It’s easy to forget how much travel prepares you for the world. Not least the world of careers.
There are plenty of ways that your experience exploring the world can translate into real plus points when you write your resume and attend interviews after you get back.
We’ve noted 5 ways that travel can help you look great professionally to remember when talking to companies.
1. You Know How to Plan
If you’ve traveled abroad long or short term you’ll already have had a good taste of planning.
Whether it’s booking flights, planning excursions, or arranging to meet up with people you’ve met along the way, travel is perfect for showcasing your ability to plan ahead.
This is of course invaluable in business and is a key transferable skill most companies are eager to see from candidates.
2. You’re Great at Communication
It goes without saying you gain communication skills when you’re on the road.
You meet dozens of people from different countries, develop friendships and relationships, and have to be used to dealing with both verbal and nonverbal interactions. Having that experience is going to work in your favor.
Companies are comprised of people. Intercommunication between those people is essential for operating and succeeding in the market. Therefore, your travel experience will make you a great choice for many employers from this standpoint.
3. You’re Flexible and Adaptable
One of the things that most people gain from travel is some experience in adapting to changing circumstances.
Setbacks happen. From canceled flights, sudden changes of plan like COVID restrictions, and even natural disasters forcing you to change your plans, you’ll have likely encountered one or two situations where you’ve dealt with an emergency situation.
This kind of crisis planning is needed by most organizations. With a few choice examples of how you responded to specific unprecedented situations, you can show employers that you’re good at working under pressure and responding to changing realities.
Not only that, it’s a great way to prove that you’re able to think creatively and critically.
4. You’ve Gained a Wider Cultural Understanding
Traveling around the world is eye-opening for people in many ways, not least due to the cultural experiences you encounter on the way.
Experiencing a wide mix of different cultures firsthand can prove beneficial for your career too.
Companies are increasingly global and interconnected between different teams in different parts of the world. By knowing how to move between different cultures you’ll be an ideal pick for hiring managers.
Cultures differ even within companies based in the same country. Therefore, even if it’s just a local business, knowing how to negotiate and work effectively with people with different perspectives will be a definite strength in your job search.
5. You’ve Learned a Language
If you spent long enough traveling around in one place you may have picked up a language.
It will obviously come as no surprise that learning a language and speaking it to a high level is something most companies find useful in their operations. It’s a major selling point on your resume and you should be prepared to use it if you have it.
With companies increasingly international in their outlook, the ability to speak a foreign language will put you in good stead in many hiring processes. Therefore, don’t be afraid to show off this skill if you have it.
Travel is more of a learning experience than you ever realize when you start out. However, by knowing the traits that will help take your career forward you’ll be able to take full advantage of all the skills you gained on the road.
