Boost Your Employment Potential With Travel

Looking to boost your CV and employability, but not sure whether you want to go to university or college to advance your education?

Travelling has been proven to provide an abundance of life skills, and is perfect for those who aren’t quite sure about what they want to do career-wise. Not only that, but as you travel you’ll encounter a host of different cultures, celebrations and ways of life, and if you’re prepared to adopt different traveling styles along your journey, you’re sure to meet new friends along the way too!

Volunteering

By volunteering, you’re sure to gain some fantastic new skills on the road whilst making a difference to those in need. Get stuck in, and by making a difference to underprivileged communities all over the world, you’ll be learning from the people’s lives you’ll be benefiting too. Often, whilst volunteering, you’ll live within a ‘home stay’ which provides the perfect opportunity to get to know a local family and sample their way of life. We can’t say we’d complain too much about trying out the local food either!

The best thing about volunteering is there is loads of choice placement wise too, from wildlife conservation to community work and teaching, and by building up on your volunteering experience, such as within the teaching field, it’ll provide you with the ideal skills for getting stuck in in the workplace too. Remember there’s lots of variety too… when you book to volunteer through gap year or volunteering companies, you could find placements which will see you work with pandas in the heart of rural china, on a Big 5 game reserve in South Africa or teaching in underdeveloped Malawi.

TEFL- Teach abroad, and have loads of fun
If you’re looking to take your teaching experience up a gear then head to China and teach abroad and gain the TEFL qualification. By going out to China a month early with your TEFL course, and getting hands on teaching experience in country before you start your proper placement, the TEFL qualification offers an impressive boost for any CV, as well as being a stand out component at any job interview. Who else can say they’ve spent six months teaching Chinese children in Xi’an, or in the buzzing Shanghai? It’ll show your easily adaptable and willing to learn.

If you then did decide to go to uni, having teaching experience under your belt before you start is a fantastic introduction to your course.

Internships
It’s a well-known fact that dedicating your time to intern within a professional environment will be beneficial for your CV, but adding the added element of moving abroad will only impress employers even more. Moreover, there are opportunities all over the world within a professional arena- such as marketing, which could see you move to South America, or China- which has one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

Not only that, but becoming acclimatized to a different culture and a different working environment will make your CV stand out and look incredibly attractive to employers- which is perfect if you’re looking for that extra boost.

Living Abroad
Want to get stuck into life on the other side of the planet? Go for it! By upping sticks and moving to another country, you’ll prove your willing, adventurous and not afraid to take on a challenge. Partner this with worthwhile activity- such as volunteering or work experience, and you’ll be able to provide more than other candidates and have something incredible to talk about at the interview stage.

You could fund your time away by applying for a working holiday visa- which can be done in a variety of countries around the world. Each year, a limited number of candidates can apply to work in Canada, and you can stay abroad for up to two years.

Australia is the most popular option among young British and European travelers, and with only one working holiday visa in Aus up for grabs in your lifetime (before your 30), this is an opportunity not to be missed. Work in Aus is limited to ‘casual work’ (ie- hospitality, retail, temping for up to three months at a time, labouring etc) but by introducing that added element of working abroad, you’ll be showing initiative and willing.

Do a mixture!
Can’t decide what suits you the best? By trying alternative types of travel- such as within a group with a tour guide, with friends and then solo. Not only will you have an amazing time when you’re away, but you’ll find that you’ve had the chance to grow as a person and get ready for the working environment too!