Any thoughts on taking a year to travel before job hunting after college?
If it matters, I am thinking of a liberal arts major from lower tier school, so finding a job may be a challenge either way.
If you haven’t started college yet…wait and see.
What bout something like the Peace Corps?
This student is graduating this year. I will suggest Peace Corp. Thanks.
My understanding is that the Peace Corp. requires a minimum 2 year 3 month commitment and you are stationed in one location.
I can speak as an experienced parent of a return PC volunteer.
If you have a college senior who is graduating this spring…they need to apply ASAP if they want to be in the PC when they graduate. Typically, new groups start in spring (too early for,this student) or early fall. It can take up,toma year to get through the application process and be selected…and receive an appointment.
Go read rhe PC website. Tons of good information there.
The appointment is 27 months as there is a three month training period in country at the start. The volunteer usually gets their actual placement about 1/2 way through the training.
Time and money to travel, for even a month or two is a great luxury if the student’s family can afford it. However, using it as a delay in job hunting I see problems. I think the new grad can take time off but should be looking for independence from mom and dad. This means searching for job opportunities, even if they start a few months later.
I also think you need to be more positive about the new grads chances for employment in something. Attitude can influence how a person presents themselves in the job market. The college surely has job fairs and listings to explore as soon as possible. The job does not need to be a forever job or career.
Parents will not be funding the travel, the plan is to travel (backpacking and youth hostels) using savings, get work visas, and get odd jobs while traveling.
No doubts about the ability to find some job, just realizing that finding a really good/adult/professional job that is interesting will take time and hard work and wondering if delaying this will have any negative consequences. I can’ t think of any, so I put it to the cc community to see if I am missing anything. I had read something that suggested that this was not a good idea, but it didn’t say why and left me wondering. Thx.
No. The student should go off and live life to the full before settling down to the grind of daily responsibilities. I did. It worked out fine. No point living a life of regrets. “Only young once” is so true.
I don’t think the student should count on picking up jobs along the way without a work visa.
I don’t think the student should count on GETTING a work visa and jobs while traveling.
What about WWOOFING? Would,that be an option?
I second the idea of doing a traveling year while you are young, if you are so lucky to be able to do it, and have the desire to. Look closely at your motives and needs: Are you passionate about getting out in the world, are you just wanting a little break and a taste of what’s out there or are you mostly wanting to defer getting a long-term job while you decide what you want? No right or wrong answer, it just might help you define the right path for you.
The main concerns to me (at my ripe old age, with hindsight) is what to out about health insurance, and also safety.I was a vagabond when young, and don’t regret it, but I do think the world has become a more dangerous place.
I second the idea of Peace Corps if you can take the time or being a part of another well-regarded program (maybe something shorter-term or involving less “roughing it”) if that is possible. Consider something like AmeriCorps or other experiences within the U.S too.
An advantage of Peace Corps is that it is responsible for providing health care (including medivacs, if necessary) and/or evacuating volunteers if there is a safety threat. Traveling from place to place and working intermittently can be amazing and fun, but with inherent dangers. I did lengthy solo trips after/between Peace Corps services, but that was after gaining cultural/language skills for a long time. I also traveled in other Peace Corps countries, where I had an automatic network/support system. I now shudder a bit at my age at what could have happened had I gotten sick or injured at the wrong place or time when I traveled alone.
Yes, the Peace Corps application process is very lengthy and competitive (I did it twice and also worked in the Peace Corps placement office for a year) However, there can be many advantages , even if you have to get a stop-gap job for a few months/year after graduating before beginning Peace Corps service. Especially if you have a liberal arts major from a lower-ranked school, having done it can distinguish you for some employers, give you non-competitive status for entry into government jobs (or that was the case in the past) and it can help with graduate school admissions…Not to mention, food for thought for a lifetime…
I see now…OP was talking about someone else. Anyway, my concerns about health/safety apply to anyone. I say, go for it, but with some kind of safety net/health plan. Don’t know where this student was hoping to go, but malaria, giardia and/or other parasites/bacterial infections are no joke, and happen eventually to almost everyone who travels extensively in the tropics and semi-tropics (if that is part of the plan.)
Given that the ACA rules are up in the air, I’d be worried about health care, but having spent the year between college and grad school living in a camper van and traversing the country - this is a time in your life when you can do stuff like this. I did it on the government’s dime as there was a program called Youthgrants back then. A partner and I photographed and documented the history of fire stations all over the country. My partner wrote a book on the subject and we donated our negatives to the Library of Congress. WOOFing might be one way to do something overseas.
As far as working abroad, frankly I don’t think it’s a problem if all that is needed is a bit of supplemental cash. Cash in hand jobs are pretty easy to find if you are willing to work. This is true for much of the world. I was totally useless at these types of jobs, but even I managed to earn some money while I travelled.
My brother did. It was my father’s idea and when he insisted my brother consider it, I thought dad was nuts but it worked out well and there were no negative consequences for my brother. In fact, the year off probably helped in many ways. As a young person, he had many interesting things to talk about at client dinners, learned to be very flexible and adapt easily. Dad bank rolled him for the year.
Wwoofing sounds really like a good fit and less commitment than Peace Corp. Never heard of it before. Great suggestion.
Traveling has always been viewed as an alternative education. Wealthy people would send their children to travel the world to learn things. Traveling during a gap year is a great way to gain global perspective that employers are looking for.