Frank Sinatra lived a pretty good life, but regrets — he had a few. Too few to mention, however, according to him. After all, he did what he had to do; saw it through without exemption. In short, he did it his way.
Apologies to Ol’ Blue Eyes for bastardizing his lyrics, but I have a good reason. The Chairman of the Board is a shining example that even the most successful of us have regrets at some point in our lives. But with the average person dedicating one-third of their life — or 90,000 hours — to work, it’s startling that 66% have work-related regrets.
That’s a key finding from Resume Now’s International Career Regrets recent survey of 1,000 workers in the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany. Top career regrets include not asking for a pay increase (60%), not prioritizing work-life balance in one’s career (59%), staying at a job too long (58%), and not negotiating salary when taking a job (58%).
According to Heather O’Neill, a career expert with Resume Now, half of all people surveyed regretted being in their chosen career, and more than four in 10 regretted not trying to make a career change. That’s … not good.
Still, there are some work scenarios about which the majority of workers said they did not have regrets. Those include:
- Do not regret going to HR with a problem — 66%;
- Do not regret speaking up in a meeting — 62%; and
- Do not regret quitting a job — 62%.
The moral of the story, according to O’Neill, is that the top career regrets centered around inaction, such as not asking for a raise or not speaking up in a meeting. For the majority of participants, there were fewer regrets associated with actions they did take.
Here are some examples:
- While 58% said they regretted staying at a job, only 38% regretted quitting a job.
- 53% regretted not speaking up in a meeting, compared to 38% who regretted speaking up in a meeting.
HR strategist Nirit Cohen, who writes about the future of work, recommends three strategies for transforming regret into growth:
- Address the root cause — Identify the true source of your regret, whether it’s staying in a role too long or choosing a career misaligned with your values. Reflection can reveal what needs to change and turn regret into a catalyst for action. For example, a finance professional who feels stuck realizes her dissatisfaction stems from neglecting her passion for sustainability. This insight guides her toward a career shift that aligns with her values.
- Redefine success — Success is fluid and should evolve with your personal and professional priorities. Today’s work landscape allows for more flexible definitions of achievement, including work-life balance, learning opportunities, and personal fulfillment. Those who regret past career decisions can redefine success in ways that prioritize their well-being and passions. For that finance professional, success means integrating sustainability into her career, even starting with volunteer work.
- Take small, intentional steps — Change doesn’t have to be drastic; small, deliberate actions can break the cycle of regret and lead to meaningful transformation. Exploring new career paths through education, networking, or volunteering can open doors. In the finance professional’s case, volunteering for a nonprofit may ultimately lead her to a finance role at an organization that aligns with her values, allowing her to merge expertise with purpose.
