Mind The Gap: How Taking a Gap Year Could Actually Boost Your Career
Gap years aren’t just for students anymore. Recent research shows that nearly five million UK adults have taken a sabbatical or gap year from work and impressively, a third of those are over 40.¹ Across the UK, people of all ages are hitting pause, whether to reset their careers, invest in personal growth, or simply escape the daily grind.
Employers are waking up to the value these purposeful breaks bring. Far from being career detours, gap years are fast becoming a launchpad for adaptability, initiative, and global awareness skills that are more crucial than ever in today’s interconnected world. With remote working and sabbaticals now more widely accepted, taking extended time out is becoming accessible to professionals at any stage.
From a recruitment perspective, gap years speak volumes. They show not just cultural curiosity but sharpened problem-solving skills, resilience, and renewed direction. Many use this time to freelance, volunteer, or even start their own businesses — all markers of drive and self-motivation recruiters admire. Financially savvy travellers often rent out their homes to ease costs, while others leverage sabbaticals to combat burnout, returning refreshed and more productive.
A recent Robert Half survey found 42% of UK workers wantaccess to sabbaticals, largely due to burnout and mental health concerns.² The gap year, once a niche choice, is fast becoming a mainstream career strategy.
Take Chiara, 26, from Brighton, who left her job due toburnout and toured Asia with her partner. Now full-time freelancers, they embody a growing Gen Z trend seeking meaningful work beyond the 9-to-5.³ Or Karen and Myles Davies from Somerset, who planned a year-long European motorhome trip only to travel for nearly a decade, lowering living costs and building a successful travel blog.⁴
Gap years can also ignite fresh careers. Former digitalmarketing professional Kaye Sutcliffe traded corporate stress for van life, turning her yoga passion into a mobile studio touring the UK and Europe.⁵ Meanwhile, Clare and Mike’s year backpacking on unpaid leave led to a transformative midlife adventure, proving it’s never too late to hit pause.⁶
Why Consider a Gap Year?
- Personal growth and develop independence, resilience, and a global outlook.
- Career enhancement by showcasing adaptability, initiative, and diverse experience which are attributes highly prized by employers.
- Gain academic clarity, motivation and focus if you are planning further study.
- Financial reboot by renting out your home or reduce living costs while exploring the world and earning money freelancing to help pay for student loans or save to get onto the property ladder.
How to Make Your Gap Year Work for Your Career
Treat your gap year like a project. Set clear goals alignedwith your career ambitions and use the time intentionally. Here’s my advice:
- Keep Learning. Consider taing online coursesvia Coursera,Udemy, or LinkedIn Learning to build skills and certifications while travelling.
- Network Globally: Connect with professionals andlocal communities using LinkedIn or Meetup to build a worldwide network.
- Volunteer or Intern: Gain real-world experienceif switching industries to make your CV stand out.
- Freelance: Use platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, orFreelancer to build a portfolio and client base — showing entrepreneurial spirit and discipline.
- Maintain a Professional Presence: Share yourjourney and achievements on LinkedIn to stay visible to recruiters.
- Plan Financially & Logistically: Exploresabbatical or remote work options with your employer. Budget carefully, including insurance and emergency funds.
- Learn a Language or Skill: Stand out by gainingnew, marketable skills.
- Seek Internships or Volunteering: Demonstratecommitment to a new field.
- Explore Startup Accelerators: Equity-freeprogrammes offer mentorship and funding, often cheaper than an MBA.
- Rent Out Your Home: Help cover expenses and showfinancial foresight.
- Negotiate Remote Work with your current employer: Keep career momentum by earning a salary while travelling.
- Test Business Ideas or Freelance: Experiment with entrepreneurship to develop valuable experience.
And don’t forget to keep a blogor portfolio to showcase your journey and skills. This could be in the form of Instagram, whichis also a great way to keep friends and family updated about your travels.
When you return
- Highlight your transferable skills in your CV and Cover letter to stand out from the crowd.
- Be ready to explain how travel sharpened yourproblem-solving, communication, and cultural awareness.
- Practice framing your gap year as intentional growth to impress hiring managers.
- Create a portfolio by using a landing page to showcase your skills, internships, language and volunteering work and be sure to include the portolio link in your CV, Cover letter and on Linkedin. Remember, keep it professional.
- Update your linkedin professional with a link to porfolio and let Recruiters know you have returned from a Gap year and open to opportunities.
Taking a gap year today is more than a break it’s astrategic move to build your personal brand, sharpen skills, and renew your career passion. With careful planning and a clear focus, your gap year could be the best investment you ever make in yourself.
¹ MoneySuperMarket: 4.9 Million Brits Have Taken a Sabbatical
² Benefits Expert: The Rising Demand for Sabbaticals
³ The Guardian: Gen Z and the Freelance Lifestyle
⁴ The Motoroamers Blog
⁵ The Sun: From Digital Marketer to Yoga Van Life
⁶ The Telegraph: Midlife Backpacking Adventures
⁷ The Sun: Becky and Steve Redfern’s Minimalist Campervan Lifestyle
⁸ The Guardian: Kerryn’s Camino de Santiago Journey and Career Change