More than half of professionals would turn back the clock and change their career paths if they could, a new survey in New Zealand by not-for profit the Workchoice Trust has revealed.

The survey, completed by over 200 mainly university-educated professionals, showed that there was a lack of early career guidance, with 82 percent of respondents saying they didn't have a clear understanding of their chosen career path at the time of leaving school or graduating.

A large majority of the professionals surveyed, 79 percent, said they felt they had poor access to careers advice at high school. A third of respondents said they had changed careers three times or more.

Tony Collins, CEO of the Northland Chamber of Commerce, which distributed the survey to its members, says that having several career changes is the norm, but it helps to know what opportunities are available from the very beginning.

"The smooth transition from school to the workplace helps ensure a positive start to a person's working life," he said.

When asked what career advice they would give their 18-year-old selves, more than half of those surveyed said they would research their options extensively.

As one respondent remarked: "There are a lot more jobs out there than are talked about."

The CEO of the Workchoice Trust, Kathy McCombe, said: "The more experiences on offer for students the more it helps them choose the right career path. "These businesses will all need these students one day; they are the future workforce after all."

Interesting findings from the survey include:

• 52 percent said they would change the career path they chose when leaving high school.

• 82 percent didn't feel, at the time, they had a clear understanding of the career path they chose upon leaving school/graduating.

• 79 percent didn't feel they had adequate access to good careers advice at high school.

• 37 percent of respondents are not working in the same field in which they studied or trained.

• 35 percent had changed careers three times or more, 57 percent twice or more.

• 61 percent of respondents had a university degree.

• The survey was completed by 229 people from all over New Zealand, all of whom were (or had been) in the workforce.

• 91 percent of respondents were over the age of 24, and there were fairly even numbers spread across the age brackets above this.

What career advice would you offer a school leaver today?

Some of the responses to this question are included below:

"Talk to people already in the profession you are after."

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"Think really hard about the decision as it is expensive and time-consuming to start and then change your mind."

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"Talk to everyone about what they do for a job - there are so many jobs that aren't talked about."

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"Follow your heart but also try to learn as much as possible about all the career options available as you would be surprised at how many things you're naturally good at but no one told you about it!"

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"Do not restrict your options - be open. Studying the subject matter and working in the industry could be quite different."

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"Find out about as many different careers as possible by talking to people, don't restrict yourself just to considering subjects at school that you were good at, get feedback from others as to your strengths, etc."

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"Work experience is just as, if not more important, than your degree/qualifications. I would recommend keeping qualifications general but getting work experience - unpaid if you have to - in your preferred field while at college/university. Worth its weight in gold."

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"Keep your choices open, perhaps work in the industry you think you want to study in first, starting at entry level, and ensure your decision is the correct one!"

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"Learn, experiment, explore, gain qualifications, take risks."

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"Take advantage of any opportunity to talk to people working in fields which might interest you."

The Workchoice Trust was established in 1994 in New Zealand. In 1995, it launched Workchoice Day, a programme designed to give Year 12 students career exposure and help them make informed decisions about where they are headed with their career.