How to change career in your 20s
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Pexels
Thinking about changing careers in your 20s? You're not alone — and you're not behind. Here's what I learned from doing it twice, plus the tips I wish someone had given me.
I changed careers at 24 and again at 27, so when it comes to navigating that particular kind of existential panic, I've been there — twice.
Here's my story (or skip ahead for the practical tips).
Like a lot of people, I stumbled into my degree rather than chose it. Biology was my favourite subject at school, my parents were firm believers that university was simply what you did after school, and so — off I went. Three years later, armed with a biology degree and absolutely zero idea (or desire) with what to do with it, I did what so many of us do: I just... fell into something.
That something was relocation. I'd just moved to London and found myself helping corporate managers find houses as they relocated to the city. It was like giving directions while quietly checking Google Maps yourself! I made some great friends but I knew almost immediately it wasn't for me.
The turning point came from a late-night conversation with a housemate who worked in marketing recruitment. I was deep in one of those I hate my job and I don't know what to do with my life spirals when she mentioned market research. This was pre-iPhone, pre-home-internet — so after work I'd trek to the internet café down the road to figure out what market research even was. The more I read, the more I thought: I could do that. I'd done plenty of statistics in my degree. I applied for a graduate training scheme, threw myself into a gruelling application process, and got in — without ever stopping to ask whether this was actually the right move. I just wanted out.
And here's where I learned my first major lesson about career change: don't make big decisions based on a Google search (or an AI deep-dive, for that matter). The actual job was nothing like I'd imagined — especially being the most junior person in the team.
My parents told me to stick it out. So I tried. But the moment they left for a three-week trip to India — completely unreachable — I felt something loosen. A little freedom crept in. I started quietly applying for roles, half-expecting to be laughed out of interviews, and was genuinely shocked when recruiters told me I had enough experience to move. I landed a role at a market research agency inside a newspaper company, with a brilliant boss, projects that felt more like sociology than marketing and a good sprinkling of creativity and autonomy. It turned out to be exactly what I needed to build my confidence.
24 year old Jo on a trip to suss out Sydney
Then, at 26, I moved to Australia — because why not?
And it was there, sitting in a focus group, watching people debate where the bubbles should sit on a wine label, that something in me just snapped. I don't care about the bubbles. I need to do something that actually matters. The thought was so loud it startled me.
So there I was again. In a new country, no safety net, freaking out about my career.
This time, I worked with a career coach — and it changed everything. She helped me get under the surface of what meaningful actually meant to me, and pointed me toward marketing roles in the not-for-profit sector. My first role was a 6 month contract which gave me a good taste for the sector and some experience under my belt.
I went into that next chapter with far more self-awareness than I'd had before. Not perfect self-awareness, I'll be honest — I wasn't fully using all of my strengths yet — but it was progress. I stayed in the not for profit sector for over 7 years, so I definitely got something right that time!
Looking back now, I can see the thread that runs through all of it: project management, and a deep curiosity about human behaviour. Both have become central to running my own business and the coaching work I do today.
I won't pretend those transitions were graceful. They were messy and stressful and I wish I could go back and reassure younger me that it would all make sense eventually. But I'm genuinely grateful for every bit of it — because those experiences gave me something no textbook could: a real, lived understanding of what career change actually feels like from the inside. The fear, the uncertainty, the false starts. And how to come out the other side.
So how do you change career in your 20s?
You're not alone — and you're right on time
The average Australian has 3–7 careers in their lifetime, so if you're thinking about making a change, you're firmly in the majority. The average under-25 spends just 1 year and 8 months in a job. Changing your mind isn't failure — it's just updating your thinking with better information. And your 20s are actually the lowest-risk time to do it. Fewer financial commitments, more energy, and plenty of time to recover from a wrong turn. The messy path isn't a failure — it's data. Every wrong turn tells you something real about yourself.
Know your why before you chase the what
Don't make a move just to escape a bad situation — that's how you end up somewhere equally wrong, just with a different job title. Get clear on what you're running toward, not just what you're running from. Ask yourself what energises you versus what drains you. Notice what you'd happily do for free or lose track of time doing. And look back at what you've already done — your strengths show up earlier than you think, even in jobs that felt like wrong turns.
Do your research — but not just online
Don't change careers based on a Google search or an AI deep-dive alone. The job is almost never quite what it looks like from the outside. Conversations are the real research. Talk to people who are actually doing the work you think you want to do — ask them what a Tuesday afternoon really looks like, what they wish they'd known, what the unglamorous parts are. That's the information that will actually help you decide.
Try before you fully commit
You don't need to have it all figured out before you take a step. Freelance, volunteer, take on a side project, or shadow someone in your target field before you hand in your notice. Skills transfer more than you think — don't start from zero in your head just because your job title is changing.
Trying also means gaining experience and skills which are great career currency at your next job interview.
The world is changing — your career probably will too
AI isn't coming for everyone's job, but it is changing almost every job. Tasks that used to take days are being automated. Entire roles are being restructured. New fields are emerging that didn't exist five years ago. In that context, being someone who can change — who knows their strengths, stays curious, and isn't paralysed by uncertainty — isn't just useful. It's essential. Your 20s are the perfect time to build that muscle.
Get someone in your corner
Work with a coach, mentor, or trusted friend who can help you see your blind spots, expand what you think is possible, and open doors to ideas, contacts and opportunities you wouldn't find on your own. Career change is hard to navigate from inside your own head. An outside perspective isn't a luxury — at this stage, it's a shortcut.
Hi, I’m Jo Green, a Career Change Coach.
I help thoughtful professionals who feel stuck or unfulfilled in their work find a clearer direction and move into work that feels meaningful and aligned with who they are.
Since 2016 I’ve supported hundreds of people to reshape their careers – whether that means changing roles, starting something new, or finding work that contributes more positively to people or the planet.
If you're thinking about a career change and want structured support, you can learn more about my career change coaching here.
Or you’re welcome to book a free 20-minute consultation to talk about where you’re at and whether coaching could help.
