BootsnAll Travel Community

Hey all, kind of funny because I was in the forums quite a bit before I left for my two year trip and now I'm back looking for advice again. A quick word of advice from someone who has just finished their RTW trip to people who are considering of doing a RTW trip.... DO IT!!! The toughest thing was quiting my job, but once I told my boss that I'm leaving, it was easy as pie. Quitting and going traveling was the best decision I have ever made in my life. It was the most amazing thing I have ever done.

I will post more about my travels later, but since cash flow is the current problem these days, work on my resume has unfortunately taken a bit of a priority. Here is my basic situation: I worked at an engineering company for 3 years after graduating college, gaining awesome work experience, then I took off for my trip. So I now have a two year gap of work experience that I need to fill in on the resume. I am definitely mentioning the trip in my resume (I read another post from a couple of years ago where people did not put their trip on there, seems like that is just more trying to hide it).

The trip was a hugely positive thing in my life. I grew a lot and have a whole new perspective on life and what I want to do. I had amazing ups and downs. Met amazing people. Learned tons of things. All these things changed me for the better. I'm just not sure how to convey all of this on a resume. If a recruiter has done some extended travel, I think they would immediate recognize what I gained from it. The problem is that most recruiters have probably not done an extended trip.

So I am struggling with content and how to reach the non-travel recruiter. What is the best way to put it on my resume? Do I put it in experience section? Do I put it in a travel section (at the top or at the bottom?)? I did not do any volunteer work (probably my biggest regret actually, please move the bashing comments to another post, I deserve it).

What I guess I am looking for is to hear what some other people did and how it turned out for them.

Here is what I have right now for that section in my resume:

• Traveled through Europe, Central and South America on a self-funded and self-organized trip
• Demonstrating adaptability, independence, confidence, organization, and on-the-go problem solving
• Became fluent in the various Spanish dialects and allowed me to become interculturally educated

Interested to see how other people did on their job search after their RTW trip. What were you biggest hurdles? Any advice? thanks

chuck

I wouldn't put a travel category. I have all of my work experience at the top and then above that, at the very top I have "recent achievements" with my RTW trips (I did two with a year freelancing in-between so my gap is worse than yours).

I think the best selling points of the RTW trip are the decision making, quick reactions, planning etc. that you practiced. Don't beat yourself up about the volunteer thing. Some people do great volunteer work but you have to stay for a long time to make a difference. Most of those 2-week "volunteer holidays" just take jobs away from locals.

Ultimately, some people will think your travel is awesome and worthwhile and others will think you were hanging out and wasting time. I don't think I would want to work for someone that has a poor attitude so it's fine if they don't think highly of my experience.

I'm not speaking from experience (as the the longest trip I've taken was much shorter than yours and taken as a leave of absence - so it's transparent from a resume standpoint); however, my $0.02 would be to consider something along the lines of the following.


WORK EXPERIENCE

(standard resume blather)

OTHER EXPERIENCE

Date-Date: Sabbatical
Independent travel through X countries on X continents. Developed Spanish fluency , as well as flexibility and strong on-the-go problem-solving skills..


I would acknowledge the time period so that recruiters aren't scratching their heads; however, I wouldn't dwell on it much at all. Give them some quick data points (i.e. the "X" numbers), a concrete skill (Spanish=good), and minimal else. Spend more time researching ways to play up your prev. work experience.

hhmmm, this is great advice so far, thanks a bunch. I definitely agree that it needs to be put on the resume and probably just not too highlighted. I really like the idea of 'Recent achievements' section.

Working for an employer that doesn't think of the trip as a positive thing is definitely a no-no. I wouldn't want to work for anyone like that... as we probably have very different views on life/job.

thanks for the advice!

chuck

I have a similar issue. I traveled for about two and a half years through South and Central America and now am looking into getting back into corporate America. I think I have to list my trip to explain the huge employment gap, but for now I'll keep it short and simple and explain it more thoroughly at the interviews, if I get them. I was considering including my short stint volunteering as a puma walker in Bolivia, but that's probably not relevant to applying for a position as a software engineer.

what kind of job are you going for? I just met with my career services office in law school and they told me to absolutely put travel under an other experience type category...truthfully every time i go in for an interview and they see:

Travel: and my one sentence...they always ask "where's the most exotic place you have been or, which is your favorite?"

So a word to the wise, while often I feel it is a great talking point and most people find it very interesting and it shows you are well rounded, make sure you are prepared to answer those common questions...Don't make it the focus of the interview because at the end you dont want them saying "well he has certainly traveled but is he really qualified?"

Also I'd say you take all that out and just write Travel: Has been to x number of countries on x number of continents or something to that effect...trust me you dont want it the focal point of your resume unless you are trying to work for STA travel or something in the travel or tourism industry...

While my upcoming RTW will be my first extended travel experience, here's a few thoughts from 1) a guy who didn't travel at all during college or after and kicks himself about it on a regular basis, and 2) someone who does a lot of recruiting for new hires in my line of biz (worldwide construction company).

When I talk to a candidate and look at their resume I'm looking at previous experience, getting a feel of how they operate (you can usually tell if their a douche from the get go) and what they're involved in outside of work. Granted I'm in a business where the type of person you are and the attitude you have can get you just as far as your book lernin' you have, but I believe it translates to a lot of professions.

So as far as what to put on a resume, focus on your professional accomplishments (that's what will get you in the door). The travel will hopefully get you in good with the person who is interviewing you, hopefully bolster that relationship. Hopefully you'll see that the person doing the interviewing is representative of the type of company you want to work for. Any kind of travel, especially if you say "Traveled around the world for x months..." whatever should catch peoples attention. Anything like that will hopefully spur the appropriately hoped-for conversations. I know I'd ask questions.

And honestly, when someone puts "this experience taught me time-management, independence..." I say to myself mmm... resume BS. Get all that stuff out during the interview. It will take the top of the resume (experience) to get you in the door and the bottom of the resume (experiences) to keep you in the room. I don't know if it's right, but that's how I do it. Good luck!

I had a similar predicament last year, although at a different experience level. I had 16 years experience as a civil engineer, but had quit to travel 'round the world for a year. It was amazing and life-changing, but I agree with people to put it down lower on your resume. If you get an interview, travel makes a fantastic topic and you should be ready for the questions mentioned previously, as well as the question "Did you get it all out of your system?" Most people will be jealous, but no one wants to hire someone these days that they think are short-timers and are just passing a little time before their next trip. (even if you are!)

The bad news is that it's really hard to go back to a full-time corporate job after the freedom of independent travel. You never get it out of your system, but just want to travel more. Good Luck!

quote:

And honestly, when someone puts "this experience taught me time-management, independence..." I say to myself mmm... resume BS

I concur. And I wouldn't even bring it up like that in an interview either. To the person who's never traveled long term, all travel basically sounds like is a vacation and a cool experience. And, I'd sell it as just that. However, what I would sell at an interview, is that in order to go travel around the world long term, one would have had to been willing to work long hours, have money management skills, and prioritize their time in order to make it happen. All good skill sets for a worker, especially now that travel is all out of your system

In a previous life I had jobs where I would periodically have to interview people and thus have to view CVs first. Obviously I'm sympathetic but nonetheless the two things I would stress are:

1. Don't try to hide periods of time on your CV. It's obvious to anyone with a brain and arouses suspicion, and any gaps stick out like a sore thumb. They will be subject, rightly, to question;
2. Don't present the time you spent travelling in a defensive manner. If you don't regard it as time positively spent, why should I?;
3. (No-one expects the Spanish Inquisition...) I think the time you spent travelling has positive implications outwith the time you actually spent on the road. Prior to that you will presumably have worked and saved hard, to a plan, to reach the goal you set yourself. This on its own demonstrates a certain amount of ambition and determination.

Best of luck.

Wow, this is all great advice. I'm beginning to think that maybe it is a good idea to keep it to a line or two about where I went and for what amount of time and leave it at that. Let them ask me later during an interview what I got out of it and what I feel it can bring to the table. Seems like that might be the way to go.

Great, thanks so much for the advice. I will keep you posted as time moves on how things develop.
thanks

I also recruit for my law firm and see a lot of resumes from very high calibre candidates. I've seen several people who have gone on extended trips between undergrad and law school. Usually, it is listed at the bottom in a section labeled "Interests" or "Other experiences", etc.

One long-term traveller put his blog address on his resume, and of course, I went and pulled up his blog. It just so happened that the blog entry on the top of the page related to urinating in a coffee can and leaving it for his landlord to find. Not exactly lawyer material. Needless to say, I didn't give him a favorable review. So, if you've kept a blog, don't list it in your resume unless you absolutely want your employer to read it.

My blog doesn't have anything that bad, but it's still not professional and certainly doesn't have anything to do with the job for which I am applying, so I'll leave it out. Good advice.

i think if i was a recruiter for any professional type job and the person listed their blog i'd throw the resume away...read a book, ask someone, that is a big no no

It depends on where you want to work and the image you set up.


The positions I hired people for were limited and demanding. I didn't want the least little inkling that a candidate might want any more time off that their 2 weeks at a time.

That aside, there are plenty of jobs that would love to see travel experience. However, I don't think it should be a highlight, but mentioned as others have stated above.

If you are unsure about whether your potential employer wants to see it or not...I liked Eppyboy's approach of mentioning it in a very subtle way and letting the interviewer bring it up if they were so inclined.

You can also do a functional resume rather than chronological. Those are great for not making absences so obvious.

I wouldn't put it on my resume, though. I would talk about it in interviews, if it was applicable, but I wouldn't list anything like that in my resume unless it was directly related to the job.

I had an interview with someone a long time ago who insisted upon asking me, "Are you done with your traveling?"

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Some people will think it's rad (when I asked my boss to take off a couple of weeks with two weeks notice to go to Costa Rica, she said, "Of course you're going someplace fab!") and others won't.

Live your life for yourself and the ones who think you rock.

This post caught my eye as I was just struggling with this today. I have just completed a 14 month RTW trip. I decided to take the advice that I found in a resume book. Under work history and experience, I just put independent travel and the dates. Then for the description I just put travel in Asia, Europe, and the South Pacific. I figured if they were interested in hearing more or wanted to know what I learned they would ask me. I am a chemical engineer by the way and am applying for engineering jobs if its relevant to you.

By the way I am not in China despite what the location box says. I am currently in the US.

I know a few headhunters and this is the advice they gave me:

Don't put it on a resume. It's not really work experience.

Write in your cover letter. talk about how it gave you whatever skills you think it gave you. In a globalized world, companies are looking for people who have been around. it shows you can adapt quickly and are ok dealing with other cultures. say that.

but not in the actual resume...

Everything that I have read says that a functional resume looks like you're trying to hide something, and besides, I think it will look good if I put my 5 years' experience with IBM on my resume, even if it was a few years ago. Therefore, I think I should go with a chronological resume.

So the dilemma is this: Some of you say not to leave any employment gaps in your resume, and others say don't put your travel experience on your resume unless it's directly relevant to your job (it's not in my case). I can't follow both of those pieces of advice, so which is the lesser of the two evils, filling in the employment gap with a short entry about my 30-month trip, or only including stuff about my job but having an employment gap?