travel career break

• EN - English
• PT - Portuguese
• ES - Spanish
• How it works
• Become a Host
• Download the app

Top Destinations

• United States
• United Kingdom

What type of experience are you looking for?

• Non-Profit School
• Permaculture project
• Eco Village
• Holistic Center
• Guest House
• How Worldpackers works

Learn from the most experienced travelers of the community

Traveling with worldpackers, planning and budgeting for travel, make a living while traveling as a lifestyle, travel with worldpackers.

• Using Worldpackers
• Work exchange
• Social impact
• Plan your trip
• Women traveling
• Budget travel
• Solo travel
• Language learning
• Travel tips
• Get inspired
• Digital nomads
• Travel jobs
• Personal development
• Responsible travel
• Connect with nature

Top destinations

• South America
• Central America
• North America
• More destinations
• WP Life WP Life
• Exclusive discounts Discounts

Why taking a career break to travel can improve your career

Have you been thinking about taking a break from your career to travel? Here’s why you should stop thinking about doing it and actually do it.

Kate Maskedtravelsx

Jan 12, 2024

People often experience the feeling that there’s a demand to rush through life. You need to find a good job, get a promotion, buy a house and become financially stable.

Whilst these are all important things in life, there’s no time frame that you need to achieve them within. Everyone’s path in life goes in different directions, and at various speeds.

For some, the idea of taking a career break and delaying their advancement in a company is a terrible idea.

But what if I said that taking a career break can actually help your career, no matter what job it is.

What is a career break?

You may have heard the word sabbatical being used, and it means exactly the same thing as a career break.

As the name suggests, a career break is a period of time when you choose not to work. Instead you may use the time to pursue other interests such as travelling, studying, volunteering etc. Whatever your heart desires.

A career break can be as long or as short as you want. There’s no set amount of time. For example, I took a 2-year career break, which is slightly longer than the average 6-month career break.

The great part about a career break is that you are guaranteed a job when you return home. There’s no need to spend the last few weeks of your travels worrying about finding a job or sending out job applications.

Why did I take a career break?

At the time of writing, I’m currently 20 months into my 24 month long career break. Without a doubt, it is one of the best decisions that I have ever made.

A little background to my story - I went straight from school, at the age of 18, into an apprenticeship as a Management Consultant. I joined one of the largest accountancy firms in the world and was pretty much thrown in the deep end.

I’d dabbled with travelling prior to starting work. A month travelling around Indonesia sparked the travel addiction that realistically I don’t think I’ll ever be able to appease! I continued to travel whilst working, but 2 weeks here, and 1 week there just wasn’t enough to satisfy the travel craving.

After 2.5 years at the company, I decided to take a career break and fully enjoy life. I was extremely lucky that my company has a great career break policy, allowing me to take up to 3 years off throughout my career with them. I thought that 2 years should give me enough time.

5 reasons why you should take a career break:

1. because you want to.

If it’s something that you really want to do, then you don’t need to have a long list of reasons for why you should do it. Sometimes your intuition and a gut feeling is enough to guide you.

Taking a career break to travel can create memories that you’ll forever look back on with a smile. It can be the best investment of both your time and money, and it’s probably not going to be a decision that you regret.

Life is about enjoying yourself, and if travelling is how you would like to spend your time, then don’t let inconveniences and ‘what ifs’ stop you from doing what you love.

Now is the time to get out your bucket list and start doing those once-in-a-lifetime experiences .

2. Gain new skills

Taking a career break to travel can result in having a number of new skills and experiences in your pocket. A lot of them you won’t even realise that you’ve acquired until you reflect on it.

Communication

Travelling requires you to improve your communication skills massively. If you’re solo travelling , then you have to become good at striking up conversations, talking with different people from around the world and connecting quickly with people.

Being in countries where you don’t speak the language forces you to rely more on body language - both reading the other person's, and using your own to express what you want to say.

A soft skill that’s extremely important to possess is confidence. A confident person is more likely to have better relationships, earn respect and make better decisions. Studies have even shown that you may live longer .

Most jobs require you to be confident. Whether it is making a presentation in front of your colleagues, speaking to customers or guiding individuals in a position of leadership.

Travelling offers you new experiences to grow your confidence that your job may not have provided. Tackling the challenges that travelling throws at you certainly helps to give you a bit of self belief and confidence.

As cliche as it sounds, travelling does help you to find yourself. Through unusual situations that you wouldn’t normally get at home, you learn a lot about yourself. The self development and growth from travelling can be huge!

3. Try new things and experiences

The world is full of opportunities. We’re incredibly lucky that every single country is different, with vibrant cultures, traditions and experiences that are unique to each place.

There are lots of ways to utilise these opportunities and try new things - sign up to classes on your travels, go on tours and volunteer.

Volunteering is an amazing way to try something new . Worldpackers has opportunities in more than 140 countries, offering everything from permaculture , construction , hospitality to teaching and animal care .

You could spend a few weeks teaching yoga , doing social media for an organisation or lending a helping hand in a kitchen . All of these things can be a great thing to add to your CV or talk about in a job interview.

My volunteering experience

I have taught English in both Colombia and Peru . Previous to these experiences, I’d never taught English before.

Across the 5 weeks, I was able to improve my communication skills, confidence and my ability to articulate ideas. Plus my Spanish improved significantly and I had a lot of fun!

I made life-long friends and got to immerse myself in local life, something that’s harder to do when travelling around all the time.

I also used the opportunity to decide whether teaching was something that I’d be interested in for the future. Turns out it’s not, but it stopped me from going to university for 3 years and then figuring that out.

4. Learn a new language

Whilst learning the language of the country that you’re travelling in allows you to have a more immersive experience, it can also be beneficial when you go home.

Speaking more than one language can be a massive distinguishing factor between you and another candidate during a job interview.

The fact that you’ve put in the time and effort to learn another language shows employers that you’re dedicated and willing to learn new things. Research also shows that it can improve your problem solving skills, memory function and creative thinking.

A lot of volunteer opportunities offer a language exchange in return for your skills and time. I received free Spanish lessons everyday whilst I was teaching English in Colombia .

The opportunity to take your career abroad

Not only that, speaking another language opens the door to working in a number of different countries. Something you might not have been able to do before taking a career break.

If you already speak English and learn Spanish, then you’ll be able to speak to 80% of the world’s population and potentially work in 21 Spanish-speaking countries.

5. Networking

If you want to apply a business lens to travelling, then you can. Roaming around the world can be a great way to network. Backpacker’s aren’t only people on their gap year after school or university. They’re lawyers, doctors, teachers, consultants and much more.

You’d be surprised at how many other people are on career breaks too, or working whilst they travel.

For those questioning where you want your career to go, speaking to people that you meet whilst travelling can help you to learn about jobs that you didn’t even know existed.

You also never know when a conversation could lead to a potential job opportunity.

Volunteering can also introduce you to your dream job .

How to take a career break?

If nobody else around you is taking a career break, then it might be unclear about how you can take one. A lot of companies don’t often advertise career breaks, as it increases the chance of them losing their employees.

Asking to take a career break might be the final hurdle that’s holding you back from living your dream, so here are some steps that you can take in order to secure your career break:

Check your company’s policy

Policies for career breaks are often outlined in employees handbooks or staff guidelines. If you’re unable to find the information, then speak to a contact in HR. They should know the answer, and you can find out what you need to know without having to inform your manager that you’re thinking of taking a career break.

Most companies will have a policy. For example, my company's policy is that as long as you’ve worked with them for longer than 2 years, you can take up to 3 years off within your career with them.

Prepare a case

Some companies may agree to your career break straight away as it’s part of their policy. Others may require you to put a case forward as to why the career break is both beneficial to you and them.

Here you can state reasons such as improving your communication skills, having time to study and gain new experiences etc.

If your company doesn’t have a career break policy, then speak to HR and your manager about making an exception for you. Your case will need to convince them that this is the best decision for both parties and that it’s something you need to do.

In the unfortunate event that your company says no, you can discuss the idea of working remotely. COVID has shown that most jobs can be done completely online. Maybe think about working and travelling ?

A career break is the best decision I’ve made

Taking a career break to travel can be done at any time in your life. Whilst your career is important, so is making the most of life and enjoying it!

A career break is the perfect opportunity to take some time out, but know that your job is there waiting for when you return.

You have nothing to lose, but so much to gain!

If you like these tips, follow Worldpackers social media to keep up with the news: we are on Instagram , Tiktok and YouTube !

Join the community!

Create a free Worldpackers account to discover volunteer experiences perfect for you and get access to exclusive travel discounts!

Kate Woodley

Maskedtravelsx

Kate is a Management Consultant (and now writer) who decided to take a 2 year career break and travel the world. She shares her travels around the world and shows people the fun of solo travelling!

Be part of the Worldpackers Community

Already have an account, are you a host, leave your comment here.

Write here your questions and greetings to the author

Dec 12, 2023

Amazing read🤍

More about this topic

Thailand and beyond: how one Worldpacking couple travels long-term

10 advantages of long term travel

TravelB4Settle

What to pack for long term travel.

How do Worldpackers trips work?

As a member, you can contact as many hosts and travel safely as many times as you want.

Choose your plan to travel with Worldpackers as many times as you like.

Complete your profile, watch the video lessons in the Academy, and earn certificates to stand out to hosts.

Apply to as many positions as you like, and get in contact with our verified hosts.

If a host thinks you’re a good fit for their position, they’ll pre-approve you.

Get your documents and tickets ready for your volunteer trip.

Confirm your trip to enjoy all of the safety of Worldpackers.

Have a transformative experience and make a positive impact on the world.

If anything doesn’t go as planned with a host, count on the WP Safeguard and our highly responsive support team!

After volunteering, you and your host exchange reviews.

With positive reviews, you’ll stand out to hosts and get even more benefits.

Career Break Travel: Breaking Free of the 9 to 5 Grind

by Jennifer Lachs - Last updated on June 22, 2018

Taking a break from work without consequences. If you’ve been feeling stuck in a rut at work lately, like you’re living the same day, week, and month, over and over again, it might be time to mix things up with a career break. Long gone are the days when gap years were reserved for students only! Taking a break from work is now more popular and acceptable than ever before. You’re never too old, or too far into your career to take a career break and interrupt the boring routine.

Take a chance with these career break ideas.

Contrary to what you might fear, a career break doesn’t have to put your career on hold. Instead, see it as a way to add extra skills, gain a new perspective, and spice up your life if it’s gone a little stale lately. Maybe you’re totally burnt out and ready to change your career completely, or maybe you still love your job but are feeling a little unfulfilled. There are many reasons to take a career break.

Taking a career break or adult gap year is nothing to fear and there are many programs and organizations out there that can help you have the time of your life. There are no limits to what you can do on your career break: volunteer with animals, teach your skills to others, learn a new language, or start a business—the choice is yours.

A well-deserved break from your career will benefit your health, spirit and even your employer. Take a step back from the noise and busyness of the modern working world and jump into your career break adventure, no matter how high up the career ladder you’ve climbed.

In this article, we’ll show you how to break free of the 9-to-5 grind with some incredible career break ideas.

[Download our FREE eBook for even more tips & tales from first time workers abroad]

Career break travel faqs, 1. when can i take a career break.

In your 30s or 40s, you’ll most like have already gotten into a groove in your career and might feel less comfortable taking a career break or that it’s never the right time. If you’re worried you missed the gap year train back when you were fresh out of college, then don’t worry, you can take a break at any time in your career. The biggest mistake people make when it comes to career breaks is not taking one at all and missing out on the experience of a lifetime.

For a long time, gap years were reserved for youngsters, fresh out of high school or university. But with the job market and education landscape changing dramatically, it’s not the case anymore. Employers value life experience, language, and problem-solving skills, all of which you can learn on a career break abroad.

If you’re taking a career break at 30, you could still be eligible for a working holiday visa in Australia, Canada, or other countries. Working holidays can be a great way to help finance your gap year and explore a new country at the same time.

Taking a break from work can actually be an ultra-productive path if you do it right.

Taking a career break at 40 is just as feasible as during your 20s. You might just have to take a little extra time to prepare. It might even be easier to take a career break, because your employer already values and trusts you and might even hold your job for you if you just need a temporary change. Of course, those in their 40s will have more responsibilities, but none of these should stop you from taking a career break. Houses can be rented out, cars and belongings can be sold, and pets can be looked after by friends and family when taking a break from work. Don’t let these ‘obstacles’ hold you back. 

2. What are the benefits of a career break?

Here are some of the biggest benefits of taking a career break at 30 or later:

• Travel!! Of course, you could decide to take a career break and stay at home, but where’s the fun in that? Career breaks are the perfect opportunity to fit a bit of adventure and travel into your life and shake up the routine. You can choose to travel to one country and really immerse yourself, or to travel around a few countries for a few different projects—it’s totally up to you.
• Give back! One of the major benefits of taking a gap year a few years into your career instead of right out of college, is that you’ll have a lot of skills and experience to offer. It gives you the chance to give back. Taking a career break at 40 means you can use your years of work experience to help people and organizations in a meaningful way, giving back to communities and using your leadership skills to create change and make a difference.
• Learn new skills. Just because you’re taking a break from work, doesn’t mean you won’t be adding skills to your resume. Travel is one of the most transformative experiences in life and you will learn so much about yourself and other cultures and communities, as well as gaining new hands-on skills that will make your resume stand out from the crowd. New languages, volunteering, or teaching experience are all highly valued skills in the job market.
• Gain fresh perspectives. Working life with all its responsibilities can be stressful, and burnout is a reality for people throughout the career ladder. So, use this as a chance to get a fresh perspective! Nothing will refresh you and give you a new perspective on your life and career like taking a career break abroad. Immersing yourself in new cultures, meeting new people and crossing a few major items off your bucket list will re-energize you in no time and bring the excitement back into your career again.

3. What are popular career break ideas?

When it comes to picking your career sabbatical, you’re spoilt for choice with all the options available. Most adult gappers have the drive to explore, learn and give back to others in common. Whether it’s teaching English in Korea, joining an archaeological dig in Italy , or preserving rainforests in Costa Rica , the possibilities are endless and the right program for you is out there . Taking a break from work has never been easier (or full of more fun possibilities!).

Live your career break at 30 dreams, maybe even in an actual fairy castle?

Volunteering

Volunteering has long been a popular career break option, and for good reason. Giving back to others can add a lot of meaning to your career break and the skills you learn will look great on your resume. Stepping out of your comfort zone will make you grow as a person and professional. Volunteering can also make taking a sabbatical from your life much more affordable, as many programs offer you room and board in exchange for your help. 

• Check out these popular volunteering opportunities . 
• How to find paid volunteer work abroad

Learning languages

Fancy a bit of ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ during your career break? Why not step into Elizabeth Gilbert’s footsteps and spend part of your gap year learning a new language amongst locals? If you’ve always dreamt of learning Italian in Rome, or Spanish in Argentina, now’s the time!

Learning a new language is fun, challenging, and definitely takes you out of your comfort zone. And while you might not get completely fluent during your career break, adding some new language skills to your CV will impress future employers and can even open up whole new opportunities. Spanish is among the most popular languages to learn during a career break as you can use it in so many different countries. Other popular languages are Mandarin, Japanese, and Arabic, but the choice is yours and you can learn a new language in every country in the world.

• Check out some popular Spanish learning experiences. 
• How to choose the right language school abroad

Short-term jobs abroad

If your budget is limited and you can’t take a whole year off to travel, learn or volunteer, don’t despair. There are a ton of short-term jobs abroad that you can use to supplement your travel fund. A popular option is teaching English abroad, and there are lots of programs out there for older gappers. Make sure you talk with your teaching program before you book to find out about age restrictions in different countries.

• Find some well-paid popular jobs abroad here
• Temporary jobs abroad you’ll love

4. What are potential career break pitfalls?

Before blindly taking a break from work, there are of course many things to consider. Adult gap yearers tend to have more responsibilities than their college or high school counterparts. Do you have a family, children, a house, or a mortgage? Don’t worry, there are programs out there that cater to any type of career break, and many people have successfully taken their kids and partners along on their sabbatical break too.

Here are some of the most common worries amongst adult gappers and how to avoid or overcome them: 

Financing your life sabbatical

The number one thing that prevents adults from taking a career break is the worry of how to fund it. Understandably, financing your career break will be of concern, but money should not hold you back from living your dreams. As we explored above, there are many different takes on career breaks, and working abroad is a great option among them. Leaving your stale 9-to-5 behind to move across the world and take a different job does not mean you’re not doing it right. In fact, many people get restless after a few months of ‘just travel’ and crave finding meaning in work, which could be on a volunteer or paid basis.

It’s not too late to have the backpacking adventure of a lifetime.

No matter whether you’re planning to work during your career break or not, you should definitely make a budget plan to avoid having to return after a few months because you’ve blown your budget (it happens!). Depending on how you design it and which program you pick, career breaks for adults can be costly, so it’s important to write down exactly how much you’ll need every month and add a buffer for emergencies and special occasions.

The key to financing your gap year is to plan ahead and start saving as early as possible while you’re still in your 9-to-5 job. Write down what you spend your money on every day, week and month and then find clever ways to cut down your costs. Do you really need Netflix, Hulu, and cable? You’ll probably want to downsize before taking your career break, so start sorting out the stuff that you don’t need anymore, then sell it and add the proceeds to your travel fund.

Not every career break has to cost the world, but start saving early, look for a job abroad if necessary, and choose a country where the economics fit your budget.

Impact on your career

First off, a career break absolutely doesn’t have to hurt your career and, if done properly, can actually be amazing for it. Before you quit your 9-5 and jet off into the sunset you should really get clear on why you want to take a break, what kind of experiences you’re after and what you want to learn and add to your skillset.

Travel teaches you a whole host of soft and hard skills, and you’ll certainly strengthen your resilience and problem-solving skills. Talk to your employer about whether they offer a sabbatical program that would allow you to take a year of unpaid leave and guarantee that you could return to your job after the break.

To make sure you keep in the loop during career break travel, you can subscribe to magazines or journals in your field and stay connected with your network via LinkedIn while you’re abroad. You could even attend networking events in your new destination during your career break to grow your professional network in your field.

Lack of planning and direction

One of the big dangers when taking a career break is to not plan it properly, get lazy and then not make the most of it. While it’s tempting to take the chilled approach, if you’re after a life-changing experience and an adventure that will add some pizazz back to your life, you can’t just wing it. Taking a year off to catch up on sleep, binge watch The Simpsons reruns, and hang out with your mates is neither going to re-energize you nor impress any employer. A certain amount of spontaneity is great, but you should always have a plan in place to help you avoid wasting your year on meaningless activities and chores.

Instead of a career travel break, why not take your work with you? Try out the digital nomad life!

You can avoid wasting precious time on your career break by making a list of all the experiences you’d like to have, skills you’d like to learn or different ways you’d like to push yourself. Have you always wanted to hike the Inca Trail in Peru? Why not combine that with a language course in Lima and volunteering in a rural school? If you’ve become a bit too comfortable in your 9-to-5 routine, write down five ways that you want to really step out of your comfort zone, like moving to a country where you don’t speak the language or working with people who are completely different to you. 

[ Prepare Early: Download This Planning Timeline We Made Just for You ]

Most-loved locations for career break travel.

When pretty much the whole world is your oyster, deciding where to travel on your career break can be quite a big task, and you might find yourself wanting to go everywhere! Most people pick a destination that they’ve had on their bucket list for a while, but you should also take into account the type of career break you’re looking for, as well as visa requirements and budget, because some career break travel destinations are much more affordable than others.

Thankfully, you can find programs that will help you get set up in almost every country in the world, so get your globe out and pick your dream location.

Here are some of the most-loved destinations for 30-something travel: 

1. Thailand  

The land of smiles is high on many travelers’ bucket lists and is also one of the most popular career break destinations. There are countless opportunities in Thailand, from conservation work to teaching English. Expect warm and friendly locals, and a rich and fascinating culture alongside turquoise seas and delicious food. Thailand really does have it all, along with an incredibly affordable price tag. 

Recommended program

• Greenheart Travel is on a mission to make the world a better place by placing dedicated people with a spark of wanderlust in meaningful projects around the world. From language immersion to volunteering, teaching English to environmental awareness campaigns, Greenheart has projects in over 30 countries.

As far as career break destinations go, Peru really has it all. A rich and fascinating history, breathtaking landscapes, welcoming culture and even llamas. And, of course, a trip to Machu Picchu shouldn’t be missed on any career break in Peru. 

• Love Volunteers connects passionate volunteers with communities around the world. They provide some of the most affordable volunteering opportunities available by working closely with local organizations and making sure the money goes where it should. From Albania to Argentina and Palestine to Peru, Love Volunteers has the right program for you. 

Ah, Bella Italia for a career sabbatical! Who hasn’t dreamt of spending a summer in Tuscany eating pizza and pasta while learning Italian or volunteering at a vineyard? Everything’s possible on a career break in Italy and it’s also a great jumping off point for exploring the rest of Europe while you’re there.

• Geovisions offers excellent au pair programs in Italy—if you love kids or want to become part of a family, this job’s for you. Their programs are open to American, Australian, Canadian, Kiwi, Irish and British participants, and salaries and stipends vary.

[ Browse ALL Jobs Abroad for Career Breakers ]

Your career sabbatical is just around the corner.

Get ready to meet a new version of yourself—one that embraces adventure and defines success on their own terms.

Use your career break travel to re-evaluate what’s most important to you in your personal and professional life, then refocus and get excited about new opportunities. You deserve to take a break and make the best out of your life. So, take the time to explore this beautiful world, destress from your regular work, and get a new lease of life.

Hopefully, your wanderlust has been stoked and you’re ready to take a break from the same old daily routine of your 9-to-5 job with a career break adventure of a lifetime!

Get Matched with 5 Work & Travel Programs for Free →

Want to Get Matched with Programs?

Use MyGoAbroad to Save & Compare Programs!

Want to teach English online or abroad with the #1 TEFL School?

Related Articles

15 cheapest places for digital nomads, 5 advantages (and 5 disadvantages) of working abroad, how to live and work as a digital nomad, how to move to italy and get a job, what to know about living in china as an american, 10 best countries to work in the world in 2024, popular searches, recommended programs.

2565 reviews

International TEFL Academy

1107 reviews

Premier TEFL

INTERNeX Pacific

166 reviews

London College of Teachers and Trainers

For Travelers

Travel resources, for partners.

© Copyright 1998 - 2024 GoAbroad.com ®

• Study Abroad
• Volunteer Abroad
• Intern Abroad
• Teach Abroad
• TEFL Courses
• Degrees Abroad
• High School Abroad
• Language Schools
• Adventure Travel
• Jobs Abroad
• Online Study Abroad
• Online Volunteer Programs
• Online Internships
• Online Language Courses
• Online Teaching Jobs
• Online Jobs
• Online TEFL Courses
• Online Degree Programs

• Active Adventures
• Beach Escapes
• Bucket-List
• Escape The Crowds
• For First-Timers
• Group Bookings
• Wildlife Trips
• Winter Getaways
• Safari Adventures
• Ambassador Adventures

Trip duration

New and trending

• Our Newest Adventures
• Bestselling Adventures
• Iconic Flash Pack Experiences
• Coming Soon
• Meet Your Travel Experts
• Meet your Pack Leaders
• Don’t be a tourist. Be a Flashpacker.
• The Flash Pack Foundation

How it works

• Payments, deposits & instalments
• Travel Extras
• About Solo Travel
• Careers at Flash Pack
• Partner as a Travel Agent
• Trip terms and conditions
• Safety with Flash Pack
• Flash Pack’s privacy policy

Latest deals

• Your latest travel offers
• Your last chance to book

Insider trips

Sorry no insider trips are available right now, check back soon.

• Feed your inspiration with all the latest stories from our content hub.
• Relationships
• Career Tips

Top stories

Friendship Tips

Travel Tips

• See all articles

Favourite Trips

Destinations

• Why taking a career break to travel will help you get ahead at work

Anna Brech 28th Feb 2020 11 min read

Fancy a career break to go travelling? Taking time out from your job is no longer the domain of the feckless. Instead, it’s a powerful strategy for getting ahead (writes Anna Brech).

With a growing body of research pointing to the relationship between wellbeing and productivity , we know that happier people perform better at work .  Here’s why taking a break could be the savviest career move you make:

A career break can help you to pivot

By the time you hit your thirties or forties, you may have been in your current role for a number of years. Maybe you like the company and the working culture, but the job itself is becoming stale. You crave new projects, different responsibilities, a fresh outlook.

Taking a career break to travel can be a great way of cleverly forcing through this change of scene. Just by putting in a request for time out, you’re giving your boss an amber warning light that all is not as it should be. Those shake-ups that they’ve been promising for years – they need to happen. And if your company value you at all, they’ll take heed (if not, that’s a prompt to think about leaving).

HR executive Kelley McVay, who worked for a respected medical college in New York City, found herself in exactly this situation.

“I was starting to get frustrated at work because, while I was still fulfilled in my role, it was obvious that there weren’t any further growth opportunities for me,” she explains. “I raised this with my leadership team, and we discussed other opportunities but nothing panned out. In late 2015 I came up with the idea to plan a Round the World trip for my 45th birthday.”

The getaway, which spanned from Athens to Cairo and Beijing, started McVay along a path which would ultimately lead to her leaving her job.

Taking a break not only lends perspective and preps the ground for a role change, it’s also a great way to transition if you’ve already got a move on the horizon. You can use it as a bridge to a new job, or a move into the world of freelance work and self-employment.

“If you’re ready for a career pivot – a real change in your work – it’s a great opportunity for a sabbatical,” says Philip Storey, founder of digital marketing consultancy Enchant , which employs mostly digital nomads. “This is a good time to step back. As much as you can try and do this whilst still in your current job role, it’s more effective if you can create space between the two, with some time out.

“If you can afford to, take a good chunk of time out, Airbnb your house and go on sabbatical. Try and get away from your usual surroundings and broaden your mind. Travel is the perfect way to do this.”

You stop being the person who does everything

Are you the kind of person who frequently takes on far more than you can handle? Maybe you stay late to cover other people’s mistakes, or forever feel frustrated by others not pulling their weight.

If this sounds familiar, a shift is critical. By taking a career break to travel, you allow yourself room to shrug the weight off. And more importantly, once you’re physically out of the office, things *have* to operate without you. Your colleagues can cope, and they will.

Yes, this means you’re dispensable – and that’s a good thing. When you return, you’ll have the space to carve out the role that you want, without taking on extra baggage. You and others will learn that you can take time out without the world falling apart, and that’s a huge burden to be released from.

It’s also a very effective way of pushing through a new way of working, without continually sounding off to HR.

A career break can help ease brain fog

Brain fog – lack of clarity, difficulty in focus – is a growing problem in our frenetic modern lives. Left untended, it can easily lead to more serious conditions, such as burnout and depression.

If overloading is a problem for you, taking a career break can help to ease the strain. The fact that you’re not working (or working less) helps, but the routine of travelling also eliminates a vast decision process and shows just how simple life can be.

“I believe a lot of our own energy goes into thinking too much,” says jewellery designer  Arabel Lebrusan (pictured below), who decided to run her business part-time last year, in order to fulfill her dream of travelling the world.

“Travelling is like going back right to basics: where am I going to sleep tonight? where can I find food? And do we still have clean clothes?”

“In my day-to-day life running a business, creativity is almost shadowed by office work, emails and meeting customers,” Lebrusan adds. “At the beginning of our trip, I wasn’t that creative but then after a few months, I had this incredible burst of creativity. I couldn’t stop myself from weaving palm trees leaves, making sand sculptures or drawing everywhere I went.

“By the end of the trip I had designed so much new jewellery for my brand, that I now have to stop myself from making it all in one go.”

Storey agrees that travelling is a brilliant conduit for head space and ideas.

“I suggest trying to have a year away from the norm,” he says. “You’ll likely find that in just a few weeks, ideas will come along. They will form projects and you’ll start to imagine a different future. Just make sure you’re not going to be counting down the days until you have to go back to work – create the space you need.”

You develop the confidence to forge your own path

Taking a career break to travel is not the easiest thing in the world to do. By successfully engineering the move, you prove to yourself and others that you have control of your own destiny.

For many people, a career break is a milestone. It may well represent the first time in your life that you go against the grain and do something unexpected – a decision that’s just about you. Think of it as your Eat, Pray, Love moment.

Your team might not like it. Your boss could get difficult. Some people will paint it as a means of shirking responsibilities and escaping “real life”. But, all of that is really background noise. This is about you stepping up to take control of your life’s script. Instead of letting your job wander into unfulfillment, you’re being an agent of your own happiness.

Just by putting the concept of a career break into play, you develop confidence to put yourself first and break the mould. And this is an invaluable skill, no matter where you’re at in your career.

But remember: however empowering a career break may be, if you’re planning on returning to your job (rather than moving from one to another, or going self-employed) you need to nail down the detail of it before disappearing off into the sunset.

“Make sure you get your agreement to return in writing, and get a solicitor to check it,” says Storey. “This will only cost you £100 or so to have it checked, but it’s really important and will give you the peace of mind to get the most from your career break.”

Why more men should take a career break

“A man of ordinary talent will always be ordinary, whether he travels or not; but a man of superior talent will go to pieces if he remains forever in the same place” – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The eminent ivory tickler wasn’t wrong (writes Joe Ellison). Around 6.5 million UK workers – roughly 30 per cent of us – are unhappy at work, and men may be most at risk of all . Nearly two-thirds of leisure travellers today are women, according to recent research from the George Washington University School of Business. The same study found that professional women take a holiday every 10 months on average, whereas men typically wait a year between breaks.

In another study into British masculinity by University College London, the majority of men questioned said they valued four main attributes: dependability, reliability, honesty and loyalty. Tellingly, “romance” and “adventure” scored lower on the list. Admirable notions, yes. But fun? No.

Have we become that boring? Do we need to be a little selfish and listen to ourselves? The answer is clearly yes. If you yourself have been feeling a bit lost lately, or simply more stressed than you should be, don’t be another statistic. Be more, be yourself, live a little, branch out from your comfort zone and – yes – take a career break.

A career break is a chance to push your boundaries

One man who knows this first-hand is Emanuele Barrasso [above], a 32-year-old from Naples who had been working in food and drink PR in London for just under a decade, until last year when he took what he called a “life-changing” career break, journeying to Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and Japan in a two-month break from work.

“My bosses took it better than I had expected,” he says. “I wanted to go away for a little longer but then we settled on two months so that I could have my job back when I returned. The first few weeks were paid, because I left in January, and I used only some of my annual leave but not all of it, so I could have some more time off towards summer and the end of the year.

“I love travel but had never thought of actually going for a proper long sabbatical on my own, for some reason the thought had never seemed possible. I’d reached a point in my life where I wanted to do something different, to get out of my comfort zone and push my boundaries.”

You'll get to know yourself better

A lengthy break from the office aside, Emanuele claims the fact he was also newly single also played a big part in plucking the courage to travel solo: “I had the freedom to go to the places I wanted to see and meet new people. On my final day in Sydney before flying to Japan, I met a special someone. A week after, I was thinking ‘I must see her again before I fly home!’, and I did. I changed my itinerary and visited her again before I left. Since then she’s flown to visit me in the UK and I’ve been back to Australia.”

Who knows, as well as giving you a chance to clear your mind and ruminate about your next steps in life, a career might help you get to know yourself a bit better, too.

Grasp the opportunities to explore the world and you won’t regret it: when 500 people were interviewed for a 2011 book entitled Reboot Your Life , not one regretted their decision to take a substantial career break, which lasted anywhere from one month to two years. “Everyone reported that their careers were enhanced, as they were enhanced in their attitudes and work ethic,” says co-author Jaye Smith.

You can see the world from a fresh perspective

Needless to say, Emanuele wouldn’t swap his own experiences in a hurry.

“I’ll never regret taking the break. I went skydiving, jet-boating – twice – whitewater rafting and scuba diving; activities that I had thought I’d never ever have the guts to do,” he says. “All of this made me realise that I am a thrill-seeker at heart. The entire experience made me grow as a person, as a man, as a traveller, and built my confidence. It made me see the world from a different perspective, and if I can say it, it made me live the world.”

Now that really would have been music to Mozart’s ears.

Images: Shutterstock, Unsplash, Emanuele Barrasso

Top 10 best adventure holidays to book now

By Andrew Dickens

FLASH PACK STORIES

Your latest travel inspiration

Find your people: why friendship could be key to better mental health

Strong, loyal friendships are a source of lifetime happiness and health – and they become more important as we age. Here’s why.

Anna Brech 4th April 2024 11 min read

Destination Guides

The ultimate solo travel guide to Chile: Everything you need to know

Want to travel solo in Chile? Discover everything about heading to Chile as a solo traveller including top destinations and safety tips.

Amy Swales 4th April 2024 11 min read

Solo hiking: Everything you need to know

Let loose in the wild outdoors, in a group or solo, with these top tips for hiking abroad.

Charley Ross 3rd April 2024 11 min read

I’ve struggled with weight my whole life. But a trip to Iceland changed everything

Solo traveller Jessica Hruby worried she was too big to hike a glacier in Iceland – she couldn’t have been more wrong…

Jessica Hruby 3rd April 2024 11 min read

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter.

Hear about our new adventures before anyone else

Hear about our new adventures before anyone else.

Be the first to hear about exclusive Flash Pack offers.

Access exciting competitions.

Receive weekly inspiration and travel stories from solos just like you.

You are browsing our US website.

Please choose your current location below:

You are browsing our UK website.

Authored by Gemma Orrock

To those looking in, Craig and I are living the dream. Partying a SXSW music festival in Austin, trekking to Machu Picchu (Peru), discovering Colombia’s street art scene, diving in Cuba; at almost 30, we packed up our past lives as teacher and tradesman to backpack the Americas and Europe for 18 months, and our first five months on the road have produced incredible memories.

Though we’re often asked why we get to do it while many others have to settle for sitting at home dreaming about it. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to settle for living vicariously. How to take a career break.

We hope the following helps explain how to take a career break to travel. We imagine young ‘ins are as excited about spring break as we are about our career break! How to convince my boss to let me travel

You can hover over these (or any image) to quickly pin it!

Do You Really Want It?

The first thing to decide when considering to take a career break to travel is if you really want it. I mean really want it? It’s all well and good to dream about taking a break to travel the world, though you have to truly want to make it happen. What happens to my job if I travel the world

For instance there might be a $30K wedding in the pipeline which holds you back (we’re eloping). Or the need for the pitter patter of tiny feet which has started to pull at your embryo. We’re both 30+ (good genes), and time is ticking as they say, so taking a career break is a big decision to make.

Before you begin your research, before you start looking at destinations and flight paths – decide if you really want it, and doing that means figuring out where your priorities lie. Ways to take a career break

Yes,You Really Want It!

After you’ve decided that you really want it, start looking into the company guidelines of the place you work. Do they have a policy for career breaks? Some don’t, though many do. Take a career break to travel the world

I’m a teacher, and after three years of service with my council I was eligible to apply for a career break. Craig, on the other hand, is a self-employed tradesman and he left his business in the hands of his brother. Sound it out with your line manager or a confidant. Iron out any technicalities, and consider different options like if you can work remotely whilst on leave.

You will most likely have to write a personal statement detailing why a break is justifiable and how it will improve your skills and benefit the work place. As I am a Teacher of Politics and Current Affairs, I discussed how my experience in developing countries would bring the textbook to life my students when I return. Can I come back to my job if I take a career break and travel

You may need to do a bit of soul searching here; siting on a beach and sipping a mojito probably isn’t going to cut it for this type of statement (not to say you won’t do that though!) How long can a career break be?

Can You Afford It?

Travelling isn’t actually expensive unless you need to purchase a Mulberry handbag with every paycheck to keep you happy. Craig and I have a daily budget of £22.50 each; this includes accommodation, food, drinks, transport and ice cream. What to do to get a career break

We don’t drink as much as we did before we were saving, though why would you opt for booze when you have trails to hike or beaches on which to relax!?

We definitely don’t eat tuna out of a tin for every meal, no chance of eating like this with Craig the meat lover. We do sometimes stay in dorms, though mostly opt for private rooms; you have to make some sacrifices . We would always choose a flight over a 22 hour bus journey, so I’m sure there are travelers who spend a lot less, though as you get older there are some luxuries which you’re not willing to forgo! Can I afford a career break?

Read: How to Travel Cheap. The Ultimate Money Hacking Guide For International Travel

Getting to the other side of the world however is the expensive part – the flight, jags and travel insurance. There is no denying that. We sold everything we owned; the car, the couches, even the out of date Megan Fox calendar which had been sitting in the garage. How much will a career break cost?

Selling our belongings and getting back to the basics was surprisingly therapeutic, and we raised £20K in total. Not quite enough for our 18 month career break but there are a huge range of options for making money while you’re on the road . Can I travel and still come back to my job?

Alternatives to a Career Break

Your work may decline your application, in which case it may be time to consider leaving and looking for a position that allows you to travel. Perhaps you could even look at taking a job overseas.

Think about jobs that are needed all over the world, where your experience, education and skills can translate. For instance, teachers are needed all over the world and especially English teachers, you could perhaps do a TEFL course online or what about an accelerated bsn online as nurses are needed all over the world too. 

Think outside of the box.

Consider things like if you can work remotely for a certain period of time and put in your work days overseas. Or if you get an extended holiday with no pay. Craig did this for our five week trip to South East Asia in 2013 (he worked for The Man at this point.)

Read: What it Takes to Build an Online Business and Work From Anywhere in the World

Final Thoughts

Craig and I are currently living on the Sunshine Coast in BC, Canada where it is sunny most days and we clean for our keep. I volunteer at a local yoga studio and in exchange for my time I get access to drop in classes, an opportunity I could not see happening back home. I probably wouldn’t have had the savvy to even ask in Scotland. What do I have to do to take a career break. 

The point is, that taking a career break to travel will open your eyes to so many experiences and opportunities which you wouldn’t have guessed would exist. It empowers you to find new hobbies, new goals, and offers a completely new perspective on life. It saves you from the monotony of 9-5 office life.

Our blog, Two Scots Abroad , wouldn’t exist if we had not taken on a career break. It came about as a result of having felt empowered by a new focus, and having met a very supportive group of talented writers and photographers along the way. Help me organize a career break

Who would of thought that at thirty you could meet a potential new career? Another benefit of a career break. Who knows, it might just conclude in a career change! want to take time off from my job to travel

INSPIRED?! PIN THIS TO YOUR TRAVEL PINTEREST BOARDS ↓

If You Liked This Post You May Also Like:

Make Money While Traveling The World. Start A Blog

Why Travelers With Less Money are Travelling Longer Than You

Her Location Independent LifeStyle Allows Her to Travel the World: Interviewing Sara Schneider

Two Scots Abroad (Gemma and Craig) have downed tools as teacher and tradesman and are traveling The Americas on an 18 month career break. They are currently living it up on the Sunshine Coast of Canada after four months in North, South America and Cuba.

Catch up on their stories of trekking to Machu Picchu; parting at SXSW festival (Austin) and discovering that Colombia is safe, friendly and not full of druglords as the Western media would have you believe at Two Scots Abroad . And never miss a tweet through Twitter !

39 Comments

Hope to inspire those tinkering with the idea of a career break! Any questions? I’ll do my best to answer. Thanks for featuring our story, Megan, 9 months to go!

Thanks again for sharing your tips and advice. You have an inspiring story!

I’m sure there are many people that will be reading this with a close eye. Congratulation on your decision to take a career break. Many people think about it, but not everyone actually does it. Your story is very inspirational.

Hopefully their story helps to open people’s eyes to the fact that it can be done, and that more and more people are making a career break happen! I think a lot of the time it just comes down to seeing and hearing from someone else who has done it too :)

You’re right! One of my colleagues said ‘well done for actually doing it’ and that always stuck with me Jen. Thank you. It has been worth it, nine months still to go!

I think that travel opens your eyes to many experiences even if you don’t take a career break and just go when you can. We love discovering new cultures and countries and we always learn something new even if it’s for a short time.

I totally agree with you Lesley. A career break may not be possible for everyone out there, so in that case short travel is the next best thing. And you absolutely take back the same lessons and experiences from travel regardless of whether it’s a longer or shorter trip :)

Travel safe!

I’m currently on a career break myself. I worked in education (high school counselor) and my leave of absence (career break) was denied, so I quit! It’s definitely a leap of faith, but it’s something we wanted to do. My husband and I are both 30+ as well and feel a little bit of pressure to start a family, so this is what we wanted to do for the time being and we’re loving every minute of it! :)

Congrats on having the courage to quit! Their loss! When it comes down to it, the memories you’re creating now are the ones you’re going to cherish for the rest of your life. We shouldn’t be so focused on making a living that we forget to make a life.

Congrats on choosing to live the way you want!

That takes strength – well done! We’re in the same age bracket, definitely have those pressures too.

Anyone wanting to take a career break really should follow Gemma and Craig’s blog, who do honestly tell you how it is, and how to live to a budget and still max out your experiences. I have great respect for these two travellers/writers.

Absolutely Paula – highly recommend everyone inspired by their post to jump on over to their site for further tips and advice.

Thanks Paula (and Megan), appreciate it!

Very inspiring guys :) We get so many emails from people who are scared to drop everything to travel, but they REALLY want to. So, good for you for just going for it, it takes courage, that’s for sure!

Also, your budget is very reasonable as well, good job! I love how you said you’ll take a flight over a 22 hour bus ride – this is our mentality now for the most part, but it never used to be…man, some of the buses we’ve been on…. haha.

Thanks for inspiring you two!!

I think the bus rides are fantastic when you’re younger, though I’ve found as we’ve gotten older we just can’t hack it anymore. Lol and if I have to take a 22 hour bus ride I’m leaning towards the thinking that it’s not worth making it to that destination!!

Have had one too many long bus rides in my day too … only so much you can take lol!

It’s taken 5 month of slow travel in Canada to get over those bus rides – we are not ready to move on again! Cheers guys!

We did it during our last career break…retirement! Perfect time, I think. The question is how to get to retirement as early as possible. It is a good thing we are both frugal and saved a lot!

Congrats on retirement Carol! Hey, if you can turn your career break into full on retirement, that’s an amazing plan!! We’re aiming for it as early as possible too! Will see how long it takes us to get there though, we’re 30 right now so probably got a few more years to go :D

The “do you really want it part” is an interesting one. :) Many people will say they really want it, like some people I know, but when it comes to making sacrifices to get to their goal… they don’t wanna make them. Good that you made this choice! Njoy your travel

Absolutely – I’ve found that people love the idea of taking off to travel the world, though when it comes time to actually doing it nothing gets done, because priorities actually lie elsewhere and the necessary sacrifices are too much.

Not that that’s a bad thing – people just need to recognize what their priorities are and what’s not. Because it’s not worth putting in the time researching if you’re never actually going to make the move :)

Thank you Yvonne, it’s not for everyone and I don’t want to enforce it on people but we have no regrets! Have a lovely festive period and thanks for reading.

I took a career break at 28, went to India as part of my RTW trip and 10 years later I found my way back to the US with a husband, a toddler, two cats and a cargo ship full of belongings! We have been stationary in the US for 3 years now, but I’m aching to get out and explore the world for a year with my son. He loves travel as much as I do, but its much harder now I find to uproot him. As much as he enjoys travel, he likes to come home to his cats and his friends and his toys. I’m thinking maybe in another 5 years we might be able to take a break to explore the world!

I’ve found that different stages in our lives mean we travel differently. We’ve just returned home from 3 years of full time travel and are now really enjoying having a home base. Having somewhere to return home to after we take a trip somewhere.

I’ve found it swings around in circles, you travel one way for a few years and then you need a change of pace. So there may be a time soon where the timing will be right for another year break for you guys – so many amazing short breaks you can take from the US in the meantime too :D!

We are hoping to return to Canada once we’ve had out first child but I’m sure it won’t be an easy move when that time actually comes around. He’s very lucky to have a mum that gives him the experience of travel!

Gotta have that money for ice cream! Haha! I loved that part! I’m doing the same thing, but I don’t think I’ll be going back anytime soon. The bug has bit me, bit me hard.

There are some things you just can’t scrimp on! Congrats on taking your own career break – travel for as long as you’re happy doing so!

It’s going to be hard hitting this August Joe!

Great post! Totally agree–I think that if you really want it enough you can do it too. Find a way to work on the road, save up money and prioritize and you won’t have to live vicariously through others. Hopefully this will give people the push they need! :)

Glad you enjoyed it Jenna – it really does come down to priorities – if you want it badly enough giving up things like new clothes, eating out, smoking and alcohol to save the money you need won’t be that painful knowing it’s for 12 months + abroad!

Well said Jenna. So many people say we’re living the dream but as long as you avoid the shops it can be a reality for most people!

Stoked that you guys took the leap and are doing what you want! It’s not the easiest road to take, but it’s so worth it if you want it!! My husband and I left the USA four years ago to try out teaching in China and we’ve been living, working and traveling in Asia ever since. You just never know what might happen when you open yourself up to the possibilities travel brings. Cheers to you two!

Congrats on following your own dream path too! Happy to hear Asia has worked out so well for you Jen :) I like to live by the notion that you never know until you try, and even if you get somewhere and you decide it’s not for you, you’ve at least tried it, and you’ll never be wondering “what if”.

And if you get there and it turns out to be exactly the thing for you, I’ve found people often wonder why they didn’t take the leap sooner!

100% Jen. Not only the blog aspect but I’ve volunteered at a yoga studio, Vancouver Fashion Week and now wrapping Christmas presents for charity – you never get the chance to do these things at ‘home’.

What you prefer the best, career break or make traveling career?

Anyways, Very inspiring writing.

I think each person will have different preferences. For some people a year away is enough to satisfy their urge to travel and see the world. Though for those still want to keep going after that I can highly recommend starting something like an online business to make traveling a career. It’s very possible these days and more and more people are opting for that path every day!

Good point! And maybe after a year back at work I’ll be like – what am I doing?! Thank you for reading, have a great Christmas.

Glad you enjoyed the post Meg :) Sounds like a career break is in the works for you?

Post a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Search This Site

I am Megan Jerrard, professional travel blogger/journalist with a focus on adventure, discovery, immersion and inspiring you to explore!

Recent Posts

• The Best Sustainable Ways to Get Around on Vacation
• Navigating Food Choices Abroad for Health-Conscious Adventurers
• 6 Thoughtful Gestures to Make Mom Feel Special from Anywhere in the World
• Unforgettable Indonesian Cruise Tours & Packages: Exploring Islands from Bali to New Guinea
• Navigating Massachusetts’ Hidden Gems: A Solo Traveler’s Guide

Popular posts

• International Love: Maintaining a Long Distance Relationship
• Illegal Ink – 11 Countries Where Showing Your Tattoos Could Get You Kicked Out!
• 7 Things To Know Before Travelling by Overnight Train in Vietnam
• A Travelers Guide to Tap Water: Countries Where The Drinking Water is Unsafe
• Countries That Don’t Celebrate Christmas

• Articles   >
• Career Breaks   >

How to Add a Travel Career Break to Your Resume

The idea of taking a career gap to travel – especially mid-career rather than at the beginning – has conjured up negative assumptions among employers. Sometimes taking a career gap can create the illusion that the individual in question is trying to ‘escape’ or is ‘taking a step back’.

While employers’ attitudes towards career break travel are changing, some of these misconceptions still linger. As career-break travelers, we need to be the ones to start showing how this unique personal development experience translates into something special during the recruitment process.  

You shouldn’t shy away from including a travel career break on your resume. The question is, how can you use it to your advantage? How do you demonstrate to employers the amazing benefits of having taken time out to travel?

Why you should include travel on your resume

At a time when job searches are becoming ever more competitive, employers look for those distinguishing factors that set you apart. The personal development you gain from travel fits into this vacuum perfectly.

Kate Wicklow is Policy Manager at GuildHE, a membership organization in the UK for the heads of higher education institutions. She believes that including a travel career break on your resume is the right thing to do.

“It’s an excellent talking point for an interviewer to find out more about you, and shows you are not afraid of the unknown and change,” she says. “It also helps to explain unemployment gaps, which are seen as a negative without explanation.”

It’s not just about your personality and interests either. Travel enables you to develop attributes that will make you far more effective in the workplace.

Kate continues: “People who take career breaks to focus on their personal wellbeing are confident, self-motivated and would be an asset to most organizations.”

“It’s the perfect example of personal leadership.”  

What have you gained from travel that is relevant?  

We’ve all heard the clichés that travel makes you grow as a person. That it ‘expands your mind’ or ‘pushes you outside your comfort zone’.  

Spend time reflecting on what these concepts actually mean to you.

While these soundbites may be true, they don’t really give any solid examples of the skills and knowledge you have gained. You need to think tangibly when incorporating travel into your resume.

In my case, ‘expands my mind’ translated into becoming more creative. I saw and experienced more, which meant I had a wealth of information to draw upon when solving problems or producing design work. After my own travel career break, I was able to land my dream job by being upfront about it.

Traveling definitely ‘pushed me outside my comfort zone’, and that made me calmer. I became accustomed to dealing with unexpected situations. Being calm and confident now makes me a good team worker.

Thinking in these terms will enable you to translate your experiences into language that employers understand.  

Begin by simply writing down a list of concrete examples of the skills and knowledge you have developed.

You don’t need to wait until you’re back home to do this. If you keep a personal development record as you travel, it will be a powerful tool to use later when refining your resume.

Al Powell, Representation & Democracy Manager at Edinburgh University Students’ Association, believes this kind of experience can give job candidates an advantage. He says: “I know that travel can lead to skills and knowledge such as logistical management, a desire to learn and improve, adaptability, teamwork, and the ability to network.  

“It’s great when you’re reading an application or speaking to someone at interview and they’ve really thought about that.”  

How do you make your travel experience a unique selling point?

Analyzing your development is an important first step, but how does your travel experience actually make you stand out against someone with the same set of skills and knowledge? It’s one thing to list attributes like ‘creativity’ or ‘teamwork’, but you need to provide more to back it up.

Your experiences of travel during your time away from work will have given you hundreds of different examples that really do illustrate that these are transferable skills. Write down some specific instances; this will prepare you to answer any questions that come your way later.

For example, my travel career break made me better at networking. How? In the year I spent outside the UK, I must have met hundreds of new people. I shared dorm rooms with countless strangers and became increasingly comfortable with approaching people. Sharing my story, asking questions, and then building relationships meant that we both took something away.

I did this every day, probably much more often and much more tangibly than the other candidate who spent a year ‘building relationships to work collaboratively’.  

Amrita Devaiah is Head of Civil Service Live at the UK Cabinet Office. She says: “Taking a career break to travel should be something you shout about on your CV.”

“Experiencing different cultures and traveling to new and exciting places builds your understanding, opens your mind and, I’ve found, generally makes for a stronger candidate.”

“If you’re able to articulate at interview how your travel has bolstered your skills and added to your expertise, it’s even better.”  

How to structure travel into your resume

There’s a common temptation to stuff travel away into a ‘hobbies and interests’ section at the end of your resume. Don’t do this. All it does is reinforce the notion that travel is irrelevant to career development. Furthermore, it completely downplays the benefits.

Don’t be afraid to structure your travel career break into the employment history section of your resume. This gives it the gravitas it deserves and makes an explicit connection between your travel experiences and the workplace.  

Another common mistake is to feature a travel career break among employment history, but hide it at the bottom. Instead, include it in flow with your timeline. This way, you’re showing how it fits into your arc of personal development. This tells a better story.

Graham Atkinson, Founder of Atkinson HR Consulting, explains the advantages of being open and sincere. “It’s important experience, so talk about the challenges and learning that come from it,” he says. “Be clear about the timeline on your resume and have a good, honest narrative about gaps between employment.

“Be proud of traveling gaps, and be clear about what you’ve learned and what it says about you as a person.”

Don’t overplay it

It’s important to make the case for how travel makes you a better employee. At the same time, be careful not to overemphasize it. Think of travel experience as a vital cog in a functioning machine, but not the engine.

Graham continues: “Use it as a talking point where possible, and if there’s a good practical example from your travels that links to the person specification then apply it. It could be time management, project management or communication, for example.”

“Overall, I’d advise not to overplay it, but equally not to shy away from it and talk about how it will help make you a great candidate for the role.”

I landed an amazing job after my travel career break.

Before my travel career break, I entered a sabbatical agreement to return to my job afterward. Three weeks before returning home, however, I received the shocking news that I was going to be made redundant.

I found myself thrown in at the deep end of a job search I wasn’t prepared for. But once I overcame the initial panic, I was able to land a dream role at a leading UK charity. I did this by applying some simple principles:

I quickly discovered that if I omitted my career break from my resume or avoided talking about it, I would get asked funny questions.

There was also a knock-on effect of making my redundancy seem more conspicuous. As soon as I preempted this and tackled both issues upfront and positively, I saw more progress.

Recognizing this shift, I decided to embrace my travel experience. I updated my LinkedIn profile to show my travel career break, detailing the benefits to my personal development. I made it an integral (but not the principal) feature of my resume. I talked candidly about it in interviews.  

In the end, the job I got was the one for which I championed my travel experiences the most throughout the process. Looking back now, I don’t know what I was ever worried about.

Thinking of taking a sabbatical? Read more about why a travel break can be the best career move you’ll ever make.  

• Credit Cards
• All Credit Cards
• Find the Credit Card for You
• Best Credit Cards
• Best Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Travel Credit Cards
• Best 0% APR Credit Cards
• Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
• Best Credit Cards to Build Credit
• Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping
• Find the Best Personal Loan for You
• Best Personal Loans
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans
• Best Loans to Refinance Credit Card Debt
• Best Loans with Fast Funding
• Best Small Personal Loans
• Best Large Personal Loans
• Best Personal Loans to Apply Online
• Best Student Loan Refinance
• Best Car Loans
• All Banking
• Find the Savings Account for You
• Best High Yield Savings Accounts
• Best Big Bank Savings Accounts
• Best Big Bank Checking Accounts
• Best No Fee Checking Accounts
• No Overdraft Fee Checking Accounts
• Best Checking Account Bonuses
• Best Money Market Accounts
• Best Credit Unions
• All Mortgages
• Best Mortgages
• Best Mortgages for Small Down Payment
• Best Mortgages for No Down Payment
• Best Mortgages for Average Credit Score
• Best Mortgages No Origination Fee
• Adjustable Rate Mortgages
• Affording a Mortgage
• All Insurance
• Best Life Insurance
• Best Life Insurance for Seniors
• Best Homeowners Insurance
• Best Renters Insurance
• Best Car Insurance
• Best Pet Insurance
• Best Boat Insurance
• Best Motorcycle Insurance
• Travel Insurance
• Event Ticket Insurance
• Small Business
• All Small Business
• Best Small Business Savings Accounts
• Best Small Business Checking Accounts
• Best Credit Cards for Small Business
• Best Small Business Loans
• Best Tax Software for Small Business
• Personal Finance
• All Personal Finance
• Best Budgeting Apps
• Best Expense Tracker Apps
• Best Money Transfer Apps
• Best Resale Apps and Sites
• Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Apps
• Best Debt Relief
• Credit Monitoring
• All Credit Monitoring
• Best Credit Monitoring Services
• Best Identity Theft Protection
• How to Boost Your Credit Score
• Best Credit Repair Companies
• Filing For Free
• Best Tax Software
• Best Tax Software for Small Businesses
• Tax Refunds
• Tax Brackets
• Taxes By State
• Tax Payment Plans
• Help for Low Credit Scores
• All Help for Low Credit Scores
• Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
• Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit
• Personal Loans if You Don't Have Credit
• Best Credit Cards for Building Credit
• Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score Lower
• Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower
• Best Mortgages for Bad Credit
• Best Hardship Loans
• All Investing
• Best IRA Accounts
• Best Roth IRA Accounts
• Best Investing Apps
• Best Free Stock Trading Platforms
• Best Robo-Advisors
• Index Funds
• Mutual Funds
• Home & Kitchen
• Gift Guides
• Deals & Sales
• Best of Wellness Awards 2024
• Sign up for the CNBC Select Newsletter
• Subscribe to CNBC PRO
• Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Terms Of Service
• CNBC Sitemap

Follow Select

Our top picks of timely offers from our partners

If you can’t retire early, you still might be able to take a career break: Here’s what you should know

Select spoke with two experts about how people should financially prepare for a career break..

The pandemic forced many to reevaluate the role of work in their life, whether it was women who found themselves juggling childcare duties and a remote job or low-wage and essential employees who had to work in-person during the height of the pandemic. Many found themselves struggling with burnout and some questioned the conventional wisdom that people have to work for 50 years before retiring.

If you've found yourself fantasizing about taking time off to write a novel or complete a cross-country road trip, taking a career break might be a possibility. While retiring well before you're able to collect full Social Security and Medicare benefits might not be financially feasible for you, a career break or a sabbatical could be a better option. 

Select spoke with Barbara Ginty, CFP® and host of the Future Rich podcast , and Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez, host of the Money Confidential podcast about what people should know before quitting their job and taking a career break.

Our best selections in your inbox. Shopping recommendations that help upgrade your life, delivered weekly.  Sign-up here .

How much will you need to save?

First off, taking an extended career break isn't an option for most Americans: A May 2021 Federal Reserve survey found that 35% of adults could not cover a $400 emergency expense with cash or its equivalent. If you don't already have an emergency fund or retirement savings, you'll have to prioritize building up your emergency fund, maximizing your 401(k) employer match (if they offer it) and/or opening a traditional or Roth IRA . 

Ginty recommends that people create two separate savings goals i f they decide to quit their job: A fund to draw upon during their career break and a traditional emergency savings fund. You'll want to determine your monthly living expenses and multiply that by the number of months your career break will be to understand how much you need to save. 

For example, if you're planning on taking a one year career break, you'll want to have a year's worth of living expenses saved up in addition to an emergency fund with three to six months worth of living expenses. While it might not be necessary for everyone to save three to six months worth of expenses, Ginty suggests that people have a nest egg to fall back on. If it takes you a lot of time to find a job after your career break, you'll want to have liquid savings to fall back on for your extended period of unemployment.

Starting to save for a career break can be as simple as transferring a small amount of money into a high-yield savings account each month. Unlike a traditional checking or savings account, a high-yield savings account offers a higher interest rate which is tied to the Federal Reserve's benchmark interest rate. 

With a high-yield savings account, you can typically withdraw money up to six times a month (without having to pay a penalty fee), so your money is liquid in case of an emergency. Select chose Marcus by Goldman Sachs High Yield Online Savings account , Ally Online Savings Account and Synchrony Bank High Yield Savings as some of the best high-yield savings accounts .

You can also use a robo-advisor like Wealthfront to assist you in planning for a career break. Wealthfront offers users a ' time off ' feature which helps understand how much a career break would cost (in the short term and long term) and whether it's financially feasible. Wealthfront will also help you decide which savings or investment accounts you should allocate money towards depending on when you plan on taking a break.  

Lastly, Ginty and O'Connell Rodriguez urge people not to raid the retirement savings from their 401(k) or IRA. According to them, you should save separately for retirement and for your career break. 

By withdrawing funds from your retirement accounts early, you might have to pay additional taxes. Early withdrawals from a 401(k) or IRA will incur a 10% penalty tax on top of your normal income tax. 

While people can withdraw from their IRA and Roth IRA before age 59 and ½ without paying a penalty or income tax for select qualifying reasons (like education or medical bills), O'Connell Rodriguez notes that by withdrawing money from your retirement accounts now you'll be missing out on the potential of earning long-term compound interest on your investments.

What other factors should you consider?

Beyond understanding how much money you'll need to save, you'll also need a plan for paying off your mortgage or your monthly rent.

If you're planning to travel during your career break, you may need to cover your housing costs while you're away, says Ginty. For example, if you have a mortgage, you may rent out your home out. If you're renting, you might consider subletting. 

You'll also want to consider other essential expenses such as health insurance. If you're currently receiving health insurance through your employer, you might opt for a new plan through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicaid or choose to extend your coverage through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, also known as COBRA.

COBRA is available to employees of businesses with 20 or more employees. Through COBRA , individuals who have voluntarily or involuntarily left their job or have had their hours reduced, can extend their group health insurance coverage for 18 or 36 months. 

However, COBRA typically comes with a steep cost — while your employer likely paid a portion of your coverage before, with COBRA, you'll have to pay the entire insurance premium and (typically) a 2% administration fee. 

Depending on your income or living expenses during your career break, you may also be eligible for subsidized health insurance coverage through the ACA.

Bottom line 

Before you quit your job to pursue your passion project or take a well needed break, you'll need to make sure your finances are in order by determining how much you'll need to save and what hidden expenses you'll need to cover during your career break. You should also have an idea of what you plan on doing after your career break, says Ginty.

Will your employer allow you to return to your job? What happens if the labor market takes a downturn and you're unemployed for a longer period of time?

Planning for a career break requires you to consider what could happen in the worst-case scenario and to financially prepare for it. By saving for your career break, building up an emergency fund and figuring out how you'll cover your housing and healthcare costs, you may be able to prepare for that worst-case scenario.

Catch up on Select's in-depth coverage of  personal finance ,  tech and tools ,  wellness  and more, and follow us on  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

Information about Marcus by Goldman Sachs High Yield Online Savings and Synchrony Bank High Yield Savings Account has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the banks prior to publication. Goldman Sachs Bank USA is a Member FDIC.

• Aura review: Protect your identity, finances and family Elizabeth Gravier
• 5 hidden insurance fees to avoid Liz Knueven
• Can I pay my mortgage with a credit card? Kelsey Neubauer

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

How to Take a Career Break

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Back in 2016, Jamie Clark of Seattle was a software engineer who planned to take a year off of work to finish a master’s degree in computational linguistics. One year turned into three and a career change into financial planning.

Nowadays, Clark, who uses they/them pronouns, believes the experience makes them a better advisor — particularly since their career break didn’t turn out as originally planned.

“Part of our job as financial planners is to help people be prepared,” says Clark, now a certified financial planner who recently launched their own firm, Ruby Pebble Financial Planning. “And I want to help people build that flexibility.”

Career breaks are extended and usually unpaid stretches of time off work. Such breaks can be aspirational — giving you time to travel, pursue a degree, change careers or launch a business. Or, they can be prompted by life events, such as caring for a child, nursing a family member or dealing with an illness or burnout.

Whatever the cause, some planning can help you make the most of your break.

Save and budget diligently

CFP Henry Hoang of Irvine, California, doesn’t believe most people need detailed budgets , as long as they’re saving adequately for their goals. But career breaks are an exception, he says. When your paychecks stop, you’ll want to have enough savings to sustain you. That starts with knowing precisely what you’re spending today and estimating what your expenses will be during your break. Some costs might decline, such as commuting or child care. But you also might have new costs, including higher health insurance premiums if your current coverage is employer-subsidized.

Once you calculate how much you need to save , consider adding a fudge factor equal to two or three months’ worth of expenses in case it takes longer than expected to land your next job, Hoang suggests. One of Hoang’s friends didn’t do that, and wound up raiding his 401(k) to pay the bills.

And speaking of retirement: Extended breaks could mean you’ll need to work past normal retirement age or increase your savings rate significantly to retire on time. If you’re planning to take more than two years off, use a retirement calculator or consult a financial planner to see how that might affect your plans to retire, Hoang says.

Clark saved enough from a high-paying job to cover living expenses for two years, and was able to stretch that to three years after getting married. Their spouse paid the bills as Clark used remaining savings to pay tuition and other costs to get their financial planning credential.

Clark says that careful tracking of expenses and thoughtful budgeting not only helped make their savings last, but it also alleviated some of the stress of Clark being without a paycheck.

“There are always surprises, but it's good to try and minimize them, or at least minimize impact on your finances,” Clark says.

Make a plan for your time

You may feel you need a break from strict schedules, but having no plan means you could waste this precious time you prepared and saved for.

Hoang has another cautionary tale from a client who started his break with a strong desire to change careers and spend more time with his young children. His days quickly filled up with parenting duties, and he never made time to explore other jobs, Hoang says. When his savings ran out, he ended up going back into his same field.

“Having clarity on what you really want out of this career break could make a tremendous difference in experience overall,” Hoang says.

The details of your plan will depend on your career break goals, but consider scheduling lunch with a professional colleague every month or so to maintain your network and stay abreast of developments in your field. If you’re considering a career change, make a timeline for when you’ll accomplish certain steps, such as meeting with a career counselor and determining what education or certifications you’ll need.

Consider alternatives

An extended career break may not be possible. You may have too much debt , too many bills or too many people depending on you to go months or years without a paycheck. Even if you have the savings, you may be understandably wary about leaving the job you have without another one lined up.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re stuck.

A few employers offer paid sabbaticals, while others provide unpaid leave to workers who need a break. You may be eligible for up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act if you have a newborn, adopt or foster a child, suffer from a serious health condition or are caring for an immediate family member such as a child, spouse or parent with a serious health condition.

Given the tight labor market, your employer may be willing to adjust your workload, transfer you to a job with less responsibility or reduce your hours. That could free up the time and energy you need to focus on what’s important to you — and what you want next in your life.

This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press.

The Career Break

Why I Took a Career Break.

Tausha Cowan • Mar 10, 2014

Several months ago, I attended a meet up held by Meet, Plan, Go in conjunction with AFAR . The topic of discussion: taking a “career break” to travel the world. The concept is interesting—leaving your job and life behind to experience different countries and cultures for an extended period of time. While I’m not at the point in my life where I envision myself doing this (note: I consider my “career break” to be when I moved to London to get my master’s degree and traveled to various countries in Europe and North Africa), it was fascinating and enlightening to meet people who had taken a career break. There were also many attendees who had not taken a break but were just as passionate about travel, incorporating it into their lives in whatever way possible.

According to a study from the Center for Economic and Policy Research, the United States is the only highly developed nation that does not require employers to offer paid vacation time. In Australia, businesses are required to provide employees with 35 days off. Yes, that’s right: 35 days! In several countries in Europe: 31. America: A big ole 0.

In today’s global and hyper-connected world, this strikes me as a missed opportunity for the U.S. and a big reason why the idea of a “career break” can sound so alluring. We are an overworked nation; that cannot be denied. More than that, we are a nation that is not nearly knowledgeable enough about the world. Travel is one of the ways to become more knowledgeable. As the saying goes, “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” With each trip I take, I am increasingly convinced of its truth.

During a flight from Thailand to Hong Kong, I ended up in conversation with the passenger next to me. At first I was more determined to sleep than speak with this person, but I soon found myself showing her pictures of my travels and hearing about her adventures roaming around Chiang Mai via motorcycle (clearly she was the gutsier one). We also discovered a shared background in journalism—her, a newspaper journalist in Dongguan in southern China, and me, a media and communications professional in New York City. I learned about what it’s like being a journalist in China (not the easiest, as one can imagine) and, in turn, she learned about working in media in New York and some of the ways in which the business environment is changing. It was, and continues to be, one of those conversations and experiences you can’t quite create when you don’t go anywhere.

As careers evolve and businesses adapt to the changing environment, global perspective is key. Thus, it is almost mind boggling to realize that not only do Americans barely travel and take vacation compared to the rest of the world, but also the vacation policies of many businesses do not encourage it. Why not change your policy, encourage employees to take time off and travel, whether domestically or internationally, and see what new perspective they bring back? I have a feeling the long term impact would more than pay off.

Subscribe to travel noire

Get more travel content

Subscribe to Travel Noire, a free daily newsletter that features the best of travel, destinations, and guides to the cities you love from a new point of view — yours.

By subscribing to this newsletter, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Popular posts

Trending stories in world travel

• about the travel show
• Venture Channel live stream
• Travel show reviews
• coffee break podcast
• Spain Episodes
• South Africa Episodes
• New Zealand Episodes
• Patagonia Episodes
• What to do on a career break
• Ditch the Cubicle
• jeff’s career break
• Who’s out there now?
• real stories of career breakers
• because life is out there…videos
• suh-weet Shots
• websites to advise & inspire
• travel blogs & sites
• because life is out there… videos
• Where to go
• meet plan go 2010
• Getting Around
• Life on the Road
• Smarter Travel
• Learn Something New
• Volunteering
• travel communities
• destination and passion-specific blogs
• voluntourism and giving back sites
• travel & technology blogs
• lodging sites & blogs
• Jeff’s blog
• in-the-news
• Newsletters
• South Africa
• United States
• New Zealand
• travel products for inspiration
• The Traveler’s Handbooks
• round-the-world trip planner
• G Adventures Case Study
• PR & Marketing Opportunities
• Advertise on this site
• Public Speaking
• jeff – founder, producer, career breaker
• cheryl – founder, marketer, career breaker
• The English Voice of Colombia and Latin America
• Conoce La Voz en Inglés de Colombia y Latinoamérica
• Contributors
• legal notice
• Guest Post Policy
• editorial policy & disclosure
• privacy policy
• online sales agreement

the career break traveler’s handbook

An indispensable tool for dreaming, planning, and finally taking your trip of a lifetime. Filled with tips, stories, and photos from around the world, to both excite you and prepare you. click here to read more

The Career Break Travel Show

Career Break Secrets Travel Show is geared toward the career breaker or long term traveler. See new ways to travel the world, new things to learn and, new ways to give back. click here to read more

Career Break Travel Show on Roku

The Career Break Travel Show can now be seen on The Venture Channel via Roku. Subscription price for The Venture Channel is 99¢/month. Program schedule for The Career Break Travel Show is currently (times are US/Eastern):

Monday: 1:30AM

Tuesday: 3:30AM, 8:30PM

Wednesday: 10:30PM

Thursday: 4:30PM, 10PM

Friday: 7:30PM

Saturday: 8:30PM

Sunday: 5:30AM, 9:30PM

Continue Reading

Coming Soon to…

The Career Break Travel Show is coming soon to iTunes/Apple TV, Amazon, XBox, Wii, and other set-top-boxes. Check back here for updates on The Venture Channel.

• Because Life is Out There series - little slices of life out there waiting for you.
• Rough Cuts series - a sneak peek behind the scenes of Jeff filming the first season.
• Video Travel Guide Launch - a 3 min video kicking off our first season.
• Career Break Coffee Break podcast - Jeff reflects on the people he met and his adventures in each location, often with a cup of local coffee.
• http://www.wildlifeworld360.com
• Jim Corbett National Park, Jim Corbett National Park Saf
• Self Indulged
• Thailand | Travel Tales from Asia

jeff's blog

Talking about career break tips by jeff.

Gary Bembridge hosts the Tips for Travellers podcast and is also the author of The Cruise Traveler’s Handbook. He intereviewed me about my tips for taking a career break. Take a listen and subscribe to his podcast so you can hear Gary regularly!

Continue Reading | No Comments »

Sunflowers in Vancouver by jeff

All around the Vancouver Boat Harbor,  are several flower beds with all sorts of colorful varieties. I was there jsut as fall was hitting and many, like these sunflowers, were on their last leg. Even though they were slowly wilting away, I couldn’t help but see a bit of beauty hanging on. And, now that […]

Continue Reading | 2 Comments »

breaking news

Career break secrets announces the because life is out there tour by jeff.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 10, 2014 Austin, Texas Jeff Jung is returning to the US to hold a series of travel events for people who are interested in taking a break from their normal life and go abroad for a few months. Named the Because Life Is Out There Tour, each event will show every […]

Career Break Secrets announces the One-Man Show, ¨Am I There Yet?¨, featuring The Career Break Travel Guy, Jeff Jung by Cheryl Habbe

November 4, 2013 Fredericksburg, Texas On January 17-18, 2014, Jeff Jung of Career Break Secrets will present: Am I There Yet? Tall Tales and Life Lessons From A Global Journey. Jeff, “The Career Break Travel Guy” returns to his hometown of Fredericksburg, Texas after seven years of living abroad. A corporate wonk turned author, TV […]

Continue Reading | 1 Comment »

rtw trip planner

• because life is out there…
• Career break? OR…
• Jeff's blog
• jeff's career break
• real stories
• rough cuts videos
• Suh-Weet Shots
• travel advice & tips
• Who's out there now?

newsletters

Popular topics, social media.

Career break guide: definition, reasons and tips

An increasing number of people are choosing to take a career break. In the UK alone, more than 90,000 people take some kind of career break every year. Although there seems to be a stigma around taking time out from work, taking a career break is completely normal and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, there are many reasons for taking a career break, such as improving your professional skills, gaining more life experiences and caring for your mental health.

At FDM, we believe more employers should be open-minded and welcome returners to work into their teams. In this article, we’ll explore some of the main benefits of taking a career break and how this can help improve your employability and mental wellbeing. We’ll look at…

What’s in this article?

What is a career break?

Reasons for taking a career break, how to explain a career break to employers, career break tips, how to take a career break from work.

A career break is any unpaid leave from work that lasts longer than 2 months.  A career break can be any length of time, from 2 months onwards (even as long as 20 years!); however, they generally last around 6 months. Unlike a sabbatical, you do not typically have a job lined up for your return to work.

Some of the main reasons people may choose to take a career break are to travel, look after their children or have a well-deserved rest, but this will vary from person to person. Find out more about what a career break is and how to prepare for your return to work after a career break.

Whether you’re taking a career break for personal reasons or health reasons, there are many benefits to taking some time out to work on yourself. Let’s delve a little deeper into the reasons why some time away from the office could be beneficial for you.

• Gain a new outlook on life
• Expand your skill set
• Spend quality time with family
• Take a break from toxic work environments
• Reevaluate your career plans
• Get involved in a passion project
• Travel the world
• Focus on your mental health and wellbeing
• Grow your professional network

1. Gain a new outlook on life

Taking a career break can help you see life from a different perspective and provide you with some much-needed detachment from your work life. It is often easy to get wrapped up in your profession and allow yourself to live on autopilot, which could result in you missing out on incredible opportunities. For instance, many of us can go for years without changing lines of work or companies, when, in fact, change can be a good thing.

After a few months to think, you may find that you want to change your career direction, apply for senior roles, take some more time out of work or even return to your old company – either way, that’s fine. At least you’ve taken the time to consider your options and find out what you truly want to do with your life.

2. Expand your skillset

If you are looking to expand your skillset, upskill yourself or retrain completely, that’s another reason to take a career break. Without the stresses of work and much more spare time on your hands, you can solely focus your time and energy on training, studying or gaining new qualifications. Whether that’s through higher education, online courses or volunteer work, you can use your break from work to better yourself, improve your future employability and open doors to new opportunities,

3. Spend quality time with family

A healthy work-life balance plays a key role in leading a fulfilling life, and with this, comes the importance of healthy family relationships, too. After all, family comes first. For most, real quality time with family only comes during annual leave, maternity or paternity leave, however, there are many advantages to extending this break and spending more time with family. They’re not little for long so make the most of it! And, the same goes for caring duties , for elderly parents for instance, as this can be a difficult situation to juggle along with work responsibilities.

4. Take a break from toxic work environments

Cronyism, gossip, discrimination, office tension and employee burnout are all signs of a toxic work environment and a clear indication that you should consider leaving your company. Yet, sometimes, it is not so evident. For example, it is not uncommon for employees to blur the line between work and home life, working overtime, on weekends or talking about nothing other than their job outside of the office. This can also indicate an unhealthy work culture.

Working in a toxic environment can be draining and it takes some time to recover from, which is why a career break can be a good idea in this case. Taking a career break gives you time to rest and recuperate before returning to work in a new, positive environment. It can also help create distance between the two jobs, and ensure you don’t bring any negative feelings with you along the way.

5. Reevaluate your career plans

You may find yourself in a rut at work, experiencing stagnated progression and lacking motivation in your day-to-day. This is a sign you need to reevaluate and redirect your career plans. Taking a career break can give you time to reflect and reassess your career goals, decide where you want to be in the future and how to get there. This way, you can look back in 10 years’ time and feel accomplished and satisfied with your career choices.

6. Get involved in a passion project

A passion project is anything that you work on, outside of work, that brings you joy and satisfaction. This could be recording a podcast, writing a novel or coding a video game. Whatever you’re interested in, a career break allows you to focus on your passions and gain a sense of self-fulfilment that would otherwise be challenging, if not too much to take on, in addition to your work responsibilities.

7. Travel the world

Taking a travel break from work can be an exciting adventure that brings new learnings and experiences to your life. Think of it as an adult gap year(s) or year abroad! Maybe there’s somewhere you’ve always wanted to travel or, perhaps, you’ve always been interested in living or studying abroad. In this instance, a sabbatical is not typically enough time, and a career break is a more viable option, enabling you to take out as much time as you need. Travelling can widen your horizons, boost your confidence, improve your communication skills and make you a better-rounded person – which may even make you even more employable if you decide to return to the workplace.

8. Focus on your mental health and wellbeing

A career break for health reasons is very common, and the same goes for mental health. Our professional life can take its toll on our mental wellbeing, leading to stress, burnout, sleeping problems and more serious issues. However, it is important to remember that our health should be our top priority over an attractive salary or fancy job title. In some cases, a long weekend or week of annual leave just won’t cut it. A career break can provide a respite from work stress and give you time to reset, gain back your self-motivation and jump back into work with a healthier mindset.

Read our top tips on how to look after your mental health in the workplace.

9. Grow your professional network

Whether you’re just starting your career or well-established in the working world, growing your professional network is key. There are a multitude of ways to grow your network, such as going to face-to-face events and conferences, webinars or connecting with professionals on online platforms, like LinkedIn. Networking can raise your business profile and widen your career prospects through mutual connections, which can help your job hunt if you decide to return to work. Likewise, a solid professional network can be beneficial if you are considering starting your own business venture during your time off.

First and foremost, it is important to remember that taking a career break is nothing to be ashamed of and you don’t need to hide it from your employers. Being open and explaining your career break to potential employers can even work to your advantage and help you impress your interviewer. Here is our advice when it comes to explain a career break to employers:

• List your career break openly on your CV and in your cover letter
• Be prepared to answer questions about your career break during your job interview
• Showcase any role-specific new skills or qualifications you’ve gained during your break from work
• Talk about any life experiences or soft skills you have developed during your time off
• Highlight any events during your time off that show likeable characteristics, such as charity work, hobbies or volunteering
• Speak confidently about your career break and demonstrate to employers that you are not ashamed of it.

Read our blog for more tips on how to explain employment gaps in your CV.

If you’re planning to embark on a career break, here is our top advice for you…

• Reflect on your current career
• Don’t forget about a back-up plan
• Develop a strong professional network
• Upskill yourself
• Document your journey

1. Reflect on your current career

Take the time to deeply reflect on your current career status before embarking on a break. Assess your achievements, challenges, and overall satisfaction in your current role. Consider whether you might be coming up to a promotion or appraisal, and how your career break could impact this. Think about the direction you want your career to take and how the break aligns with your long-term goals.

2. Don’t forget about a back-up plan

While planning your career break, always have a back-up strategy in place. Unforeseen circumstances may arise, such as industry changes or unexpected challenges, for example, a new addition to your family. A well-thought-out back-up plan ensures you can adapt to unexpected situations without derailing your overall career objectives. Consider a side hustle or alternative revenue stream to keep you afloat, should the unexpected happen.

3. Develop a strong professional network

Building and maintaining a robust professional network is crucial for career success, both during and after a break. We recommend you strengthen connections with colleagues, mentors, and industry peers., and keep these going even when you’re out of work. A strong network provides valuable support, guidance, and potential opportunities when you decide to re-enter the workforce.

4. Upskill yourself

Use your career break as an opportunity to enhance your skills. Invest time in acquiring new knowledge, certifications, or attending relevant workshops. Upskilling not only keeps you competitive in your field but also boosts your confidence and adaptability for the evolving demands of the professional landscape.

5. Document your journey

Keep a detailed record of your career break experiences. Maintain a journal or document milestones, reflections, and lessons learned. This documentation not only serves as a personal record but can also be a valuable resource when you return to your career, showcasing growth, achievements, and the skills acquired during your time away and demonstrate this on your CV and during interviews.

There’s no one way to take a career break, but here are a few steps to consider…

• Notify your employer
• Get your finances in check
• Define what you want to get out of your career break
• Plan your return to work
• Fully immerse yourself in your break

1. Notify your employer

It’s important to notify your employers of your decision to take a career break and have an open conversation with your employer. Within this conversation, discuss your intentions, allowing room for potential adjustments to your plan and timeline. Some employers may even present sabbatical options or incentives to retain you within their workforce. Consider these options but always stay true to your needs, and if a career break is what you need then go for it!

2. Get your finances in check

Before taking a career break, establish a budget to cover the period without a steady income or look into alternative revenue streams, as mentioned above. Mitigate financial stress by reviewing your personal budget and identifying areas where spending can be reduced. This may involve reassessing insurance policies or finding cost-saving measures for daily expenses.

3. Define what you want to get out of your career break

Clearly outline the activities you plan to undertake during your break and identify the necessary steps to achieve your goals. Whether it’s global travel or starting a family, structured objectives help in planning and allow for ongoing progress assessment during the break.

Put this all into a plan, outlining steps towards long-term goals. Use this plan to track skill development and identify areas for improvement. While on your career break, align your activities with your personal development plan, incorporating educational pursuits or lifestyle aspirations.

4. Plan your return to work

Although you shouldn’t spend your career break purely thinking about work. If possible, use some of your break to plan for a smooth return to the workforce. Determine whether you aim to resume a similar role, explore a career change, or venture into entrepreneurship. Include specific steps in your plan, and have this ready for when you begin your return to work.

5. Fully immerse yourself in your break

Make the most of your career break, recognising it as a thoughtfully considered decision. Use this time for personal and professional growth, applying newly acquired skills to your future career endeavours. However, remember to embrace the opportunities for development that the break affords you.

At FDM, we are committed to breaking the stigma around career breaks. In fact, we appreciate candidates who have taken a career break as they can offer fresh ideas, transferable skills and make a fantastic addition to our clients’ teams. We offer specialised careers programmes dedicated to supporting returners looking to update their skill sets and get stuck into a new job with our esteemed clients.

Whether you’ve taken one or thirty years out, we are dedicated to getting you up to speed with all the latest knowledge and equipping you with the skills you need to return back to the office with confidence. In addition to a 7-week intensive training programme, Returners benefit from an extensive range of support and development initiatives to guide them through their journey, including flexible working options, online learning resources and wellbeing programmes.

So, if you’re looking to jump back into the working world, check out our Returners Careers Programme for more information.

• New Terms of Use
• New Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Closed Captioning Policy

Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by  Factset . Powered and implemented by  FactSet Digital Solutions .  Legal Statement .

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy

Travel and tourism to break records, bring over $11 trillion in 2024: report

The global travel and tourism industry is expected to be at an 'all-time high' this year.

Air travel demand is incredibly strong: TSA Administrator David Pekoske

TSA Administrator David Pekoske discusses air travel demand, flight disruptions, his experience going through TSA and firearm detections at checkpoints.

Travel and tourism is expected to be a boon for the global economy this year.

Countries around the world will see travel and tourism produce $11.1 trillion in 2024, according to a report released Thursday by the World Travel & Tourism Council.

The group said the forecasted global economic contribution would mark an "all-time high" from the roughly $10 trillion the industry brought in pre-pandemic 2019.

Countries around the world will see travel and tourism produce $11.1 trillion in 2024, according to a report. (  / iStock)

The coronavirus hit many industries hard, with travel and tourism in particular seeing negative impacts from the lockdowns and restrictions instituted in the early days of the pandemic.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

This year,   both international and domestic tourists are expected to splash out during their travels.

The report, which involved a partnership with Oxford Economics, projected a record $5.4 trillion in spending would come from domestic travelers. That would set a record, according to the WTTC.

Meanwhile, international tourists will reportedly contribute $1.89 trillion.

The report projected a record $5.4 trillion in spending from domestic travelers. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)

And the WTTC had an even rosier outlook for a decade from now, when it predicted global tourism and travel will be responsible for nearly $16 trillion and 449 million jobs.

ECLIPSE TOURISM EXPECTED TO BRING BIG BUCKS TO AREAS IN PATH OF TOTALITY

The travel and tourism industry’s performance in 2023 provided momentum for this year, the group said.

In 2023, it produced $9.9 trillion around the world .

"This isn’t just about breaking records, we’re no longer talking about a recovery – this is a story of the sector back at its best after a difficult few years, providing a significant economic boost to countries around the world and supporting millions of jobs," WTTC CEO Julia Simpson said in a Thursday statement. "There’s a risk however, we need the U.S. and Chinese governments to support their national Travel & Tourism sectors."

Passengers walk past a flight status board in Terminal C at Orlando International Airport, Jan. 11, 2023, after the FAA grounded all U.S. flights, reportedly due to an FAA computer system failure. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via / Getty Images)

The head of the WTTC warned the U.S . and China could "continue to suffer whilst other countries are seeing international visitors return much faster" if they don’t.

CRUISE LINES SAILING INTO 2024 SEEING STRONG DEMAND, AAA SAYS

The group pegged 2023’s U.S. international visitor spending at "more than a quarter below the peak of 2019" and China’s "almost 60% down."

In August, the WTTC issued a prediction that the U.S. travel and tourism industry would provide $2.2 trillion in 2023. It was responsible for $2 trillion the year prior to that.