ADD ADVICE TO FAVThe value of a gap year
A properly planned gap year can be an invaluable asset on your CV. But a poorly planned year out can harm more than your bank balance.
Most employers are looking for evidence of well-spent time out and they may be unwilling to take a chance on you if they can’t see that you have used your gap year wisely.
Like anything in life, proper research and planning now can save you from awkward questions and regrets later. There’s a lot you can gain, whatever you do on your gap year:
Gap year travel abroad
Easily the most famous of gap-year activities, travelling is a great way to see the world before you are tied down by a job. It can be great fun too. The advantages are that travel can broaden your horizons and give you experience of different cultures (especially useful if you are planning on having an international career). It also shows self-sufficiency and initiative.
However, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that simply having the gusto to drop everything and travel will impress potential employers. It has now become so commonplace that taking what is essentially an extended holiday may not be seen as enough of challenge and/or an asset anymore.
Some employers are also wary that gap-year travellers will get the urge to wander again if they are employed full time.
Working abroad during your gap year
A way to prevent any negative employer feedback is to do something worthwhile abroad. Working in another country shows adaptability, initiative, and provides you with the invaluable experience of interacting fully in another culture.
As well as boosting skills on your CV, this can of course be very useful if you are intending to work abroad in the future. Whether it is teaching English or work placements in another country, and most particularly if the work is related to your desired career, this can prove a real asset to your applications.
Gap-year work placements
Work placements abroad can equip you with many useful skills – if you don’t have much work experience, a gap year can be a great way to address that. Also, if you are undecided about your career direction, you can try several careers before you settle on one, and you can build up a wide variety of new skills and contacts.
Do, however, be aware that it may look like you are unfocused to employers, and that undertaking several work placements may be expensive unless you are paid for your work.
Studying abroad during your gap year
You don’t have to run off to another country to have a worthwhile gap year – taking a year off to boost your qualifications can be a good way to address weak points in your CV.
If you are lacking certain career skills, short courses or vocational programmes can help you when you come to apply for graduate jobs. You must be prepared though – courses rarely come free, so you may have to invest some cash in your future.
Volunteering during your gap year
This is a good way to give something back to society in the UK or overseas, showing your ability to muck in, improvise and work hard. However, this type of work is often not really relevant to most graduate jobs – you have to emphasise the transferable skills you will pick up.
Find out more about volunteering abroad and volunteering in the UK.
Basically, a gap year is a chance to gain some experience of life. All options have good points and bad points – the key is being able to justify your decisions to your future employers. As long as you can do that, a gap year can be a great benefit to your graduate career.
