By Paige Yousey and Lillian VW Richardson
Starting out in this industry can feel overwhelming. You are balancing new responsibilities, learning unfamiliar systems, and trying to build credibility with your team. At the same time, you may feel pressure to define your career path before you have had a chance to fully explore what this field even looks like. It can seem like everyone else knows exactly what they are doing while you are still trying to figure out where to start.
In reality, most early-career professionals face these same questions, but few talk about them openly. It is easy to get stuck in your own head, second-guess your choices, or wonder if you are already behind. The uncertainty can make even small decisions feel heavier than they need to be. You want to build momentum in your career, but it is hard to know what direction to move when everything still feels new.
If any of that sounds familiar, you are not alone. The early years in L&D come with a unique set of challenges that can make it hard to find your footing. But there are ways to approach this stage that will help you navigate the uncertainty, build confidence, and set yourself up for long-term success.
Own what you don’t know yet
Early in your career, it is easy to feel like you should have it all figured out. You want to show your team that you can handle what is assigned to you and avoid looking like you are in over your head. But here is the reality: Nobody expects you to know everything right away. What people do expect is that you are honest about where you are, what you understand, and when you need help.
Being transparent is not a sign of weakness. It is a signal that you are paying attention, taking ownership of your work, and focused on getting it right.
You’re not supposed to know everything
Many early professionals fall into the trap of thinking that asking for help means they are not qualified. That leads to situations where questions go unasked, small gaps in understanding turn into bigger mistakes, and preventable issues snowball.
Leaders do not expect you to navigate every new process perfectly on your own, but they do expect you to surface issues early. The more you communicate where you are unsure, the more your leaders can support your growth. Over time, that trust compounds and creates opportunities for you to take on more responsibility because your team knows you will speak up when you need to.
Your next moves:
- Review resources: Before reaching out, take the time to review any available resources, documentation, or examples. Your effort to problem-solve first will show through in the conversation.
- Collect questions: Keep a simple running list of questions you encounter as you work. Grouping your questions can make conversations with your manager more efficient and thoughtful.
- Ask for help properly: When you ask for help frame it with what you have already tried. For example, say, “I reviewed the guidelines and think I understand steps one through three, but I am unsure if I am interpreting step four correctly. Can you help me confirm?” This shows initiative and keeps the conversation focused.
Think of your early career as a ‘sampling period’
Early career clarity often comes from a mixture of reflection and experimentation. The L&D field is evolving constantly, and there is always something new to learn, explore, or refine. Viewing your early career as a “sampling period” (or experimentation period) allows you to freely explore possibilities in the field without the pressure of having everything figured out. Your current role, whether it is your first or not, does not have to be your final destination. It can be a starting point for exploration.
Let curiosity lead the way
There’s a natural tension between exploring while also trying to establish yourself in your career. It’s easy to feel pressured to define your path quickly or measure your progress against roles that seem prestigious or successful based on what you’ve seen others do.
While understandable, leaning into that pressure too much can cloud your ability to genuinely explore and miss out on roles or skills that energize or suit you. Career fulfillment and sustained growth often come from authenticity and alignment, not external benchmarks. Giving yourself permission to experiment, even if it feels uncomfortable, can help you build a stronger, informed foundation for your future career.
Your next moves:
- Reach out to colleagues, peers, or mentors: Have informational conversations about their roles and career paths. You might be surprised how many took non-linear routes to where they are now.
- Experiment independently: Sign up for webinars, follow blogs or newsletters from industry experts, or test out tools or platforms, like authoring or editing software, in your downtime. Many great resources are available for free.
- Seek feedback: After exploring something new, ask for input from mentors or peers. This can help validate strengths and highlight areas worth further exploration.
Find your flow
When’s the last time you completely lost track of time doing something—cooking, painting, reading? These “flow moments” happen when you’re deeply engaged in an activity that energizes you, offering valuable insight into what naturally motivates and sustains you. Reflecting on where you experience flow, both personally and professionally, can help guide your career decisions. Instead of separating your passions from your work, consider how they might overlap. This awareness can lead you toward roles that feel more aligned and fulfilling.
Your energy is trying to tell you something
With so many diverse possibilities in the L&D field, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or uncertain about which direction to take. You might unintentionally find yourself in roles or tasks that feel draining or unfulfilling without awareness of your flow moments. Recognizing your flow moments can help you pinpoint what aspects of work energize and sustain you, allowing you to focus your energy and invest in relevant areas for growth.
Your next moves:
- Regularly reflect and journal: Set aside weekly or monthly time to journal about experiences that deeply engage you. Write down what you were doing, how it made you feel, and why you think it resonated. To stay consistent, try techniques like calendar blocking or the Pomodoro method to reserve reflection time.
- Explore your strengths: If you’re unsure where your flow moments stem from, try a strengths assessment to identify patterns. These can give you language and direction for the types of work that naturally align with you.
- Take small, strategic risks: Intentionally seek outside projects or work assignments that align with your flow areas. Small experiments in real work contexts can help clarify whether those interests align with your career goals.
Shift to grow
Normalize career uncertainty. It’s completely normal (and common!) to not have your dream role pinned down early or even midway through your career. Many “dream roles” may not exist in the way you imagine them, and what seems ideal from the outside may not align with your authentic strengths and values. Recognizing this can free you from chasing an idealized job title and instead focus on opportunities that align with you and make career shifts become less about abandoning a dream and more about embracing your growth. Your career path should evolve with you.
Shifts mean you’re paying attention
Career shifts or uncertainty about what’s next can feel daunting, but embracing the idea that shifting or exploring is career progression helps remove the stigma and empowers you to make career decisions that truly fit.
It’s also essential to remember that your worth isn’t solely defined by your job title or accomplishments. While work is an important aspect of our lives, it doesn’t encompass your entire identity and values. Keeping this perspective can reduce pressure during times of uncertainty and create room for healthy, authentic career development.
Your next moves:
- Develop transferable skills intentionally: Identify and develop skills that are valuable across multiple roles (e.g., project management, design thinking, etc.). These core skills lend themselves to smoother career shifts and can support your exploration of new opportunities.
- Network beyond your immediate role: Actively seek connections with professionals whose paths differ from your own. This can normalize career shifts and inspire you to explore unanticipated possibilities.
- Keep a record of your growth: Every few months, document new skills, tools, or responsibilities you’ve picked up, even informally. This habit builds awareness of how you’re evolving and gives you a record to reference in performance reviews, resume updates, or when considering a career shift.
Teach yourself what’s next
The field of learning and development changes constantly. New tools emerge, research evolves, and organizations face different challenges over time. One of the most important skills you can build early in your career is the ability to teach yourself. Learning how to learn is the foundation that will keep you adaptable and valuable as your career grows. You will not always have someone assigning you training or walking you through every new system. Your ability to take ownership of your own learning will set you apart.
Learn ahead of the curve
It is easy to fall into the habit of waiting for formal training or clear instructions before trying something new. But the reality is that many of the most relevant skills you will need five years from now are not part of any onboarding today. Professionals who wait for permission or instruction may find themselves falling behind. On the other hand, those who regularly seek out new knowledge, explore emerging trends, and experiment with tools are better equipped to handle change and lead new initiatives. Developing this habit early ensures that you stay confident even when the landscape shifts.
Your next moves:
- Build a learning routine: Schedule regular time to explore new topics, whether through articles, webinars, podcasts, or books related to learning and development.
- Curate your go-to resources: Identify thought leaders, publications, and online communities that consistently provide valuable information in your field.
- Experiment with new tools: Set up test environments where you can safely explore new technologies or platforms before they are officially adopted by your organization.
- Treat curiosity as part of your job: Approach new topics with a mindset of exploration, even if they are not immediately required for your current role.
Don’t do this alone
You will not have all the answers, and you are not supposed to. One of the smartest moves you can make early in your career is to build a professional community around you. Your network can serve as a sounding board, a resource, and a source of encouragement as you grow. Learning and development work can feel isolating at times, especially when you are responsible for building solutions for others. Having people to lean on helps you stay grounded and continue growing.
Learning together is a power move
When you are new, it is easy to think you should figure everything out on your own. But trying to build your career in isolation limits your perspective and slows your growth. A strong community exposes you to new ideas, offers real-world examples from others facing similar challenges, and helps you stay connected to the broader trends in the field. Even a small group of trusted peers can make a significant difference when you face unfamiliar situations or need advice. Your community becomes a long-term professional asset that supports you throughout your career.
Your Next Moves:
- Join professional groups: Look for local or virtual learning and development communities where you can exchange ideas and learn from others.
- Find peer mentors: Connect with professionals who are just a few steps ahead of you in their careers. Their recent experiences can provide relatable, practical guidance.
- Stay active in your network: Share resources, offer help, and engage regularly. Strong professional relationships are built through consistent interaction, not one-time conversations.
- Invest in diverse connections: Build relationships with people inside and outside of your immediate organization to broaden your perspective and stay adaptable.
Building your community gives you the support and perspective you need, but direction is something you create for yourself. Uncertainty is uncomfortable, but it is not a sign that you are doing something wrong. It is simply part of building a career in a field that offers more paths than you can see from the starting line. The early years in L&D are less about locking into one perfect role and more about learning how to navigate when the path isn’t fully clear.
Along the way, you will test ideas, take risks, and learn from both progress and setbacks. Each step helps you see a little further than before, even if it does not feel like it at the time. The work you are doing now is laying the foundation for what comes next.
You do not need perfect clarity to make progress. You need to start where you are and keep moving forward.
Image credit: mikkelwilliam
