Taking a Gap Year as a Career Break or Post Career Choice

If you've reached this section then you're at least curious about a career break or a post career experience that can take you well beyond playing golf or relaxing on the beach. For our purposes a "gap year" is a generic term and not an actual time frame. Your mid and post-career "gap year" can range from as little as a week to a year or more.

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This section is devoted to helping you get from curious, to interested, to committed, and ultimately to taking part in meaningful and rewarding grown-up gap-year (or "gap-time") experiences. Interim Mid and Post-Career Gap Year sample programs and scenarios offer examples of the "What" and "Where" of an actual "gap-year" experience. But knowing the "What" and "Where" about a gap year is not all there is to consider before you say "Yes" to an Interim Gap Year. There are other questions to be asked and other issues to be explored. After all, didn't Kipling say,

"I keep six honest serving men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who"?

So, that leaves us to add "Why", "When", "How", and "Who". Please read on.

Examining the Benefits (The "Why")

Before we get started, think about this. When you look at what you're doing every day are you inspired? Are you motivated? Are you challenged? Do you feel needed and appreciated? If the answer to one or more of these questions is "No" then a gap-year program might be just what you need to get to your "Why". The benefits of an Interim Gap Year are numerous and vary with the individual and the circumstances, but getting inspired, motivated, challenged, and feeling needed and appreciated are definitely among them. Why do they vary? Because you're an individual, and during our interview process we listen to you as you express your individual ideas and feelings about taking time off and altering your life. Then, based upon what you tell us and our years of experience, we offer insights and suggestions that support you and your aims. We make program recommendations that we believe will inspire and motivate you, and produce the benefits you're seeking. We'll help you to achieve the goals and objectives you set.

From looking more deeply into yourself and developing your interests, to getting a broader view of the world, an Interim Gap Year can help you to grow in a way that best suits you. Examine some of the most frequently presented motives that trigger a desire for a mid-career break or post-career gap year and some of the most commonly realized personal rewards of a gap year in our Benefits section.

Considering the Costs (A key part of the "How")

Two of the important issues that come to adults' minds when considering a gap year are tending their finances and the cost of the gap-year programs. First, we at Interim work closely with you, the professional or retired professional, to discover what you, and oftentimes your family, can afford to spend before recommending programs. We also point you to key elements of your finances to review so that you can figure the effect that taking this time off will have on your financial situation. Please review the page about mid and post-career costs here in Costs to get an idea of the costs you might incur and those that you might forego or offset during your personal gap year.

Addressing the Concerns (Assisting You with more of the "How")

Once beyond our school years we often find that we have obligations that make it harder to take time off for such as a gap year. Job, family, and financial obligations are just a few of the concerns that affect our thinking. While having no or few commitments is the ideal position to be in when considering a gap year, there are ways to overcome what may at first seem like insurmountable obstacles. To borrow a phrase from FDR's first inaugural address, "the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself". That said, you have valid concerns that we can help you identify and address.

One clear leg up that you have is that unlike many of our students and recent grads who have not traveled far from home, or have not traveled alone, you are probably a seasoned travel veteran. Or maybe you're not. In either case, don't let unfamiliarity with travel be a concern. We advise you on how best to prepare for your travel and stay in touch with you throughout your time on programs. Additionally, we have local contacts in many of the program areas we recommend. Read about Interim's extensive support here as we follow you through your gap year and help to deal with your Concerns.

Read About Your Peers' Experiences (The "Who" before You)

Now that you've looked into taking time for yourself and gotten an idea of the "What", "Where", "Why", and "How" of an Interim Gap Year, maybe reading how a few of your peers viewed their gap years will reinforce what you've discovered and open up possibilities that you haven't considered. See what they have to say in their Testimonials. As we tell our students, there's lots to gain and, other than your lack of familiarity with what's possible for you, very little to lose during your Interim Gap Year.

Getting Your Gap Year Started ("When" could be now)

Once you've looked at benefits and costs, assured yourself that your concerns are manageable, and maybe even read a few testimonials, you can see how to get your own Interim Gap Year started. Take a look at the process and then either fill out a Career Break or Post Career Application or Contact Us to assist you.