I have changed jobs three times in three years. One nearly burned me out. One changed my life. Every single one taught me something I wish someone had told me on day one of my career.
I moved to France for my master’s at HEC Paris and started working here right after. It has been messy and unpredictable. At times it has been painful. It has also been the most growth I have ever experienced. These are the five career learnings that actually moved the needle.
1. Take big swings while the downside is small
I quit three jobs in three years. I flew across the world for an internship with nothing else lined up. I cold-emailed a startup CEO with a link to my YouTube channel and said: I think we should work together. None of that was because I am fearless. I was scared every time.
I did it anyway because of something most people realize too late. When you are early in your career, failure costs almost nothing. If something does not work, you bounce back. You do not have a mortgage, kids, or a public reputation to protect.
The upside is asymmetric. One bold move in your twenties shapes your network, skills, and income for decades. Most people wait. They play defense. By the time they feel ready, the cost of failure has climbed and the window has shrunk. If there is a job you want to quit or a person you want to reach out to, do it now. You will never have this much room to fail again.
2. You do not get what you do not ask for
When I was younger I waited for permission. I thought if I worked hard and stayed humble, someone would notice and reward me. Nobody is watching that closely.
On one freelance project I asked for a raise mid-contract. “Hey, based on the results so far, I’d like to revisit the rate.” They bumped it up by 50 percent on the spot. All I had to do was ask. That has happened more than once. I have asked for deadline extensions, perks, project ownership, role changes, and more often than not I got some version of what I wanted.
There is one condition. This works when you have built trust. When the person already sees you as reliable, asking does not feel like a demand. It feels like a signal that you are invested. Worst case they say no.
A simple way to think about it: worst case you hear no. Most likely you get some version of what you wanted. The cost of silence is almost always higher than the cost of rejection. I write about this dynamic differently in my piece on 9 career tips.
3. Everything is negotiable if you make the right case
When I started working, I thought certain things were fixed. Job title. Salary. Deadline. None of it was true. I used to treat deadlines like sacred commandments. They are usually just tools to create pressure.
I have negotiated raises mid-contract. Shifted job scopes. Pushed back on office policies. Adjusted timelines that felt impossible and delivered better results because of it. The key is that it is not about pushing back. It is about making a better case. If you show that what you are asking for leads to better outcomes for the team, most reasonable people will listen.
Most people never try. They assume “this is just how it is.” Once you start negotiating intentionally, you stop waiting for permission and start building a career on your terms. The rules are not rigid. They are just unchallenged.
4. You do not build wealth by shrinking your life
My first winter in Paris I kept the heating on low to save 60 euros a month. I ate the cheapest food I could find. I skipped coffees with friends. I was not getting rich. I was cold, anxious, and tired. For a few extra euros a month.
Wealth does not come from restriction. It comes from earning more and building skills that compound. Once I shifted, everything changed. I moved into a nicer apartment. A better desk. Tools that saved me time. Even before my income grew, my quality of life did, which made it easier to work harder and grow my skills.
Early on, comfort is an investment, not a luxury. The right expenses are fuel, not costs. You do not win by playing small. You win by learning how to earn more and making your life big enough to hold it. I get into the math in my piece on HEC Paris ROI.
5. Quit early. It is velocity, not weakness
I once stayed in a role I had outgrown. Not because it was working, but because I did not want to look like someone who could not stick it out. Every month I stayed I got a little more drained, more confused, more detached from the kind of work I wanted to do. Eventually I left. Within weeks I felt more like myself than I had in months.
The truth nobody tells you early in your career: it is better to pivot fast than to stall politely. If you have communicated, adjusted, and tried to make it work, walk away. You are not burning a bridge. You are choosing momentum over inertia. If you can afford it, take a week off between roles to recharge.
Looking back, none of these felt obvious when I was living them. I learned them through confusion, mistakes, and tough conversations. For the marketing-specific path, see how I built my career in my marketing career path.