CHOOSING A CAREER PATH Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions you will make – it’s more than just deciding what you want to do to earn a living. If you are unsure of what to do, don’t panic! You could consider taking a gap year. Plenty of people have no idea what they want to do next. A gap year gives you time to think, and to have experiences that may help with your decision. During your gap year, you can travel and experience different cultures or stay closer to home and earn some cash at an entry-level job. It’s also a great opportunity to learn some new skills, such as new computer programs or a second
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language. Many employers view the ability to speak a different language as a huge asset and learning new skills will also do wonders for your confidence. Taking a gap year to travel is also a tried and tested tradition: in the 1700s young people of the British elite used to go on a ‘Grand Tour’ around continental Europe, and the modern gap year has its roots in the 1970s ‘hippie’ movement, where young people took off to ‘find themselves’ before ‘settling down’. It’s a great way to increase your selfawareness and figure out what’s really important to you.
For those of us who can’t afford or don’t want to travel, if you’re working 20 hours a week at minimum wage and giving your parents £50 weekly rent, you could save over £3,750 in a year! Work 25 hours a week and you can have nearly £150 monthly spending money on top of those savings. Whatever you choose, taking the time to be really sure before you make a decision will give you real peace of mind when you do take your first steps onto the career ladder.
