Graduation is coming up, as is summer, and you’re probably thinking about that next step. Maybe it’s entering the “real world” and working behind a desk, or maybe you want to delay life a bit and see the world (highly recommended).
Or quite possibly you graduated a couple years ago and are unsatisfied with a steady check, bills, bosses and the routine of professional life. Few would blame you. And now you’re reading countless blog posts advocating for just ditching everything and going; somewhere, anywhere just so long as it’s not a cubicle.
Personally I can’t look you in the eye and say don’t do it, as I did it myself. Although it’s not for everyone, and one has to think of how they want to turn out after they’ve sufficiently explored and “found” themselves.
Are you just going to aimlessly wander and then try to get your career back on track after? In the long run what do you want? House, kids, family? Those things cost money that the salary of an English teacher in Spain just doesn’t cover.
If you plan on galavanting and don’t care about the outcome, good for you. This is for those who intend to follow their career track and get that corner office, they’re just not ready to get started quite yet.
How are you going to sell your experience?
In a past life, I worked as a recruiter and there I learned that employment gaps are a huge black eye to your resume. Everyone sees it, and wants to know what the hell happened.
Use your time away to pursue your passion, maybe it’s not what’s paying your bills but at least it gives you relevant experience. Maybe you want to try your hand at entrepreneurship, or photography, or you want to write. Whatever it is, by pursuing it you will show future employers you are committed to the industry. And your commitment will come into question when interviewing, after all you just did up and leave to get away from everything.
Work on yourself
We are all flawed. One of our flaws might actually be that we don’t think we are flawed, which is a pretty tough obstacle. Using your time escaping to just party isn’t the most constructive, life is a journey and while it should include a healthy amount of partying, we are meant to evolve.
Therefore when/if you come back to professional life think about how you’ve changed, how has your experience made you better? Maybe you speak another language now, maybe you’ve realized that you want to help people. It is cliché, but you did go on this adventure to find yourself, so find yourself!
Go on that adventure, I highly advocate doing what you want while you’re young, because people that have regrets are so sad. They really are a downer when you talk to them.
But just remember that life is long, and 35-year-olds that are still crashing in youth hostels are just as equally sad.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports