The Gap Year Career

You’ve heard of the gap year. Now there’s the gap year career.

As recruiters, we’re all in favour! Here’s why.

Many students choose to take a gap year between finishing A-Levels and starting a degree course. But rather than using the time to have an extended travel trip, an increasing number of UK students are using the time to make a start on their future careers.

Spending a gap year working not only gives students extra cash to go to university with, it also gives them valuable job experience that could give them an edge when they enter the job market.

This is particularly true for legal graduates looking to win prestigious job roles where the competition is often stiff.

Some also choose to take a gap year after their degree or even a few years into their career. These gaps later can fall foul of inflexible hiring managers who still view employment holes negatively. Some law firms may be concerned that time out means losing skills.

But if the time is used to extend and gain new skills, it could be time off well spent. And more and more hiring managers are looking at your years of experience instead of gaps in your CV dates.

Increasingly, many gap takers are starting their own businesses, giving them invaluable new skills and opening new opportunities for personal growth.

A graduate CV that has plenty of relevant work experience and skills already will give you the edge over other graduates.

Did you take a gap year?

If so, what did you gain from it