Hey everyone, I'm a 23-year-old guy from London and I just wrapped up my MBA in Project Management. I thought my path would be clearer by now, but honestly, it feels even more confusing. Currently, I'm working part-time in retail, around 24 hours a week, and I'm at a loss figuring out what career options suit my skills. Here's what I have going for me:
- Experience with Jira, Asana, and basic Agile methods
- Knowledge of in-house ERP systems
- Familiarity with Google Analytics and Meta Ads tools
- Basic programming skills
- Medium proficiency in Excel
- Some experience with Figma
- Ran a small clothing brand back home
I'm unsure if I should pursue roles in project management, marketing, product development, or operations. I'm feeling a bit low and stuck, so any suggestions on possible roles to consider, entry points, or general advice for someone with my skill set would be really appreciated!
4 Answers
If you don't have it all figured out by 23, you might as well give up! Just kidding! Seriously though, it's perfectly fine to be unsure at this stage. Take your time!
Don't stress out too much, you're still young! It's pretty normal for people in their twenties to feel lost about their career path. You might want to explore different roles, and by the time you're in your 30s, things might start smoothing out. I suggest looking into marketing since you have some basic programming skills which can come in handy there. It's all about experimenting until something feels right!
Here's an interesting thought: instead of searching for a job that fits your existing skills, think about developing skills that align with your dream job. What type of role really excites you? It's common for new grads to jump around jobs as they refine what they want to do. Take some time to research what's involved in marketing, product, and operations roles, and see what sparks your interest!
You’ve accomplished a lot by 23, so give yourself some credit! It’s okay not to have everything figured out. What are you most curious about? If you're drawn to project management, that might be the simplest path to take given your MBA. But keep your options open and explore what genuinely interests you—there's no rush to specialize right away!
I totally agree! I’ve switched jobs a lot in my early career too, and it really helped me figure out what I wanted.