The Career Experiment: Why 2025 should be the year you test new paths

So often we see our careers as all or nothing decisions, but what if your next career move wasn’t a lifelong commitment, but an experiment? In generations before, careers were extremely linear and ladder-like. It was rare to do a complete career change and decisions were often viewed as a long-term plan, which would impact the rest of your career. However we all know that nowadays, careers are much more dynamic and ‘squiggly’. Having said that, so many of us have inherited, and stuck with the notion that a career is for life. Whilst there are now so many options and possibilities, many people are getting stuck in option paralysis, terrified of making the ‘wrong’ decision in their career. 

However, an alternative approach is possible, one where you can be more dynamic and adopt an experimental mindset. In this article I’m going to walk you through the steps that you can take to lower the risk that you feel about making any changes, so you can finally feel ready to take action, rather than only day-dreaming about a new career. We’ll cover why now is the perfect time to embrace a career experiment and test some career paths without feeling like you are locked into one trajectory for life.

So, why now?

Well, now more than ever, the world of work is changing. For most of you reading this, you landed on Escape the City’s website because you are craving more meaningful work. Perhaps you’re sick of the grinding slog of your corporate job, feeling like you are endlessly grafting just to make someone at the top, richer. Perhaps you are feeling a stark clash of values with the company you work for and are ready to embrace a role where you feel like you are making a real difference in the world, for people and the planet.

Along with 'job satisfaction', 'portfolio careers', 'freelancing', 'project-based work', 'side hustles', 'hybrid-working', 'remote opportunities' and 'multiple income streams' are all buzzwords that you will hear thrown around, and this flexibility makes it easier than ever to dip your toe into something new. It reduces the need to make ‘ALL OR NOTHING’ decisions and allows you to dabble to test out a new path. Being adaptable, proactive and continuously learning are the most important skills to adopt for any career change in 2025.  

With the rise in technology and AI, many traditionally stable roles are becoming automated and so it’s increasingly important to be proactive in keeping your skillset current and valued. 

And the most exciting reason for why now, is because you can! Your career doesn’t have to follow some societally pre-conceived linear path. You have the opportunity to blend multiple roles and to incorporate your passions into your career. 

What does a career experiment actually look like? 

When I explain this idea to clients, I like to start with what it definitely ISN’T! So just to clarify:

A career experiment is not:

• A reckless switch of jobs at the first thing that peaks your interest
• Comparing the perks and benefits and making decisions based on job title or salary
• Throwing paint at the wall and seeing what sticks

A career experiment is:

• Exploration of new skills, industries and roles without making permanent changes 
• Structured & intentional
• Finding data to support or disprove your ideas about what you could pursue next

Basically in short, you do not need to quit your job and launch yourself into something new (however tempting that might be right now) - start small and begin by testing new pathways in manageable steps. 

So what might those steps look like? Well, the opportunities are endless but for some initial ideas, think: volunteering in a new industry, starting a bootcamp to learn a new skill, proposing a project at work which includes a different interest you have etc. Now let’s look at how to do that in some more detail…



How to design your career experiment

Step 1: Identify what you want to explore

Here’s 3 questions to get you thinking:

• What industries have always interested me?
• What are 3 skills I would love to grow?
• What is missing in my current work? 

Step 2: Start small and low risk

3 ideas to start small that don’t involve quitting your job!

• Set up ‘coffee chat’ conversations with people in different industries
• Look for volunteering opps/online courses to develop skills
• Start a side project to test your idea 

Step 3: Create a time boundary around it 

Rather than giving up after a few unsuccessful attempts, give your experiment a realistic timeframe. Within that time, you keep giving it a go, even if you need to evaluate and iterate on the process. After that timeframe, you can decide to part ways with that idea if it’s no longer of interest, but within the timeframe you keep pushing on (because it’s so easy to make excuses and get in your own way before you have even started!). 

Step 4: Build a feedback loop

What happens in scientific experiments? The data gets analysed. So make sure whilst you’re testing you are also:

• Tracking your energy whilst you do it (is it an energy drainer or gainer?)
• Noting what you are learning and the insights you are having
• Rating whether it’s something you want to experiment with further

From this data you can either continue to further test or scrap the idea and start a new experiment with another option. You can adjust, iterate and pivot your experiments based on the data you gather.

Will this actually help? 

If you’ve got this far the chances are that your brain has ALREADY started coming up with some excuses and counter arguments…our brains are wired to keep us safe and this experimentation can feel a bit scary, hence the fears that might be surfacing right about now!

What if I fail?

What if it’s already too late to make a change?

What if I don’t actually find anything I like? 

All of these ‘what if’s’ are your brain's way of trying to protect you from the unknown, which it perceives as a threat. I invite you to think about a counter-argument or an alternative perspective to any of the thoughts/fears/doubts that you might be having. 

For example: What if I fail → I can’t fail an experiment, I can only learn! 

These reframes will help when you find the self-doubt rearing its head again, but guess what - that is totally natural in a process like this, it can be scary to step out of your comfort zone! 

Final thoughts

A significant career change is a marathon not a sprint. Even if you feel desperate right now, I would really encourage you to follow this process before making any major changes. Focus on one experiment you can test this month so you don’t overwhelm yourself! 

In the meantime, you could think about how you might bridge the gap with what you want and your current day-to-day by making some small tweaks. For example, if you are craving more meaning and impact in your career but feel stuck in your corporate 9-5 right now, integrate something that can give you that essence now whilst you’re experimenting. You could subscribe to something like The Happy Newspaper as a source of positive impact inspiration.

Even if it feels like you are stuck on a career trajectory that no longer resonates, I want to finish by reminding you that it is possible to change, no matter how hard that might feel right now. Careers are no longer rigid ladders but an evolving squiggly journey. So stick at it, you’ve got this!

P.S. If you want to bounce ideas around, my inbox is always open. I’m an accredited Career & Mindset Coach and specialise in supporting Young Professionals, just like you, to Thrive in Impact-Led Careers. Drop me a message to say hi on LinkedIn!