Comments on: How to Make Travel Look Good on a Resume http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/ Featuring insider destination guides and how-to articles from the matador travel community. Our focus is sustainable travel, cultural immersion, plus work, study, and volunteer opportunities worldwide. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:43:56 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jen http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-7456 Jen Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:59:34 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-7456 What a great article! I laughed the entire time I was reading it as it is all true! Thanks and good job! -Jen What a great article! I laughed the entire time I was reading it as it is all true! Thanks and good job!

-Jen

]]> By: Maxwell http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-7275 Maxwell Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:00:07 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-7275 Great tips! I've actually gained a lot of experience and exposure from exploring East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar) for the past 4 1/2 years even though I came here on a ONE WEEK business trip in the Winter from Canada...haven't been back yet. lol! How can I leave now when I havent even visited Mozambique, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zambia or Angola? :-) Thankfully my IT/CompSci background has given me a little leverage in these parts. Cheers! Great tips! I’ve actually gained a lot of experience and exposure from exploring East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar) for the past 4 1/2 years even though I came here on a ONE WEEK business trip in the Winter from Canada…haven’t been back yet. lol!
How can I leave now when I havent even visited Mozambique, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zambia or Angola? :-)
Thankfully my IT/CompSci background has given me a little leverage in these parts.

Cheers!

]]> By: Francis http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-6207 Francis Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:46:42 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-6207 MAN!!!! This article embodies me word for word. Thanks a million!!! Now just to get traveling again MAN!!!! This article embodies me word for word. Thanks a million!!!
Now just to get traveling again

]]> By: Christina http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-6117 Christina Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:00:57 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-6117 Great article, very helpful! Great article, very helpful!

]]> By: William Wallace http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-4445 William Wallace Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:56:11 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-4445 The most important lesson that I have learned from travel, is that I need to start making enough money via my own initiate so that I can be in the position to travel, whenever I want too and to wherever I want too. The most important lesson that I have learned from travel, is that I need to start making enough money via my own initiate so that I can be in the position to travel, whenever I want too and to wherever I want too.

]]> By: C. Russo http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-3377 C. Russo Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:39:11 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-3377 Great article! I never thought about putting my travel experience in my resume, but you bring up very interesting and valid points! If I ever travel for a year; I'm make sure to get enough experience to better my resume! Thanks for sharing. Great article! I never thought about putting my travel experience in my resume, but you bring up very interesting and valid points!

If I ever travel for a year; I’m make sure to get enough experience to better my resume! Thanks for sharing.

]]> By: Michaela Potter http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-3341 Michaela Potter Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:35:03 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-3341 Gap years and career breaks are not as common in the US as they are in the rest of the world, so the concept is still very new to potential employers. Likewise, there is a difference between returning travelers who were just out of University (and needing to fill a resume) and those who were in established careers and planning to return to the workforce. My husband took his very first career break after 14 years with the same company and found that those he interviewed with were fascinated by his experience. The break actually helped him in advancing his career goals and securing a new job: http://briefcasetobackpack.com/2009/07/michael-bontempi-how-my-career-break-helped-my-career/ And those who do plan a career break should definitely update their resume before going. It may seem like a tedious task when your thoughts are on traveling, but those latest work accomplishments will disappear from your mind quickly. Here are some additional tips on adding your career break to your resume/cover letter/interview when you do return: http://briefcasetobackpack.com/2009/02/next-steps-getting-back-to-reality-and-resumes/ Gap years and career breaks are not as common in the US as they are in the rest of the world, so the concept is still very new to potential employers. Likewise, there is a difference between returning travelers who were just out of University (and needing to fill a resume) and those who were in established careers and planning to return to the workforce.

My husband took his very first career break after 14 years with the same company and found that those he interviewed with were fascinated by his experience. The break actually helped him in advancing his career goals and securing a new job:
http://briefcasetobackpack.com/2009/07/michael-bontempi-how-my-career-break-helped-my-career/

And those who do plan a career break should definitely update their resume before going. It may seem like a tedious task when your thoughts are on traveling, but those latest work accomplishments will disappear from your mind quickly. Here are some additional tips on adding your career break to your resume/cover letter/interview when you do return:
http://briefcasetobackpack.com/2009/02/next-steps-getting-back-to-reality-and-resumes/

]]> By: Chris (Amateur Traveler) http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-3247 Chris (Amateur Traveler) Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:22:58 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-3247 The best tip is to hand it to a manager who also wishes he/she could travel. The best tip is to hand it to a manager who also wishes he/she could travel.

]]> By: Henk http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-3169 Henk Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:36:40 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-3169 I took 1.5 years off some 20 years ago. To this day I am proud to tell business partners that I learned my negotiation skills in the streets of Delhi! I took 1.5 years off some 20 years ago. To this day I am proud to tell business partners that I learned my negotiation skills in the streets of Delhi!

]]> By: Ali http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-3133 Ali Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:22:05 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-3133 An interesting article - I have certainly used my travels for examples in interviews. But it is not mentioned on the CV, working in Travel I guess this wouldn't hurt, but can't help but feel it does look a lot like 'filler' An interesting article – I have certainly used my travels for examples in interviews. But it is not mentioned on the CV, working in Travel I guess this wouldn’t hurt, but can’t help but feel it does look a lot like ‘filler’

]]> By: Liam Cahill http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-3076 Liam Cahill Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:13:12 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-3076 Sorry Matt, I feel that although your article makes a few salient points about translating what should effectively be a negative (a long holiday) into a positive, I think that this advise at best is only applicable to people struggling to fill a CV. As a consultant who returned from a year off travelling around Latin America last year, I would, when returning to work, never ever dream of trying to include my career break as anything other than what it was. Don't get me wrong, there are aspects of which can be translated (for example a new language or hobby skills picked up along the way), however, in such a competitive environment in the job market people will likely automatically bin your CV if you are wasting valuable space writing about your long holiday. Negotiating in a Thai market or budgeting your travels well are all very good to use when in an interview and asked a "describe a situation when you've...." question. However, I fundamentally disagree that filling what should be valuable CV space with what you have suggested above will do you no favours in getting an interview. As someone who consults in HR departments I would suggest that anything that is not work experience, then anything more than 'Career break, travelling through X, Y & Z' should be left out of the CV & Covering letter and perhaps saved for the interview, where you will then have the chance to demonstrate that your time off has made you a much more interesting and fun person to have around. Sorry Matt, I feel that although your article makes a few salient points about translating what should effectively be a negative (a long holiday) into a positive, I think that this advise at best is only applicable to people struggling to fill a CV. As a consultant who returned from a year off travelling around Latin America last year, I would, when returning to work, never ever dream of trying to include my career break as anything other than what it was. Don’t get me wrong, there are aspects of which can be translated (for example a new language or hobby skills picked up along the way), however, in such a competitive environment in the job market people will likely automatically bin your CV if you are wasting valuable space writing about your long holiday. Negotiating in a Thai market or budgeting your travels well are all very good to use when in an interview and asked a “describe a situation when you’ve….” question. However, I fundamentally disagree that filling what should be valuable CV space with what you have suggested above will do you no favours in getting an interview.

As someone who consults in HR departments I would suggest that anything that is not work experience, then anything more than ‘Career break, travelling through X, Y & Z’ should be left out of the CV & Covering letter and perhaps saved for the interview, where you will then have the chance to demonstrate that your time off has made you a much more interesting and fun person to have around.

]]> By: Scott http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-2728 Scott Sun, 07 Jun 2009 01:13:11 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-2728 Matt is right about knowing your audience. I've been trying to find work in New York after an eight month trip and not many people are taking my travel experience seriously. Also, in this economy, it's tough to justify travel experience when you have to compete with people that have just been laid off, or worse when you get an employer who thinks someone who got laid off deserves a job more than someone who quit to travel. That being said, I still put my travel experience on my resume because as Amy B noted it does let people know what I have been doing. As a compliment to this article I would suggest that potential travelers increase their network before they travel with people who are sympathetic to their goals. That's a great way to get ahead of other people who were constantly working while you were away traveling. Matt is right about knowing your audience. I’ve been trying to find work in New York after an eight month trip and not many people are taking my travel experience seriously.
Also, in this economy, it’s tough to justify travel experience when you have to compete with people that have just been laid off, or worse when you get an employer who thinks someone who got laid off deserves a job more than someone who quit to travel.
That being said, I still put my travel experience on my resume because as Amy B noted it does let people know what I have been doing.
As a compliment to this article I would suggest that potential travelers increase their network before they travel with people who are sympathetic to their goals. That’s a great way to get ahead of other people who were constantly working while you were away traveling.

]]> By: Amy B http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-2675 Amy B Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:17:28 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-2675 This article raises some good practical strategies for learning to sell yourself and your experiences no matter what they are. The only thing is, I find I have to include all travel details on my CV even if it was only 2 months of galavanting around Mediterranean Europe. This is because otherwise employers don't know what you did during that time. It looks bad to have gaps on your CV, you must always have dates that match up with no gaps. It keeps your integrity in tact and leaves nothing to be guessed or assumed (such as unemployment). I worked in Recruitment for 3 years while on a working holiday visa in the UK and I always saw gaps in candidate CVs in a bad light. It just made extra work for me to have to fill in the blanks and I didn't want to have to ring them up and screen them just to find out information they should have given me up-front in the first place! Cheers Amy This article raises some good practical strategies for learning to sell yourself and your experiences no matter what they are.

The only thing is, I find I have to include all travel details on my CV even if it was only 2 months of galavanting around Mediterranean Europe. This is because otherwise employers don’t know what you did during that time. It looks bad to have gaps on your CV, you must always have dates that match up with no gaps. It keeps your integrity in tact and leaves nothing to be guessed or assumed (such as unemployment).

I worked in Recruitment for 3 years while on a working holiday visa in the UK and I always saw gaps in candidate CVs in a bad light. It just made extra work for me to have to fill in the blanks and I didn’t want to have to ring them up and screen them just to find out information they should have given me up-front in the first place!

Cheers
Amy

]]> By: Powered by Tofu http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-2664 Powered by Tofu Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:33:41 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-2664 I wouldn't say the "current events" have turned in favor of those who are unemployed, but I guess this article was written a year ago, so things were different then. ;) And for #3. I actually do list my year of travel under "Work Experience" because I call it a "One Year Career Break" and link to my travel blog, but then again, I work in marketing, so it might be a little different than if I worked in healthcare etc. I wouldn’t say the “current events” have turned in favor of those who are unemployed, but I guess this article was written a year ago, so things were different then. ;)

And for #3. I actually do list my year of travel under “Work Experience” because I call it a “One Year Career Break” and link to my travel blog, but then again, I work in marketing, so it might be a little different than if I worked in healthcare etc.

]]> By: Michelle http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-2388 Michelle Tue, 19 May 2009 14:32:53 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-2388 Great article, Matt. Wording your experiences this carefully is so much better than leaving them off altogether- avoiding an explanation screams "unemployment." Thanks for the tips! Great article, Matt. Wording your experiences this carefully is so much better than leaving them off altogether- avoiding an explanation screams “unemployment.” Thanks for the tips!

]]> By: Shreya http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-2324 Shreya Fri, 15 May 2009 05:19:20 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-2324 very helpful and extremely relevant -- thank you Matt very helpful and extremely relevant — thank you Matt

]]> By: rand http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-2263 rand Sun, 10 May 2009 16:01:29 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-2263 i believe travel makes for a better person all round, but this article's crap. you write that in a CV for a competitive job, you'll come off as trivial at best and a hippie at worst. i believe travel makes for a better person all round, but this article’s crap. you write that in a CV for a competitive job, you’ll come off as trivial at best and a hippie at worst.

]]> By: Colin Wright http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-2158 Colin Wright Sat, 02 May 2009 20:51:43 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-2158 Very timely and well-written article. As the world gets flatter and flatter, it will be more and more necessary to speak a few languages, be familiar with at least a few cultures, and be able to think outside the box (which can only be helped by leaving the quit tangible box of your home country). Not to mention the fact that more an more professions are going virtual, which will allow you to take the travel skills you learned and apply them every day, since you'll be logging into work (and therefore can work from anywhere) instead of commuting in the not-to-distant future (if you aren't already). Very timely and well-written article. As the world gets flatter and flatter, it will be more and more necessary to speak a few languages, be familiar with at least a few cultures, and be able to think outside the box (which can only be helped by leaving the quit tangible box of your home country).

Not to mention the fact that more an more professions are going virtual, which will allow you to take the travel skills you learned and apply them every day, since you’ll be logging into work (and therefore can work from anywhere) instead of commuting in the not-to-distant future (if you aren’t already).

]]> By: iGuide http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-1952 iGuide Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:37:36 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-1952 To be honest, if travel teaches you anything, it's that there are more exciting things to do than work. Work has its own soul-crushing culture. Leave travel off the resume unless you are applying for a job serving tables or working in travel or with other cultures. To be honest, if travel teaches you anything, it’s that there are more exciting things to do than work. Work has its own soul-crushing culture. Leave travel off the resume unless you are applying for a job serving tables or working in travel or with other cultures.

]]> By: Rebecca http://thetravelersnotebook.com/how-to/how-to-make-travel-look-good-on-a-resume/comment-page-1/#comment-1894 Rebecca Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:14:58 +0000 http://thetravelersnotebook.com/?p=197#comment-1894 What a great article. I never thought about translating my travel experiences to my resume. God knows I had to be adaptable when I missed my connecting flight from London Heathrow to Edinburgh Airport. What a great article. I never thought about translating my travel experiences to my resume. God knows I had to be adaptable when I missed my connecting flight from London Heathrow to Edinburgh Airport.

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