Women reveal the biggest career regrets they've and their painfully honest responses are eye-opening

Chase your dreams, not the world's opinion.

People have told women a variety of things they need to do while growing up. Right from relationship choices to dreams and careers, the world puts a barrier and limits what a woman is allowed to achieve. It leads to many women having regrets later in life because they listened to the world and not their minds. In order to change the scenario and urge future women to chase their dreams with no limitations, the women of Reddit have shared their career regrets. Replying to a user whose post has now been deleted, many women came forward to guide and advise fellow females regarding their career and life choices. Here are the top 10 profound ones worth pondering.

1. Allowing the economy to choose a career path 

I regret that we need "careers." I have two degrees in Art History but ended up a project manager because it pays better than anything in that field does, at least when starting out. Honestly, if one could actually live in the US on minimum wage and didn't have to worry about health insurance, I would go back to working in a bookstore and spend the rest of my days stocking shelves and talking to people about books. -u/Ok_Meet_5968

2. Giving up a fun and dynamic career because it's tough

I think if I had the chance to go back in time, I'd have done something in organizational psychology instead - probably some kind of strategic consulting. Basically, everywhere I know who went into that line of work confirmed that it is not easy and can get stressful, but ultimately dynamic and fun. I would have much preferred that type of career (back when I was younger and had the energy), than something as staid and uptight as the practice of law. -u/hauteburrrito

3. Ignoring red flags during jobs for the sake of loyalty

Letting a sense of duty or loyalty determine whether I stay at a job instead of my own well-being. There are jobs that I knew right away were negatively impacting my mental health and I stayed years hoping it would get better or being worried about leaving my coworkers in the lurch. In the future, I will set a timeline and the types of changes I need to see by then if I'm going to choose to stay. If I don't see them, I'll have a plan for the next steps to (hopefully) move on to another job/company. -u/joliebetty

4. Making hasty choices

My career is my biggest regret. I've spent an upsetting amount of money in college and grad school only to realize they all weren't good choices. I didn't even apply to the right grad schools that could have set me on a better track. I gave up on all of it and became a stay-at-home parent, which I love. But it kills me a little that I know I could have been great if I had narrowed in on the right field. I know I'm above average intelligent and people only see me as a mom. -u/Sea-Psychologist

5. Assuming that a higher degree is the best option 

I sought industry work and found my Ph.D. to be a hindrance. I had too much education and not enough direct experience. I finally found someone who was willing to take a chance on me and I was very fortunate to land a good job. But it's not something you need a Ph.D. to do. I wasted valuable time from age 24-29 getting a pointless degree in a depressing part of the country, all while sacrificing my mental health. -u/the_crystal_onix

6. Jumping onto the first job offer because it's on the plate

I wish I didn't get my first job out of grad school, which was abusive, psychopath management, etc. The job ruined my health in ways that I'll deal with for the rest of my life. I was caught up competing with peers from school and felt like I needed to stick with this job because it was the only thing I got after graduation. I should've had higher standards but also be gentler with how I feel like I need to meet certain benchmarks to be "successful!" -u/kataracttt

7. Forgo a career/dream because others think it's not worthwhile

I regret thinking that I had to obtain a graphic design job after college (my associate degree was in commercial art). I heard so much from my parents and teachers about how fine art would turn me into a starving artist. But I didn't start actually making money until I got back into making art in my 30s. The graphic design jobs don't really pay much and they're so much more uninteresting to me. -u/burritosandbooze

8. Being uptight with opportunities 

Thinking I need to decide on a "forever career." It only makes me constantly dissatisfied. It's such a big thing to figure out! Now, I view it as "What can I do in the short to medium term? What supports my life goals/priorities?" I re-evaluate occasionally. Do I need a change? How big of a change - is a slight change in responsibilities enough? This also ensures I stay open to new opportunities that I would've never thought of. -u/joliebetty

9. Settling for stunted professional growth due to toxicity

I would go back and tell my 19-year-old self to grow a backbone and tell the bosses of my first few "real" jobs to suck a fat one. I was scared about making waves, didn't advocate for myself and was terrified to ask questions. Looking back, a lot of things that happened were due to piss poor management, bullying, harassment, discrimination and manipulation. There were a number of things I could have done to perform higher in those roles, but as an entry-level employee with no guidance, I had no frame of reference. -u/Elephant_axis

10. Being afraid to take risks 

I regret being fearful and talking myself out of opportunities. I really wanted to be a subtitler and I would just not apply for any jobs because I thought I didn't have enough experience, wasn't good enough, etc. I decided for myself that I wasn't good enough, while that might have not been the case. -u/YeahItsMeWhatsUp Either giving up on things that weren't working sooner or committing harder to making them work, even if that meant making them smaller. The in-between is the real killer. -u/coconatalie