Gap Year Projects That Get You Ahead - By: Mark Bottell

With mounting student debts, zealous competition for jobs and fewer graduate recruitment schemes, the future is certainly beginning to look a little bleak for those coming out of university life. So, how do you set yourself apart from the other graduates? Well that depends; some people choose to print their CV on coloured paper, others return to university to study for Masters and PhD degrees, and the more sensible embark on gap year projects.

New research has shown that gap year projects give participants an edge over other graduates - and who could disagree. Unlike simply returning to university, they show that you’re not scared of getting your hands dirty, can be self-sufficient, and, as many gap year projects involving volunteering on behalf of a charity, they also show that you’re willing to give something back. What’s even better is that if you’ve got a particular career path in mind, there are plenty of ways to manipulate what you’ve learnt on gap year projects to your advantage.

Teaching Children Soccer Skills....

Teaching children basic soccer skills can be an extremely rewarding experience, and one that you’ll no doubt discover on your gap year projects whether you’re doing a sports-based gap year, or taking part in a conservation program. If you want to be a PE teacher, or even a regular teacher, then there’s no doubt that something like this will look incredible on your CV. However, even if you don’t have a teaching career in mind, this experience shows great teamwork, and fantastic organisational skills - both of which are transferable skills that would look good on any CV. A career in teaching requires initiative and heaps of patience – so if you’ve taken part in any type of teaching or coaching during your gap year projects, then make sure you mention it in your next interview.

Digging Trenches...

Manual work is part and parcel of most gap year projects, especially those in the conservation field. Digging trenches in the hot African sun may not be the easiest of tasks, but to future employers it shows that you’re not afraid to get stuck in and keep grafting, even when the going gets tough. No one wants a prospective employee that balks at the idea of hard work, so showing that you’re prepared to get your hands dirty and, in this instance, work for free, well, that’s definitely a skill that will get you ahead in the job industry.

Tracking Wildlife.....

Even in the African bush you can’t fully escape from paperwork, and whether you’re collecting information on the number of white rhino versus black rhino in the Shamwari Game Reserve, or staying up all night so that you can bottle-feed a baby giraffe, there’s inevitably going to be paperwork that goes with these tasks. Keeping up to date log books, and ensuring that your data is properly organised at the end of your gap year projects is a great way to practice those all important organisational skills. Okay, balancing account books and arranging your boss’s diary may not be as fun as keeping tabs on the African wildlife, but saying that you learnt these life skills whilst working in an African game reserve, that definitely gives you an edge over the competition.

About the Author

Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended breaks on gap year projects and other holidays for adults.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Mark-Bottell/95891

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