Stuck for what to do?

New Zealand waterfall

Want a career break but don't know what to do? We are here to help you.

How to make your break help your career

The most important thing about your career break is that you don't waste it. Not just for yourself, but also when the time comes to get another job.

Employers want to see that you've done your career break for a reason (even if it's just wanting to see the world). They also want evidence that you've learnt something. If you've retrained, or done any sort of course at all, it shows you still have the capacity to learn. This is true even if your course has nothing to do with your day job.

Some general skills you might pick up:

  1. Working as part of a team, particularly if you've done volunteer work. A willingness to pitch in is always valued.
  2. Leadership skills, especially if you've been teaching.
  3. Ability to communicate effectively – talking to people from other cultures widens your horizons and makes you able to understand people better.
  4. Organisational skills, especially if you go travelling.
  5. Developing confidence – a cliché perhaps, but it will show at an interview.
  6. Motivation – just the fact that you've had the confidence and enthusiasm to take a career break will make you stand out from other job-seekers.

So now you might have an idea of what sort of thing will help your career. But what do you want to get out of it personally? You might want to:

  • Be a more confident person
  • Make new friends
  • Step outside of your comfort zone
  • Give something back
  • Prove to yourself (and others) that you can do something new and different

Now you have a sense of what you want to get out of your career break, you're out of the starting blocks. Take the next step by searching for a career break opportunity here.