Two-thirds of workers have experienced regret in their careers, including not asking for a pay raise, not prioritising having a work-life balance and staying at a company for too long, according to a new study.

In the latest International Career Regrets Survey, online job search platform Resume Now interviewed more than 1,000 workers to find out whether they have any regrets in their careers, and if so, what those regrets were.

Indeed, 66% of respondents said they have suffered from career regrets. Most of the answers focused on three major points:

● 60% - Not asking their company about a pay increase.

● 59% - Not focusing on having a better work-life balance.

● 58% - Staying at a particular job for far too long.

As concerning as these answers may be, the researchers were more surprised at finding out that half of the survey participants expressed regret about being in their chosen careers.

The Resume Now findings suggest that more workers are suffering from career regrets, something that needs to be addressed effectively.

How to avoid having career regrets

Heather O'Neill, a career expert at Resume Now, offers five easy-to-follow steps on how workers can stay on track in their careers:

1. Being more proactive

Having a more proactive approach to work can help people avoid suffering from career regrets, according to O’Neill. This can be as simple as asking for a raise if the individual feels they deserve it, or switching jobs if they feel unhappy about their current role. Even small actions such as voicing opinions in meetings can prevent people from feeling remorseful later on in their careers.

2. Managing regrets

O’Neill admits that eliminating career regrets can be difficult, but there are ways for people to minimise how often they can occur. Workers should embrace every opportunity that comes their way and not let challenges discourage them. They should learn how to deal with small roadblocks to keep them from becoming larger problems.

3. Being your #1 supporter

Most of the workers surveyed said their biggest career regrets involve not asking for higher pay, neglecting work-life balance, and overstaying in their roles. For O’Neill, these should be the key areas that employees need to focus on.

Having regular conversations with their managers and telling them about their career needs can help workers show their value to their companies. They need to be more vocal and become their biggest advocate.

4. Conquering fears

Change can be a terrible thing for many workers, whether it is out of fear of being criticised or disrupting the status quo at work. However, O’Neill pointed out that it is easier to face whatever possible negative outcomes may come from trying to enact change rather than not doing anything at all.

5. Understanding the difference in demographics

The study showed that career regret most often occurs during the early and middle part of people’s careers across all age ranges. Gen Z and Millennial workers were the ones most concerned about having better work-life balance. O’Neill said it is important to pay close attention to the most common age range for career regret to help prevent it from happening.

Other career regrets

The report also highlighted other career regrets for workers. These include:

● 58% - Not negotiating salary when taking a job

● 53% - Not getting a college degree

● 53% - Not speaking up in a meeting

● 51% - Not asking for a promotion

● 50% - Being in their chosen career

● 49% - Not pursuing an advanced degree

● 46% - Working remotely

● 44% - Not switching career paths entirely

Making calculated risks

Learning how to take calculated risks can help people avoid suffering from career regrets. In fact, 78% of workers wish they had taken more risks throughout their careers, according to one study. These individuals believe doing so would have helped turn their lives around for the better.