Gap Year Dilemma: Is It Better to Work at Home or Abroad?

You're toying with the idea of taking a year off. You've been imagining about a local bank claiming your home after your folks fail to pay the loan, which they didn't tell you. Your best friend, who happens to be your next-door neighbor, is the only one who knows it. And she's the one who comes up with the crazy idea of selling anything you can find in the attic. You stumble into a journal, which is supposedly written by Jules Verne. Are you a descendant of the famed French author? You didn't have time to think about it, as the pages reveal clues that would lead you to a treasure. You may be reading the Max Tilt series one too many, but this is the kind of adventure that you want to happen during your gap year. Recruiters may not be impressed, though.

Taking a year off is not a right, but rather an option that must be used wisely. And you must do it right after you receive your undergraduate degree. It's about good timing, which may prompt you to ask about Malia Obama's case. Let's just say that she would be the rule to the exception. You could be thinking that life is unfair, but it's not. (If you're a wise teenager, then you should have an extensive network before you embark on your college journey. Connections could help you steer clear of trouble when you're looking for your first job.) You would make your life less complicated if you opt to take the gap year after you're done with your tertiary education. This should lead to the heart of the matter: Must you work at home or abroad?

Reading the latest work of Peter Lerangis, about a thirteen-year-old who would emulate his great, great, great grandfather, the author of classics like "Around the World in Eighty Days", would make you want to go on a Transatlantic crossing. There won't be such a thing as culture shock, not even the daunting task of learning a foreign language in a month or less. The thought that you would be on your own, without your parents checking on you, could make anything bearable enough. And you wouldn't mind taking on any job. The upside of working at home would be convenience. On the other hand, the experience you gain from traveling could be priceless. What more if you travel and work remotely at the same time? It would be better to rephrase the question (before answering it).

Why not work at home and abroad?

Time is gold. Don't press your luck, as you expect employers to look at you as the next Alex Garland. (If you have higher expectations, then you may be surprised to learn that some recruiters might give you a blank expression after you tell them that you want to emulate your favorite authors, who happen to pen the classics you've been studying a few years ago.) Looking for a home-based job might take some time, which is what you would encounter sooner or later. In this regard, you must consult a personnel from the Careers Office, who can help you narrow down your options. And let this administration officer assess your skills. Your earnings from this job could fund your trip. (A month or two should be good enough.) If you insist on looking for a job, then you could apply for any job. (Don't even think that bartending would be a walk in a park if compared to fruit picking.)

Idle time may be an issue. You've earned your right to party, if not get wasted. And you would be young once. (You don't mind the image of your tipsy face appearing on social media.) Keep in mind that employers want the best job applicants to work for them. If you could delete those photos, then do it as soon as possible. There's nothing about treating your social media accounts as portfolios of sort, which you should have thought about it during your first year in college.

You must have an extensive work experience if you want to get hired sooner. If you want a head start over other students, then you shouldn't hesitate about working at home and abroad. If you can put a clever spin on your choices, then you shouldn't worry about taking a job that has little to do with the field that you want to be part of. It's all about marketing yourself, where you point out that nothing would go to waste.

The Thing About Traveling

Don’t be fooled by the claims of digital nomads (or backpackers who have been on the road for too long) that traveling could be a lifestyle. It’s not a right (like voting), not even something you must do before you reach 30. Traveling is not for everyone, and you would spend a considerable amount of money (if you do). You must earn it, which doesn’t mean that you couldn’t ask from your folks. Make sure that you won’t stay out for too long. You have lots of explaining to do (in your CV), and you must have a knack for fibbing if you could pull it off.