Why You Should Take A Break To Revitalise Your Career

Why You Should Take A Break To Revitalise Your Career Why A Break Is Exactly What Your Career NeedsPosted October 13, 2011, by Mike KermodeWhether youre switching careers or just buggering off to travel overseas, a break from work can be a useful tool to garner not just life experience, but extra skills with which to arm yourself for your next big move. If nothing else, it can give you the opportunity to have a break, refresh, and reassess where youre at. Heres why a career break could work for you1. It gives you a perspektive to take a breatherThis is your chance to take a breather, clear your head and reassess what do you really want out of your career? Do you just need a break to avoid burnout, or is it time for a radical career overhaul? Take this opportunity to get some perspective, to look inside, and calmly determine whether its time for a major career change.Theres nothing like a change of scenery to get a little perspective, so its probably worth considering taking some of your accumulated leave to haul your weary frame somewhere relaxing for a long-overdue holiday.2. Itll help you make a changeIts well-known that unlike the old days, its now commonplace for people to switch careers several times throughout their lives. Career change can be a bold move, because in some cases it means sacrificing financial security and what from the outside looks like a perfectly good job, or seeking financial security where you have none right now. In any case, if youre dissatisfied, complacent, or apathetic about the job you have right now in other words, if youre not happy and you rate happiness as a chief yardstick for success, theres no time like the present to head in a new direction.3. You can plan your next moveNow that you have time to spare, you should be doing in-depth research into your prospective career, and really weighing up the pros and cons of making the change. What kind of financial planning will it involve? Is it sufficiently different, or simi lar to the job youre in now? And will your skills be transferable to your new career?4. Its a chance to upskillThis could be the perfect time to retrain or upskill. The kind of training youll seek will depend on your goals. Are you training with a new career in mind? Are you just looking to upskill within your industry or seeking to break out on your own? Or just wanting to learn some useful skills for your own interest, regardless of job prospects? Depending on the answers to these questions youve got a range of choices, from uni degrees to short courses and vocational certificates, like a massage course, business course or teaching degree. Training also shows employers that youre not one to rest on your laurels, that youre constantly willing to learn new things and see things from different perspectives. If you are unsure about your next big career move, training is a great way to test the waters of a field youre interested in, giving you an idea of what skills you will need t o learn and master, and whether or not thats really for you.5. Its the perfect opportunity to travelTaking a break to travel is a profoundly useful way to occupy your time. Youre meeting different people, seeing different places, experiencing new things all of which helps make you a more learned and rounded individual. This kind of life experience is highly valued by many employers, who dont just want people who have been in school since the age of five. Travel can, however, create an awkward gap in your resume but it doesnt have to. Travelling provides a unique opportunity to add to your skillset, and studying while youre travelling, or studying in order to travel, are both worthy pursuits and more possible now than ever before. Enter online study which offers a swathe of benefits for those who dont want to be bound to on-campus obligations, and who are capable of disciplining themselves to study alone. You get the same support as on-campus students and the same level of dial ogue with tutors you just do it where you want to, be it Paris, Buenos Aires or Timbuktu. If youre not keen on studying while youre travelling, you might like the idea of studying to facilitate your travel, to give you skills that you can take overseas (so you dont have to busk, beg, or bust your back picking fruit). The good news is that there are many courses, short and long, that will help you find employment elsewhere.Consider teaching English overseas A TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate or diploma is one of the most useful qualifications you can take abroad. You gain the skills and the right to teach English, and develop your ability to communicate with foreigners. You can study by distance at your convenience, and take your teaching qualification anywhere in the world.Become a travel writer or photographer For many, being a travel writer and photographer sits at the apex of desirable jobs. Travel is actually your chief job requirement i ts a tough gig, but someone has to do it. By taking a short course and gaining a qualification, you could be paid to document your adventures in print and photos.Work in tourism or hospitality Another big help when travelling is studying a tourism or hospitality course. This doesnt have to mean just getting a bar service certificate to serve Fosters to drunk Aussies in Nottingham, but encompasses work in hotels, restaurants, ships, cafes all those businesses that rely on people capable of providing good service around the globe. This kind of work supplements your travels significantly as it ensures you meet plenty of people and get to know the character of an area fast and make a quid at the same time.So whether its for travel, a career change or otherwise, a time-out from your present career can be a fertile period of rejuvenation rather than career suicide. Learning is perpetual and life is short, so seize the day And take a break. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my fir st jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health especially if youre making a big career change or returning to the workforce after a break.GraduatesLanguage8 career options for language studies graduatesIf youre an adventurous and ambitious person who loves new experiences, studying a language course could just open the opportunity of a lifetime.Job hunting tips8 Questions to Ask Your Job RecruiterWondering what to ask a recruiter? We have 8 questions for you which will help you gauge their skills, and tease out vital information which can help you submit a winning resume and ace the interview.