Sure it’s great to travel. We experience new places, taste new foods, and learn new culture all while having fun. Yet, did you ever consider that travel might be a boost to your career?
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career transition
Not long ago I had a conversation with an individual who was thinking about traveling to volunteer. They were struggling with elements related to this activity, such as, how much money it would cost; the necessary time off from work; and what skills (if any) would be required. Although the conservation varied, the discussion tended to stay focused on the topic of skills-based volunteering. Many questions emerged. Should they consider utilizing their skills, or would a great attitude be enough? Do community projects really need skilled volunteers, or does it really matter? While there may be some merits associated with needed unskilled labor in some contexts, such as clearing trash from ocean-side beaches, according to academic research, skills-based volunteering does matter. Here are top four reasons why.
Making travel meaningful is a deliberate decision. One with opportunities to gain personal and cultural insights in new places, revitalize with new experiences and allow yourself to become the traveler you always wanted to be. It’s different for everyone. But world wide travel won’t be slowing down any time soon. And fit-cation wellness travel has become the new status symbol of a productive healthy lifestyle. At the top of that list? A brain-body boost of revitalization.
There is no cookie cutter path to finding a career with social impact. Making an impact in your day to day work is no longer limited to a job with a non-profit organization. With a general trend towards social responsibility in the US and around the world, there are a number of new career tracks in impact and limitless ways to arrive to your ideal position.
Retreats are becoming more and more popular as vacationers look to grow and develop themselves both personally and professionally. As Seneca said, "Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind."
The physical change in location can facilitate an internal change in perspective. I know when I travel, I'm always more open to things. This can be especially helpful when contemplating a career shift and is why career exploration retreats can be particularly beneficial.
“I found myself in a new environment, with unfamiliar people working on a short-term project, I could easily observe myself from a meta-level view. It made me reflect about the qualities and contribution I can bring to any given project and the way I get perceived. I noticed how I function in a new team and where there is potential to improve. This awareness is valuable for me, on a personal as well as on a practical level.”
With a desire to grow, develop my career and travel, I applied for a professional development program with Venture with Impact in Chiang Mai, Thailand and made a step that retrospectively seems to be the brightest move I’ve recently done. I’ve had a chance to escape my well-known surroundings and become part of a great international community of travellers, digital nomads, location-independent professionals as well as Thai and Burmese inspirational leaders. I became a richer person bringing back home many emotions and learnings. These are the most remarkable ones.
Traveling is prime reading time. Sitting at a café alternating between people watching and reading is one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon while on vacation. It’s also one of the times I can focus and think bigger picture about my own life and career. Here are a few to inspire you on the next leg of your journey!
We are excited to announce a collaboration with Pivot Journeys, an organization that offers experiences for career growth and development. Both Venture with Impact and Pivot Journeys strongly believe that international travel can have a positive impact on your career, whether you are negotiating your role or trying to figure out what comes next. With that in mind, we are sharing an inspiring post by Pivot Journeys, "How Travel Fuels your Career". So pack your laptop to work and travel inspired by the world around you. Your career will thank you!
The term “volunteering” is often associated with a ‘hard work, no pay’ set up – this could not be further from the truth. While giving is at the core of volunteering, volunteers reap benefits as well. Skills-based volunteering, also know as pro bono, brings new experiences, from learning a new language to exploring new locales. More importantly, there is a whole range of skills that can be gained from this brand of volunteering, which can significantly benefit professional development.
Productivity advice for working remotely around the world from Jessica Yubas: veteran digital nomad, remote work advocate and location independent lifestyle coach, and author of Go Remote School’s newest online course, “How to Be a Productive Remote Worker While Traveling.”
Why volunteer abroad? I could come up with a multitude of reasons why everyone should both travel and volunteer abroad but I’m just here to tell you about the 11 essential reasons why I believe it’s important for everyone to volunteer abroad.