If there's one thing we all have in common, it's that everyone makes mistakes, particularly early on in their careers. In fact, surveys show that it’s virtually impossible to have a long-lasting career without wishing you could do certain things over, with just two percent of respondents stating that they have no career regrets at all.

To help you learn as much as possible from the mistakes of others, here are six career regrets shared by senior tech professionals that you can hopefully avoid.

Staying at a Company Too Long

All the signs were there, according to Lauren Hasson, director of engineering for a Silicon Valley fintech startup and founder of career advice site DevelopHer.

“I was being underpaid and undervalued at a company I worked for early in my career,” Hasson explained. “My gut told me to leave.”

Hasson made a common mistake: She thought her loyalty would be rewarded and that she would have an opportunity to fix the situation. She lacked confidence in her abilities, so she made excuses not to leave, she added. But after watching other people level up by changing jobs every few years, she realized she should have left sooner.

Don’t let self-doubt or imposter syndrome hold you back when data shows that wage growth for job switchers is 47 percent higher than those who stay in their current job.

“Give yourself options because it’s better to leave on your own terms,” Hasson concluded.

Not Taking Risks

Anthony Mays regrets not seizing the opportunity to interview with Google for an intern spot right out of college.

The veteran software engineer, career coach and founder of Morgan Latimer Consulting now realizes that he would have gained insights into shortcomings, improved and probably landed a job at Google much earlier, accelerating his career growth.

“You can progress much faster if you’re willing to take risks and accept the potential of making mistakes and failing,” Mays said. He recommends viewing your career as a startup opportunity by reading “The Startup of You: Adapt, Take Risks, Grow Your Network, and Transform Your Career” by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha.

Not Being Intentional About Networking

Mays also says that networking has been instrumental in helping him land speaking engagements, making valuable contacts and even becoming an entrepreneur. If only he’d started sooner.

“My recommendation would be to keep track of everyone you meet and interact with in a personal CRM,” he added. In retrospect, he recognized that networking opens the door to opportunities that could take years of work experience to otherwise gain.

Not Investing in Yourself

Hasson also regrets not investing in herself sooner. Think of yourself as an asset, she says. The investment you make in yourself as a tech professional has the highest ROI, especially early in your career.

For instance, investing in professional development opportunities such as attending tech conferences, skills training, salary negotiation coaching, career coaching and even health and wellness coaching can make it possible for you to elevate your profile and even land a position with a really big salary.

Mays agrees. Early in his career, he wasn’t as intentional about reaching out and learning from career coaches and mentors. He concedes that he probably could have elevated his career faster by tapping into the experiences and knowledge of others.

Not Being Financially Literate

Hasson knows it can be tempting to splurge on a luxury item or vacation when those big paychecks start rolling in. However, failing to manage your expenses can leave you powerless if end up in a job where you are unhappy but can’t afford to quit.

Studies show that Hasson is not alone. Financial literacy is lacking among many U.S. adults. Building a nest egg gives you the power and agency to make decisions about your career. Make a budget, stick to it, and save as much money as quickly as you can.

Playing Catch Up Instead of Leapfrog

Don’t just learn new skills for the sake of learning new skills. Be strategic with what you choose to learn.

For instance, learning iOS was a gamble that paid off big time for Hasson: “When I was struggling to get back into tech, iOS was only three years old. I went out and read every book that I could get my hands on. I didn’t wait for someone else to teach me the skills—I went out and got them for myself.” By taking the initiative, Hasson was able to jumpstart her career.

Hasson’s rapid career progression proves that learning “front-of-the-line skills” can increase your value and keep you from stagnating in a rapidly evolving field like tech.