How to start a career in 2026: tips from an HR expert that will help you stand out among candidates and build a strong professional foundation

In 2026, the start of a career will no longer resemble the familiar scenario of “study, get a job, work for years.” The market is moving faster than curricula can keep up, and the first profession is increasingly becoming not a finish line, but a testing ground.

Young professionals are afraid of losing a year or two “to nowhere,” employers are afraid of making a mistake with their choice, and LinkedIn reminds them every day that someone at 23 has already become a C-level. In this noise, it is easy to get lost and start chasing not experience, but a beautiful job title.

HRD, HR & Career Consultant Alona Kasinova suggests looking at the start of a career differently — as a strategic period of intensive learning in a real business environment. Don’t be afraid of experiments, but clearly distinguish development from exploitation and don’t confuse activity with fuss.

If you are just starting, this text can be your first guide. And, perhaps, it will help you make, if not the perfect, then the right step.

Where should a person with no experience start their career in 2026 if they don’t want to lose 1–2 years?

I recommend starting with the question, “Where can I quickly become a specialist who understands how business works?” Because professions are changing, skills are losing their relevance, and the ability to understand processes, people, and technologies is something that will always stay with you.

I often tell young professionals: “Don’t look for the perfect role, look for an environment where you can gain real experience.” Therefore, the main task at this stage is to build the first 12–18 months as intensive training in a real business context.

What basic skills are required for almost any first job today, regardless of the field?

Today, employers pay special attention to the candidate’s mindset. For example, analytical thinking, adaptability, and the ability to learn are already basic requirements for most positions.

A first job is a kind of test of flexibility and the ability to be part of a system. To summarize, I would highlight the following skills:

• effective communication skills,
• the desire and ability to learn and accept feedback,
• self-organization, responsibility, flexibility,
• loyalty.

What do recruiters look for in a resume of a newcomer, first of all, if there is no commercial experience?

In such resumes, the recruiter, first of all, looks for signs of potential. And yes, it often takes literally 30 seconds. The following fall under the microscope:

• Logic of thinking and structure: how the document is designed, is there a structure, logic, and absence of errors.
• Availability of training or any actions aimed at development: internships, non-profit projects, student activities, freelance projects, courses, etc.
• Adequacy of expectations and self-awareness. The recruiter pays attention to how the candidate describes himself, whether there is an understanding of the junior/trainee level, whether the person immediately claims a senior position, and an appropriate salary.
• And, if necessary, the presence of education in a specific field.

What actions at the start of a career seem “right”, but in fact hinder development and repel employers?

In short, most mistakes at the start are not related to a lack of knowledge, but to thinking and behavior:

• Focusing only on hard skills and ignoring soft skills. This is a classic. People pump up tools, but do not know how to negotiate, hear feedback, or admit mistakes. At the same time, the vast majority of companies reject candidates due to inadequate soft skills, even if their technical skills are good.
• Passive position. Many people think that at the start, you need to “not shine”, agree with everything and wait for instructions. For bureaucratized, ossified businesses, this is probably the right strategy, but not for most modern Ukrainian companies. Managers are looking for people who show interest and offer solutions.
• Fear of mistakes, or “I am silent so as not to look stupid”. Asking is normal; moreover, it is the basic minimum. It is also normal to make mistakes. Only those who do nothing do not make mistakes. Moreover, beginners will not be trusted with tasks where mistakes are costly, so they perceive mistakes as an investment in their experience.

Does it make sense to go on an internship or junior position without pay in 2026, and under what conditions is it justified?

In 2026, unpaid internships are more of an exception that requires justified reasons. Otherwise, you simply risk being exploited under the guise of gaining experience. I am sincerely glad that the Ukrainian business, in the vast majority, understands this. But, for example, in the EU, about half of interns work without pay, and it is because of this that the European Commission is trying to tighten the rules against “fake internships”, where people actually perform the work of a full-time employee without a salary.

When unpaid internships can be justified, in my opinion:

• Educational, not work context, when it is part of the curriculum at a university, for example.
• Gaining unique experience: working with top experts, technologies, or the market.
• A short, clearly limited period with agreed conditions for transitioning to paid work.
• Strong network and learning: mentoring with regular feedback + projects in the portfolio.
• Volunteer experience.

How can a beginner understand that he is really growing as a specialist, and not just closing tasks for minimal money?

Most often, such things are felt at the level of intuition even before they can be clearly formulated. However, I will gladly share the growth markers that I have observed during my experience in HR:

• Tasks are already being performed “automatically”, decisions are being made faster, results, prospects, and risks are being predicted more confidently.
• Such specialists begin to notice the business context and see their work tasks more broadly.
• They leave their comfort zone, they begin to be trusted with more complex tasks, and later with problems. They are consulted, and their point of view is listened to.
• And, of course, money is a very honest marker. They are willing to pay more both in the current company and in the market as a whole.

How can a candidate with no experience stand out among hundreds of newbies in 2026?

It sounds ironic, but you need to be seen. Hundreds of submitted resumes may not yield results. Much more important is how you interact with the professional environment.

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting their career from scratch in 2026 and is afraid to make a wrong move?

A wrong move is almost always more valuable than no move at all. For example, Forbes, Randstad, and FDM Group indicate a trend that frequent role changes at the start of a career are associated with greater career growth and skills.

Start with small experiments. Don’t set yourself the goal of finding a “dream job” right away. Instead:

• Choose roles and areas, allow yourself to really find out what you like and what you don’t. Try internships, short projects, freelancing, and internal rotations within the company.
• Expand your networking, don’t be afraid to ask for advice, take consultations, or just listen to the chats of more experienced colleagues (there are often valuable lessons hidden there).
• Don’t wait for the perfect mentor or company that will teach you everything and lead you by the hand to results. If this happens, consider that you have caught luck by the tail. However, the responsibility for your career development lies, first of all, with yourself.

The beginning of a career is always a bit of chaos, a bit of fear, and a lot of doubts. And that’s okay. Because a career is not always a path exclusively “upwards,”; it is often a series of experiments, and the modern market allows for this.

Don’t expect everything to be clear right away – it is important to notice your own progress and recognize your own efforts, even when the result is not yet perfect. Professionalism begins with responsibility for your own development.