Think of advantages and disadvantages of taking a gap year and the ways of spending it.

If you have just graduated from high school or college you may be considering taking a gap year. Gap year means taking a time off to go and have another experience in life before getting back to studies. The gap year practice is very popular in Europe and other countries where students are persuaded to break off from studies for sometime. Students can travel during their gap year. They try to search for and do something different before moving to the next level in their academic career.

So, if you are graduating sooner, you may be looking for possible things you could do during your gap year. Taking the gap year will provide you with enough time to think about the next step in your career. Either you want to become engineer or an IT expert, the gap year will be beneficial to you in many ways. You will think with a cooler mind especially when there is no stress at all. For this reason, gap year is positively regarded in many countries around the world.

However, you should think well before taking the gap year. It therefore depends whether the gap year would be a good thing for you or not. One of the first advantages of taking the gap year, is, as said before, it offers time to think carefully about your career. Besides, if you are not performing too well at school or at college, taking the gap year could be valuable as it might save you money. Gap year not only means travelling or going for vacations. It also consists of discovering different aspects of life. So, you may take the gap year to work and save some money. By doing this, you could be able to finance your education during the next step of your career.

Another plus point of taking the gap year is that you might be able to travel to meet different people and know diverse cultures. This will help you improve as a person and as well ensure your personal development. Moreover, taking the gap year could also be a drawback. Many people who have taken the gap year may find themselves struggling to get back to their career afterwards. This is probably the most common disadvantage of taking the gap year. Assume you have started to work during your gap year. If you find yourself getting enough income, education might be something difficult to get back to.

Furthermore, when taking the gap year, you may lose contact with important people such as your teachers. Teachers are vital in a student’s life as they continuously push him towards getting the best education and also keep progressing in his academic career. This shows that taking the gap year can be advantageous as well as disadvantageous. It is therefore imperative to think carefully before deciding to take the gap year.

If you are unsure whether you have to take the gap year or not, ask for help. You may contact your teachers or take advice from your parents.

38. What recommendations are given in the job search plan?

Before you begin your job search campaign you must have a Personal Marketing Strategy. A personal marketing strategy provides you with a game plan for your job search campaign.

You should look at the job search as a marketing campaign, with you, the job seeker, as the product. Every product, even the best ones, won't succeed without a strong marketing strategy. This begins with a comprehensive, yet flexible plan. First you must know to whom you are marketing. You must identify the types of employers who would be looking for an employee with your qualifications. Are they all within a certain industry? Are there many industries that hire employees with your background?

Locating Job Leads

Next, you must decide what sources you will use to locate potential employers. Everyone you speak to will have a different opinion on this. Some people feel that classified ads are a waste of time and thatnetworking is the only way to go. Others believe that executive recruiters will get them the job they want. To use an old cliche, you should leave no stone unturned. Use all methods of tracking down potential employers.