Career research

Taking a gap year

There are all sorts of reasons for choosing to take time out and if you use the time wisely, it will help you in your career.

Time out can be any activity that is not conventional employment but is still an experience that helps you to demonstrate your potential for your future career. This requires thought, organisation and integration with your career planning, especially if you intend to apply for jobs with strict deadlines.

Employer attitudes

Employers generally feel positive about time out experiences, provided that you can demonstrate that your time has been spent constructively. They will be interested in what you learned about yourself, the skills you developed, and how you organised your trip, managed your finances and coped with problems. These experiences also provide useful evidence of personal development when answering tricky job application questions.

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