to me. Except this time, amidst all the chaos, I finally found something. After months of ‘life plan’ rough drafts, and an unfortunate learning experience, I stumbled across a University course that seemed perfect for me. The idea of going back to school had previously given me all over body chills (and not the good kind). But this time felt different.

In the first few days after my discovery, a little hesitant, I scrolled Reddit reading “is it normal to switch careers a lot in your 20s / is it too late to be changing careers at 25?” posts. Somehow, the combination of these posts, a YouTube video and an Instagram reel locked the idea in for me. I started to feel a strangely confident wave of trust and belief that this was the path I was supposed to take. So, just like a Reddit thread (not overly well researched, but an accurate representation of the human experience), here is my advice on changing careers in your twenties (20s).

Time will pass anyway

There were a number of confronting aspects about going back to Uni full time. One – I would be adding to my already increasing amount of student debt. Two – I will be 29 when I graduate (given that I pass everything). The idea of turning 29 on its own is scary enough. Three – Given that I will be 29 when I graduate, I’ll also be starting fresh at 29 when I enter into this field of work. Four – I will most likely have to move back in with my parents so I can afford to live. Despite all of these downsides, there was one thing that was more overwhelming to me. And that’s this – time will pass anyway. Regardless of if I choose to study or not, move home or not, pursue a career change or not, those 3 years will pass anyway. So why not just do it?

Age doesn’t matter

To think that we’re all supposed to know what we want to do for the rest of our lives at 17 years old is complete insanity. I know your twenties are an awkward time to change paths. But the truth is, a lot of us study and then realise we don’t actually like our chosen career. We learn through experience. I had a lot of creative hobbies when I was young – drawing, painting, writing short stories. When I went to Uni after high school, I studied Anatomy and Human Biology (though I changed my major about four times before that – Conservation Biology, Marine Science, Zoology, Nursing). I didn’t actually discover my love of writing online until I was 25. You can find different passions and directions at any age. There’s no time limit on learning or trying something new.

What comes next

I recently listened to a podcast episode by Financial Feminist called ‘what I wish I knew in my early 20s: career edition’. If you’ve never listened to Tori’s podcast, I would highly recommend it (I also talk about it here). In this episode, she says that we put too much pressure on finding what we want to do for the rest of our lives. She recommends to instead ask yourself, “what do I want to do next?”. We change so much, so fast. Especially when we’re young. Every moment feels fleeting. We grow out of things we once loved and discover new things. So, instead of overwhelming ourselves, let’s just think one step ahead instead of 20.

Your gut feel

I’m currently reading Make It Happen by Jordanna Levin – I talked about this book here briefly. Both Tori and Jordanna mention how important intuition is when taking jobs and choosing your path (but it applies to every area of your life). Your intuition is that gut feeling you get when you know (however conscious or subconscious) that something is right or isn’t right. When I was exploring different potential paths, nothing seemed to stick at first. I couldn’t quite picture myself moving cities or countries just yet – there was resistance to it. There was a slight pull to stay at home, though it wasn’t fear. I had a feeling it was because something was coming and it was coming to me here.

Listening to your gut can be tricky, because it can be confused with ego. Jordanna describes intuition as “the ability to know something instinctively without evidence, proof or conscious reasoning”, while the ego “is often wearing a cloak made out of fear and insecurity”. The ego looks for external validation, but intuition is authentic, comes from within, and is felt rather than heard. What you need to remember is that if an opportunity presents itself to you, it’s meant for you. But you still have to work for it. Trust yourself above all else, and things will fall into place.

Moving forward

So after all this, you might be wondering – what am I actually returning to Uni to study? Professional writing and publishing. There is so much more for me to learn in this area – in particular digital writing and editing. I am so damn excited. Changing careers in your twenties (20s) shouldn’t be a strange thought. If you have the opportunity to, and your gut is telling you it’s the right path for your future, then follow through. And although it might, at times, feel like a step backwards, it’s not. It’s a step in the right direction – the direction you want to take. Just remember that it’s just the next step, not necessarily one that is for life. Good luck!

Yours,

Kait x

Cover photo by Ketut Subiyanto