Someone once told me that, after building their career in one field for more than a decade, they worried it would be a mistake to change industries — that they might regret it. And I can’t imagine anything more relatable than this!
When all we know is one industry, and we know exactly how we fit into that industry and who we are in that role, it’s difficult to imagine ourselves anywhere else.
How will our skills translate into a new industry? What will it be like to feel like a novice again, instead of an expert? Will it all be worth it?
That’s why this post is dedicated to anyone scared who’s that changing industries could be a mistake. If the fear of regret is holding you back, this one’s for you.
Millennials: we’ve got career regrets
It’s totally normal to be worried about regretting a big change, especially because millennials really do have lots of career regrets!
In a 2024 survey, 70% of millennials reported having career regrets — more than any other generation in the survey!
But most folks didn’t regret changing careers. It was actually just the opposite:
- 58% of respondents regretted staying at their job
- 44% of respondents regretted not making a major career change!
(I’m big on transparency, so I’ll also share that 38% of respondents said they regretted quitting a job. BUT! That includes folks who job-hopped within the same industry. It’s also a considerably lower percentage than those who regretted staying!)
Why we anticipate regret and what to do about it
If you stay at your job, you know exactly what you’re gonna get. And generally, we’re going to fear the unknown (a new career) more than the known — even if what’s known is daily depletion, misalignment, and burnout. It’s familiar. It’s “comfortably uncomfortable,” as I like to say.
So if you anticipate regretting a career change, a few things are going on:
1. We’re afraid of that unknown, and that’s ok!
Whether it’s the absolute best move for you or, in fact, something you will regret, it’s going to be uncomfortable! That’s because it’s unknown, unfamiliar, unexplored territory.
That said…
Can you see how it’s a little silly to worry you’ll regret something you haven’t even identified yet, much less taken action on?
This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t worry or are wrong for worrying! It’s natural — and you bet I worried about anything and everything when I considered a career change.
All I’m getting at is that it’s normal to be nervous about the unknown, AND you don’t need to avoid a career change just because of this fear.
At the risk of hyperbole, I think it’s safe to say: everyone who’s ever changed careers was at least a little afraid.
2. We often jump to the end of the journey before even starting.
When you picture regretting a career change, you’re picturing a possibility that’s several steps ahead of where you are now — and months or even years away.
In order to regret your career change, you’d have already:
- identified your next career move
- solidified why it’s right for you
- put in your notice
- quit
- completed any training or education that may be needed in your new field, if applicable
- applied to jobs
- completed interviews
- gotten an offer
- accepted a job
- started the job
- worked there for a few weeks, months, or years
- developed regret (potentially!)
So you’ve jumped about 12 steps ahead. And you don’t even know that you’ll definitely regret it — you just fear the possibility.
So, when you catch yourself thinking, “What if I’ll regret my career change?” try this follow-up: “What if I love my career change?”
In other words, you can’t be 100% sure of the future… but since you aren’t sure, there’s an equally good chance that you WILL love your career change!
And if you really let yourself imagine that, the idea might become less scary.
3 key things to consider if you worry about career change regret
1. Your career achievements and experience don’t disappear when you change industries.
You’re not starting over — you’re choosing a new direction. So everything you’ve accomplished still matters! And all of it will help you in your next career. If you aren’t yet sure what your next career move will be, I promise: once you discover your ideal move, it’ll be easier to see all the ways your history has prepared you for this journey.
2. Transferable skills are only one piece of the puzzle.
When you put the constraint of transferable skills on your next career move, you risk sticking to what feels safest — at the expense of what feels interesting and what you’re curious about. That could land you right here again, burnt out and unfulfilled, in years or even months.
So if you’re considering a career change to feel more connected to your work and who you really are, don’t worry about transferable skills yet. Start by exploring what fulfills you — what meaningful work means and looks like to you. That’s when it’ll become clear how your existing skills fit into that new field.
3. The sunk cost fallacy is powerful! Don’t let it win.
The sunk cost fallacy is the idea that because you’ve put so much time and energy into something, it’s a waste to change your mind and do something different. When it comes to a career change, of course, there are very real things you’ll have to consider! Finances, stability, work-life balance, commute, and more all factor in.
But for as much weight as we place on these external factors, there’s a lot of internalized fear around change. You also have underlying beliefs about yourself, your work, careers in general, and life changes.
These beliefs are formed over a lifetime of experiences! So it can be hard to tell the difference between reality and our beliefs.
But questioning what you’re truly worried about can help you uncover these beliefs and learn to confront them.
Reframes aren’t about silencing our doubts or judging the fears we have! They’re just about notificing and questioning the actual validity of those fears.
6 questions to ask yourself when worried about career change regret
Not trying to call you out or anything, but trust me — skimming these won’t help you move forward!
So take some private time to reflect. Start a voice note or grab a pen and paper, working through each question thoroughly before moving on.
- Think of a big decision you made, when you couldn’t predict what would happen. Maybe you got into a relationship, or left one. Maybe you bought a house, or moved away from your hometown. After that transition, what did you regret? What did you appreciate? Repeat this for a few other major decisions.
- In each of those decisions, did happiness outweigh regret? Why or why not?
- What are you most proud of in your current career?
- When you think of your career now, what are you worried about leaving behind and/or not experiencing again in a new career?
- Imagine you’ve been away from your current job for a year. What do you miss? What are you glad you’ve left behind?
- Imagine you’ve found a job you love. What does that job look like? What does it feel like — how do you feel when you’re doing something you enjoy and/or feel connected to?
Not sure if a career change is right for you?
The Career Clarity Workbook is a 24-page guide featuring prompts and reflections to deeply explore your life and career priorities.
You’ll decide whether a career change is in your future! Plus, you’ll set personalized goals that actually motivate you.
If you’re on the fence about making a career change this year, this is the guide for you. Get it now!
