Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jdsolo]

I saw this article on CNN and thought it was interesting.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/02/04/americans.travel.domestically/index.html?iref=obnetwork#


Do you think Americans will/can develop a culture where taking a "gap year" or two is acceptable? Maybe with the Great Recession, people in America might be more willing to take time off between college and their careers?

Alot of Americans tend to ask how to write in a year abroad on their Resumes/CVs. The time off is a lot more acceptable in Europe and Australia/NZ but I don't think it's as acceptable in the States.

What do you guys think?

I'm planning to spend a year in Korea and a year travelling but I've had 4 years of experience with the Army so I'm hoping it'll help me get a job after I get back.

[pinishee]

Interesting article.

I agree 100% with the concept of a gap year

Will the US implement a gap year for college/high school students?
I'd say close to impossible.

In my opinion...
The US as a whole doesn't really care about traveling to other countries. First, as part of our upbringing, traveling outside the US was never really given much importance by our schools, parents, society. We have this view of self greatness and mistakenly ignore the value of cultural exchange through travel. Sure we have our Chinatowns or Little Italys but it's not the same.

Also, to travel to other countries we would have to sacrifice a nice chunk of our income to accommodate travel. The median income is around 45k. After paying for our mortgage/rent, car note, student loans, food, etc. there is little money left.

From a career growth point of view, a gap year would put the individual behind the curve. I'd venture to say that most of us who teach English abroad for X amount of time and switch into a non-teaching career path once in the States, we would be at a disadvantage. Employers think "How can this person benefit the company?". And I'd say employers don't really value the going abroad argument in comparison to let's say, an internship or previous relevant work experience.

But I say go abroad, travel. At least for a year. If it doesn't help your career growth screw it, because it will sure as heck help your personal growth.

[goniff]

i think a lot of you guys are taking a "gap life"

never mind a "gap year"

[pinishee]

define "gap life"

[Illysook]

Gap year: time off to explore the world before heading into the job market.

Gap life: becoming a manager at the Gap store where you worked in college while believing all of that corporate mythology/bunk about working your way up from the bottom.

[chellovek]

Just to throw it in- I've known many people who have taken a Gap Year and it has been of no benefit to them. Not in the philistinic "How does it help me get a job and make money?" sense, but in the sense that they have been across the world and learned next to nothing in any sense

An idiot is an idiot, no amount of globetrotting will change that.

On the other hand, if you're mentally and emotionally developed enough to go somewhere and learn then I think it will be hugely enriching, not necessarily financially, but in the sense of becoming that rather rare thing- an interesting person.

[AsiaESLbound]

Teaching ESL abroad is like taking a gap year, because it's unverifiable employment history and most back home can't place how your skills and knowledge gained from your experience abroad applies to a position in their companies. As for learning from world travel, it depends on what you do and how you do it. Do you sit in bars and sleep in until 2pm most days or do you get up early to spend your days touring around experiencing art, culture, and history while meeting interesting outgoing people from around the world? Regardless how and why you took an extended leave abroad, employers back home will rarely see value in it in perspective of what you bring to the table in their business. It's unfortunate they don't recognize the soft skills you gained such as improvement with your inner personal skills like critical thinking, public speaking, and the ability to better understand and relate with others who are the staff and clientele of your prospective employer.

I think if America adopted a more European and commonwealth style of culture, gaps in employment would be more socially acceptable instead of making you too questionable to be brought on into a job position. This would only happen at some point after the US acknowledges it's no longer the #1 great big arrogant imperial superpower who has to do everything very differently from the rest of the Western world. Unless you are returning to adequate cash, owned housing, and self employment, the US system will indirectly penalize us from all directions upon repatriation such as with a lack of employment opportunity, increased insurance rates from having not carried insurance nor credit continually, lack of housing options, and a lack of fresh references needed in obtaining housing and employment. Needless to say, I'm a bit anxious about going home to nothing and starting over, but at the same time, I look forward to having people in my every day life I can relate with and taking my hobbies outside the apartment to share with others.