Blogtober 19 - Explaining travel in job interviews and applications
*Before I start just to say I am not a career advisor, I have no HR knowledge or anything like that. This is advice purely from my own experience of applying for courses/work. I am writing this to support others who may need a starting point for an application or reassurance before setting out on an adventure. Obviously don't directly copy any sentences from here, because that's plagiarism and will get you sacked pretty quickly if it's spotted.*
Preparing to travel or even
thinking about it as an option brings many decisions and concerns. One
that we had, like many people, was the affect that taking 2-3 years 'out' would have on our
future careers and the childrens' schooling.
There are
many things about a travel experience that can be an
advantage to you and to future employers. This post is about some of the
things you may want to consider if you have (or are planning) a gap in your employment and are trying to put together a CV or job
application.
Collection of town maps and tickets |
Doing something different brings huge learning - practical and theoretical. How can you put those transferable skills into an application or interview format though? Boiling down the specific experiences into broader skills will demonstrate how they transfer to other areas. For example, you may consider it as just 'doing the washing and working out the machine instructions' or managing in a shop in a different language. These are both examples of 'overcoming communication challenges'. It's not about trying to talk something up or make it into something it is not, just recognising that what you consider to be a normal part of the life you have chosen, is a concrete skill that you have obtained that may be useful in other settings. A search online will find you many lists of skill sets considered desirable by employers; some specific to certain industries, others more general. Using these you can then match the skills you have to the phrases and terms employers/inteviewers are using - just another form of translation.
Dual language road sign (French/Breton) |
Using the correct dates and putting a quick phrase like 'travelling with family' in your listed employment stops it being a negative gap and makes it clear that you are being open about what you were doing in the 'missing' time. A period doing something different may also make your application and/or interview stand out and be more memorable amongst others with similar work experience and qualifications. Don't be afraid to be creative with using relevant photos from your travels if you have to give a presentation in an interview.
Finally, if it is at all reassuring, we have all returned to professional jobs and education. We went through various applications and interviews and have since found many ways that the skills and knowledge we gained from travelling benefitted ourselves and others.
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