Will a Gap Year Affect my Child's Career Opportunities?
“Will a gap year affect my child's career?” - parents may wonder! You will no doubt be very pleased to hear that taking a gap trip may actually strengthen your child's career opportunities.
Will a gap year affect my child's career opportunities - University
Taking a gap year, rather than having a bad affect on your child's job aspirations, will actually benefit their chances of getting a place at a good university. Universities completely welcome gap year students, as they are more mature, committed and work harder, having had a break from education, experienced the world and seen what life is really about.
A gap year benefits your child's career opportunities by helping them to decide what they really want to do. If their gap year is related to their studies then it will certainly help your child's career, they should make the most of it in their university application. |
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Will a gap year affect my child's career opportunities - Work
A gap year will influence prospective employers if they can explain to them what they gained from it, such as experiencing new cultures, coping with the unexpected, surviving and excelling in strange environments, and taking calculated risks.
Taking part in a voluntary work abroad demonstrates a hard working, mature and responsible attitude, these are attributes, which employers will value.
A gap year will be beneficial to your child's career opportunities if they communicate the insights that they gained and the skills that they picked up. They are certain to gain numerous transferable skills: team-working for example in any work context shows good interpersonal skills.
Many employers have started to realise the benefits of a gap year and have begun to offer a career break policy, allowing staff to take time out. If your child has already been travelling, they will have greater employability than someone who hasn't been, primarily because they will be less likely to want a career break. |
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Will a gap year affect my child's career opportunities - Personal
Research shows that taking a gap year helps develop confidence and independence, this will not only help your child in any employment scenario, but also in an interview situation - one of the most important parts of job selection.
After taking a gap year your child is likely to become more adaptable and flexible, this is a result of dealing with the unexpected, thinking on their feet and having to cope with new ways of working and living work opportunities will be greatly increased. |
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Generally their outlook on life will broaden from meeting a wide range of people and experiencing different cultures, something you can't help but do whilst travelling.
Another definite advantage of a gap year is that they will begin to employ creative thinking in response to the little glitches that happen when they move outside their comfort zone! Common sense will improve from being in different situations every day, similarly people that take a gap year are generally more motivated and organised, a skill that is apparent from gap year planning alone. Employers particularly like this mind-set; therefore a gap year can have a very positive affect your child's career opportunities and job aspirations!
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