Career Advice You Wish You Heard In Your 20s

Your 20s are weird. One minute you’re throwing your graduation cap in the air, and the next you’re staring at job listings on LinkedIn, wondering how you’re supposed to have “1–2 years of experience” when you just finished school. That’s why we put together some career advice we wish someone had shared with us back then — the kind of real talk that makes figuring out your path a little easier.

1. You don’t need to have everything figured out (seriously)

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   In school, they made it seem like you had to pick a path and stick with it forever. You really don’t. Your first job doesn’t have to be your dream job. In fact, most people’s first jobs are just stepping stones. Every job teaches you something, even the bad ones. And if you feel lost sometimes, that’s normal too. Everyone’s just figuring it out as they go.

2. Your job is not your whole identity

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   It’s easy to fall into the “live to work” mindset. You start checking emails at midnight, feeling guilty for not doing overtime, and measuring your worth by how productive you are. Don’t.

   Make time for things that bring you joy — dance classes, Pilates, doing nothing. You're not lazy for wanting a life outside of work. Please don’t tie your whole value to your job title or KPI score.

   You are a whole person. Your job is just one part of you.

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3. Ask for what you want — no one’s going to guess

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   If you want to try new responsibilities, work on a new project, or even just change seats because you hate the sunlight blasting in your face, say something.

   One girl I know wanted to get into social media but was hired to do admin. She spoke up, showed interest, and after a few months, she was helping run the brand’s TikTok. Closed mouths don’t get fed!

4. It’s okay to quit a job that drains you

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   We’ve all stayed in jobs longer than we should’ve. Maybe it’s loyalty, maybe it’s fear, but your mental health isn’t worth sacrificing for a toxic work culture. If you’re crying every Sunday night or waking up dreading every day, that’s your sign. You deserve better, even if that means taking a break to figure things out.

5. Imposter syndrome is totally normal

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   That “I have no idea what I’m doing” feeling? Everyone has it. Yes, even your boss. The trick is to do your best anyway and fake a bit of confidence if you have to.

6. Mistakes happen, and you’re not a failure

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   You’ll mess up an email. You’ll forget to CC your boss. You might even send a proposal to the wrong client (yikes, true story). It happens. Don’t spiral. Fix it, own up, and learn from it.

   No one expects you to be perfect, just be honest and be willing to improve.

7. Being reliable is more valuable than being ‘the best’

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   You don’t need to win awards or be the loudest voice in the meeting. If people know they can count on you to show up, meet deadlines, and help out, that already makes you a star.

   Quiet consistency > big promises, zero delivery.

8. Stop people-pleasing - it will burn you out fast

   Photo from The Cooper Review

   In your 20s, it’s tempting to say yes to everything like extra tasks, weekend work, favours that aren’t your job. You want to be liked, helpful, “a team player”. But if you’re constantly doing things just to please others, you’ll end up exhausted and resentful.

   It’s okay to say no. It’s okay to set boundaries. Respecting your own time and energy is just as important as being kind and helpful. People respect people who respect themselves.

Your 20s are for trying, failing, changing your mind, and figuring out what makes you happy. Don’t worry if your path is rocky, as long as you’re moving forward, you’re doing great.