In today’s date, almost everyone is bothered about how to make more money and get a secured life. And both of these can be ensured if you have a stable job with a decent salary that is being transferred to your account at the beginning of every month! Young adults are desperate to wrap up their college and kick-start their career with a job of their choice.
Traveling, amidst all this, might appear like a wastage of time, (and money) when the real world calls for something else! But to add to your surprise, let me tell you that a recent study based on the data gathered by a prominent hostel-accommodation providing company (Hostelworld), has proved that being well-traveled may actually make you more employable!
While your parents are pushing you to be responsible, and all your peers are pursuing higher education and running behind their dream jobs – setting out for a gap year with your backpack might seem like throwing dust on society’s eyes! People will talk about it, daunt you of being incapable or just ignore thinking that your parents have enough money to sustain you for life, but you will surely be able to prove them wrong.
According to the survey done in the UK, 64% of travelers had the confidence that they will find a job to suit their interests and this number jumped to 82% when the employers were interviewed to ask if they wanted to hire travelers or not!
The study further revealed that 51% of the travelers felt that their journeys have helped them to figure out what they wanted to do professionally, while 46% met people who went on to help them secure their current job.
If you are still wondering how this can be possible, then here are a few ways in which traveling makes us more employable:
Traveling makes us confident & independent.
Travelers, surely, are a class of people who know about their moves and can act according to situations without bothering others for little things. Especially if we travel solo, we would know that in a faraway land, there would be none to provide us guidance and assistance and we’ll have to deal with all that comes our way, on our own. This, eventually, helps us to be more confident of ourselves. Any employer will always value a person who’s confident and independent when it comes to handling tasks and situations.
Traveling teaches us to be more efficient at multitasking.
Our multitasking abilities are often pushed to the limits while traveling. Imagine that you have to bargain with a cab driver in broken Spanish when you wish to catch a show in time, while converting the currency in mind so that you don’t end up paying more and at the same time, feeding you Instagram! Huh – much of work that is! The employer would know what to expect from you, and assign you tasks that would involve sending all the emails in time, and prepare a project report as well as update him about the latest trends of the business that he needs to know.
Traveling makes us more open-minded.
During our journeys, we come into contact with all sorts of people, starting from locals to migrants as well as other travelers from different parts of the world. We learn that not everybody sees things the way we do, and that’s absolutely okay. We try to adapt the good qualities of others and move on with a positive attitude. We don’t crib for little things, as we understand the fact that beauty lies in the difference. Similarly, in the workplace, compassion, respect for co-workers and the ability to compromise are essential to getting things done.
A traveler’s CV is filled with vibrant colors!
Imagine that you’ve taken a gap year after college – explored India and learned the art of Yoga, before moving to Thailand to volunteer at an elephant village with the locals, and later backpacked across Cambodia & Vietnam, finally ending up at the islands of Indonesia! Not only will that fill your passport with stamps, but also revamp your CV with beautiful experiences to share.
Traveling helps us to present stories like no one else.
While most people think that their grades would fascinate their future employers, it’s actually interesting stories that the latter wants to hear. Even if we don’t have good grades to show off, our adventurous experiences while trekking in the Himalayas or how we worked with the kids at a rural school in Kenya might win the heart of the employer. Trust me when I say this, your stories define you – not your grades! If you have to pitch an idea, seek shelter from your experiences rather than the graphs and statistics – you’ll have a better chance to sell it off!
Traveling helps us to put things into perspective.
Once we’ve traveled extensively and seen a bit more of the world, we start realizing the fact that having more money won’t necessarily make us happier! This will eventually help in making better career choices and do something we are passionate about. And if your employer can see that you have the zeal to do something, he would know that you can excel in the job!
Traveling makes us more likable and full of enthusiasm.
The energy we’ll put in making that urgent presentation will be similar to what we’ve put in planning out last budget trip – and the employer will easily get to figure it out. Research has shown that travel makes us happier and more fun to be around – something that even the colleagues will definitely appreciate.
Hello there, wanderlustful souls, don’t stop yourself from exploring the world! And don’t worry about bagging a job, because sensible employers are out there, willing to hire you for all the good qualities that you have.
Like I said, following a passion for travel isn’t just good for our soul, but it also means many employers will view us as more confident, versatile, and meaningful resource for their company.