Hi fellow travel lover. If you are trucking along with the BootsnAll email series, you know that Day 7’s email is all about thinking about how your trip will impact your career. Will you request a sabbatical from work? Is that even an option that your employer allows? Will you quit or find remote positions with another company or do freelance work while on the road. Whatever you decide, consider some of the following ways you can maintain your current skills and/or build new skills to add to your resume while you are going on overland tours and jet setting.
First thing’s first. Time to pause and think about your current career situation. If you have a job, you have a few options for next steps once you have made the commitment to going on a long term travel journey.
Option 1: Check to see what options your current employer offers that would allow you to stay in good standing at work. If you do some digging in your employer’s employee handbook, you may find out that you can ask for a sabbatical for an extended length of time. If the work you do is something you can do remotely, you may opt to ask if you can work a flexible or part-time schedule while on the road. These options may be ideal if you want to travel work-free knowing that your position will be available to you upon your return or if you want to continue to have a reliable paycheck while you are traveling.
Option 2: If taking a sabbatical or working remotely for your current employer is not a viable option, you may opt to resign from your current position altogether. If this is the route you will be taking, make sure you give your employer ample advance notice and put in your resignation. You want to leave on good terms in case there is an opportunity to re-apply for a job at the organization when you return. Before you go, make sure you dust off your old resume and update it with your latest and greatest accomplishments and experience since your last set of resume edits.
Option 3: If a sabbatical or resignation is in your stars, you can also consider providing services as a freelancer. Is there a skill that you already have or are currently developing that you can market in order to make money? For example, are you a graphic designer or photographer? Have you recently learned how to manage and maintain your blog and now feel comfortable managing and maintaining someone else’s blog? If so, you can market your services on a number of freelancer marketplaces.
Option 4: If you are not sure what services you could provide while traveling, consider volunteering. Volunteering is a great way to network, build skills, gain experience, and make a positive difference in the world. As an added bonus, your volunteer experience may be a great item to highlight on the updated resume you use to get a new job once your trip comes to a close.
Leaving your current place of employment does not have to mean death to your career. Some employers may even value your trip and the knowledge, skills and experiences you have gained while on the road. Research employers that have values that match with what you are trying to accomplish with your trip. Your research may point you in the direction of an employer that’s a better fit for you and ready to hire you when you return from your adventure.
If you want even more information on what other people have done regarding career decisions, consider joining online travel or entrepreneur interest groups. A few of my favorite Facebook groups are Female Digital Nomads, Girls Love Getting Paid While They Travel!, Girls LOVE Travel, and Lady Lunch Club. Join these and others then ask your questions to the group. Most people in these groups are helpful and eager to provide advice.
If you have been in this situation, add a comment to let people know what you did. Sharing is caring:) Until next time!
P.S. Don’t forget to read the rest of the BootnAll summary. Click here to read the full summary.
