To help you as you start to plan for your career break, we’ve put together a short guide, highlighting some of the things you may want to think about and research whilst at One Life Live 2008.
According to a recent Mintel report, you’re not alone in wanting to take a career break – there are currently 1.5 million people taking time out from work each year – with over 300,000 using that time to travel or volunteer overseas. In fact, there are now more people taking ‘grown-up gap years’, in other words taking time out from full time employment to undertake an overseas adventure, than there are students taking the more traditional gap year between school and university. So if you’re deciding on whether a career break is right for you, know that you’re not alone and you’re extremely likely to meet many like minded people during your visit to One Life Live.
Why should you take a career break?
We asked the team at One Life Live for their top ten reasons and this is what they came up with:
- Because you’ve only got One Life so it’s time to start living it! A cliché perhaps, but its true
- A career break is the perfect time to take stock of life and decide if you’re on the right path
- Put something back – this could be your chance to change the world - you’ll be amazed at what you can do and how you can use your skills to help other people
- Realise a dream - be it trekking along the Inca Trail, diving the Great Barrier Reef or wine tasting in California, do something you’ve always dreamed of
- Unwind – modern life is busy, busy, busy – we could all do with a bit of time out to chill out and live in the moment
- The perfect time to change direction, it could be just the break you need to help you on a new career path
- A chance to see how other cultures live, get a bit of perspective and escape the pressure of the western rat race for a bit
- Sort things out – Some issues are easier to solve from a different angle, use a career break to give you that angle. Time is a healer, but time out is the best healer
- You’ll see some amazing things!
- The perfect reason to come to One Life Live 2008!!
Here are a few picture’s from Helen Marriott, One Life Live’s Marketing Director, recent ‘mini’ career break in Cameroon. She went to build a school with volunteering organisation Aidcamps International and had a fantastic time!
  
Turning ideas into action
When school leavers are planning a gap year, they may have little more to think about than buying a flight and getting their Lonely Planet packed. Things become slightly more complicated you’re taking a career break. So, first things first, you’ll need a plan of action. Below are a few tips about each of the areas you’ll need to consider:
Your Job – how to convince your employer that a career break is a good idea!
You may decide that you want to take a career break without having to give up your current job – taking a sabbatical so that you know you have the security of your job to come back to on your return.
For some people this represents the largest hurdle; the fear that they may lose their job or come back to a lesser position, because of their decision to break, often plays on the mind of those desiring time-out. However, provided that you can place your break in the right light to your employers, then there’s more than a good chance that your future prospects will not be hindered by your desire for time and space away.
You’ll be pleased to hear that the benefits of career breaks are becoming increasingly well known among employers – those who take a break tend to come back more motivated and with a whole new skill set. Many larger companies now offer opportunities for career breaks as part of their standard benefit package. So don’t be afraid to ask your employer for the time off. You may be pleasantly surprised by how willing they are to accommodate your request.
When negotiating with your boss about a career break, make sure:
- You have a clear plan worked out
- That you maintain a good relationship throughout
- That you’re persuasive, but not pushy
- Take on board the needs of the company, show that rather than losing an employee for 3 or 6 months, that they’ll gain actually gain a better one in the long run, because you’ll have; increased independence; improved flexibility;developed your language skills; less chance for stagnation; improved your personal clarit; increased out-of-office experience
- Lastly, just stay chilled during the negotiations and flexible, and make sure that you get the terms of your break in writing, before catching your flight.
For advice about how to go about telling your employer visit the Wanderlust Travel and Career Break Theatre at One Life Live 2008.
Finances – can you afford to take the break you want?
When thinking about how to finance your career break, it’s important to ask yourself the following questions, as the answer to these questions will correlate to the funding you’ll need.
Where – Because different things cost different amounts in different regions, it’s important to budget for the area that you are travelling to.
How – the way in which you’re going to travel makes a big difference. Are you ready for the challenge of backpacking and staying in hostels or do you require a little bit more luxury? If you know that you’re not going to be happy going back to basics then make sure you factor in for the cost for the standard of accommodation you are going to need.
When – It’s a good idea to think about when you’re travelling, as different times of the year will often mean different prices due to high tourist periods and the possibility of high demand caused by national or religious holidays.
What – Depending on what you’ll do while your on a break will also affect for financial situation, so its important to think about the large costs that may have to be paid for while you’re away a side from your day to day living expenses, such as learning to scuba dive.
Duration – There’s obviously going to be a positive correlation between the length of your break and the amount you’ll need to finance it, so factor in the above three points when considering your finances with this one.
Once you have a rough idea of the amount you’ll need for your break, you can then work out if you need to save for a few months, sell something (house, car, cd’s) work extra shifts or fundraise. It’s a good idea to give yourself a clear target to aim for so that you can see yourself getting close to it and your break. We would also advise that you add another couple of hundred pounds to your budget for unexpected costs.
What to do about your house?
If you’ve decided on your break, your boss has given it the thumbs up and you’re ‘in the black’ then you have only one more hurdle to leap! The length of your career break will impact on what you do with your residence. If you’re in rented accommodation then it’s relatively easy to give notice, put your belongings into storage and away you go! However, if you own a property then there are several options open to you:
Sell it – a bit dramatic maybe, but if you really want to break ties with your old life it could be just what you need – a chance to live a nomadic lifestyle, where you have no worries about ‘home’, because you don’t have one! It should also provide you with a valuable source of capital to fund your break.
Let it – Find great tenants and your problems while your away are sorted, you’ll have a steady flow of cash and the knowledge that your property is safe. However, if you intend to let it you need to get your home up to scratch and also check that letting is allowed with your mortgage lenders. As you’ll be away, opting for an agent to look after your property for you means you won’t have to worry about collecting rents or dealing with maintenance issues.
Sit it - There are many companies now that offer house sitting services. This basically equates to reliable and mature people moving into your property for the desired period of time and tending to the up keep of your; house, garden and pets. You could even ask a relative for a cheaper option, however, check these websites out if you want to find out more:
www.safehandssitter.co.uk
www.homesitter.co.uk
www.housesittersltd.co.uk
Swap it - If you fancy living and working in a specific location abroad, or even in the UK, swapping your house, represents a great option to pursue. Check out www.geenee.com for more info.
Leave it – You can always leave your property uninhabited while you’re away, if you do make sure it’s safe from both nature and man, by getting a friend to check on it every so often.
Where to go and what to do!
Now all you need to decide is where to go and what to do – and that’s the fun part!!
A visit to One Life Live should help you explore your options, but narrowing down the sort of trip you want to take before you get there may help ensure you have a productive visit.
What to do?
Travel
Arguably the most common thing career breaker’s do is to travel, as it gives them a great chance to see more of the world, experience new culture’s and visit magical locations. You could buy a round the world ticket to contrast Central Park in New York to the Savannah in Kenya, and then contemplate it all on a beach in Fiji or you may decide you want to gain a thorough experience in just one culture. The world is your oyster!
Volunteer
It’s a great ways to put something back. Of course money makes a difference, but by devoting your time and skills to people and projects you can make a priceless difference. If you opt to volunteer you’ll gain a real incite into that community, it enables you to get off the well trodden tourist route, by seeing and taking part in a community rather just observing it. Many companies now offer a range of different volunteer projects, to suit a variety of wants, but make sure you feel happy that they’ll be just as beneficial to the community as they are to you. Check out the exhibitors within the Travel and Career Break zone for some great options, from building or teaching projects to conservation or medical opportunities.
Learn
Spending sometime away in a different culture is an excellent way to discover; new attitudes to life, how to cope with new scenario’s and also improve those language skills be they French or Quechua!
Create
Indulge your creative side – something which may have been suppressed by your previous lifestyle. Try your hand at writing, drawing, painting or photography, all great ways to capture your experiences whilst helping you to get those creative juices flowing.
Where to go?
The short answer to this question is anywhere! When you take a career break the choice is yours, you’ll have the opportunity to decide if you want to; kip under a palm tree in the South Pacific, stay in a 5* hotel looking onto Sydney Harbour, or emerge from a tent in Rockies. There are 7 continents, with a variety of different vehicles to get you between them, all manner of accommodation to house you, with an endless range of things for you do when you get there, it’s up to you!
Keeping in touch whilst you're away
New online networking site - Keeping You Posted, allows you to keep in touch with friends and family whilst you're away, has a facility for an online journal and even allows you to share images whilst on your travels.
visit www.keepingyouposted.org for more information.
Just remember, you’ve only got One Life – so make sure you get out there and live it!! |
