I have quit my job..I want to see the world! where shall I go?
Jan 20, 2008, 10:20 am
#61
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 37
Cheap v Expensive Destinations
In fact, early on I thought about focusing on cheap destinations, too, so that I'd have money left when I return home for good. But I realized I'd probably never do this again (make that, I'd certainly never do this again). I've got grown kids and grandkids, so that made me even more unusual I guess.
I travelled by continent -- for example, I spent six months in South America. A couple of years, off and on, in Europe. Lots of time in Asia -- India, Himalayas, SE Asia, China, etc. I'd research while here at home, then head out with Lonely Planet (my favorite guides, especially for third world areas).
I had a bunch of ff miles, but business class used them up pretty quick (my rule was, transoceanic or 12+ hour flights will be business class, all others coach). Also had many hotel points, but those will get you a room in hotel with other business travelers, so you're not really experiencing the country -- you might as well check into the Hilton in your city and pretend you're in Kuala Lampur. Whenever flying to a new country, I'd use hotel points for 2 nights in the new place. That way, I'd ease into a new situation, and have room service to help ease jet lag. I also stayed in big int'l hotels every couple of weeks to catch up on current events (CNN, BBC, etc.) I was in Northern India on 9/11, found out about it 2 days later. Was in Bhutan when we attacked Afghanistan, and was constantly challenged by other travelers to explain why we did that. (Like I would know, or even had anything to do with it!) I'm a Texan, and that was always good for lots of discussion, mostly unbidden on my part, about W.
Because I'm a grown mom with grown kids, I tried to use common sense, especially for hotels. Always in city center, never cheap dumps near bus stations, etc. I tried to spend no more than $50/night for hotels. Admittedly, I had more money than most, but I realized pretty quick that if I made travel conditions too severe (cheap), I'd be miserable and come back home. I gave myself daily budget of $100, all inclusive. It averaged out.
I decided I was willing to come home broke rather than spend the rest of my life wishing I'd stayed long enough to do everything I wanted. In my case, it was the right decision.
I travelled by continent -- for example, I spent six months in South America. A couple of years, off and on, in Europe. Lots of time in Asia -- India, Himalayas, SE Asia, China, etc. I'd research while here at home, then head out with Lonely Planet (my favorite guides, especially for third world areas).
I had a bunch of ff miles, but business class used them up pretty quick (my rule was, transoceanic or 12+ hour flights will be business class, all others coach). Also had many hotel points, but those will get you a room in hotel with other business travelers, so you're not really experiencing the country -- you might as well check into the Hilton in your city and pretend you're in Kuala Lampur. Whenever flying to a new country, I'd use hotel points for 2 nights in the new place. That way, I'd ease into a new situation, and have room service to help ease jet lag. I also stayed in big int'l hotels every couple of weeks to catch up on current events (CNN, BBC, etc.) I was in Northern India on 9/11, found out about it 2 days later. Was in Bhutan when we attacked Afghanistan, and was constantly challenged by other travelers to explain why we did that. (Like I would know, or even had anything to do with it!) I'm a Texan, and that was always good for lots of discussion, mostly unbidden on my part, about W.
Because I'm a grown mom with grown kids, I tried to use common sense, especially for hotels. Always in city center, never cheap dumps near bus stations, etc. I tried to spend no more than $50/night for hotels. Admittedly, I had more money than most, but I realized pretty quick that if I made travel conditions too severe (cheap), I'd be miserable and come back home. I gave myself daily budget of $100, all inclusive. It averaged out.
I decided I was willing to come home broke rather than spend the rest of my life wishing I'd stayed long enough to do everything I wanted. In my case, it was the right decision.
Jan 20, 2008, 11:09 am
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
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got a friend who was just diagnosed with breast cancer. I dont know if they have begun thinking about all the worse cases, because fortunately they caught this early and she should get thru it. BUT it does make ya think: You really only live once. They have traveled and do travel muchly. they have been amassing SPG and airline points/miles for some big long trip to someplace great with teh family like Tahiti for a month or something. I think THAT is what it's all about! You can get a new job any time.
Sure, when you get back to reality, you may need to fool around with your resume, but having been a recruiter, it ALL comes down to how you answer to those gaps on the resume, not whether you have gaps on the resume.
So if you travel and you do ANY "research" or anything related to that which is your career path, document it and get references. For example, if you had been a geologist and you ended up hiking up Australia's ULURU (Ayer's Rock) after living in the desert for 6 months, take pics and tell the next job all about the rock formations. "Well I met the local tribal leader who gave me history on some land in this area. He's the head of blah blah blah there now..."
And if your job had been in marketing, to get the next one, come in and talk about ways to plan travel, sell trips, make a mock brochure on getting there, or do a database on types of visitors and their background/demographics.
Being creative (which traveling in itself will definitely foster within your very soul) is ALL it's all about when getting jobs!
Just don't tell the next hiring manager "how sick it was to be on the beach all day, dude," and how it was "totally cool to be free and act young again." This wont land you the job because he's jealous you got to LIVE while he was stuck in a cubicle coming home each night to his fat wife!
Sure, when you get back to reality, you may need to fool around with your resume, but having been a recruiter, it ALL comes down to how you answer to those gaps on the resume, not whether you have gaps on the resume.
So if you travel and you do ANY "research" or anything related to that which is your career path, document it and get references. For example, if you had been a geologist and you ended up hiking up Australia's ULURU (Ayer's Rock) after living in the desert for 6 months, take pics and tell the next job all about the rock formations. "Well I met the local tribal leader who gave me history on some land in this area. He's the head of blah blah blah there now..."
And if your job had been in marketing, to get the next one, come in and talk about ways to plan travel, sell trips, make a mock brochure on getting there, or do a database on types of visitors and their background/demographics.
Being creative (which traveling in itself will definitely foster within your very soul) is ALL it's all about when getting jobs!
Just don't tell the next hiring manager "how sick it was to be on the beach all day, dude," and how it was "totally cool to be free and act young again." This wont land you the job because he's jealous you got to LIVE while he was stuck in a cubicle coming home each night to his fat wife!
Jan 20, 2008, 11:11 am
#63
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
Because I'm a grown mom with grown kids, I tried to use common sense, especially for hotels. Always in city center, never cheap dumps near bus stations, etc. I tried to spend no more than $50/night for hotels. Admittedly, I had more money than most, but I realized pretty quick that if I made travel conditions too severe (cheap), I'd be miserable and come back home. I gave myself daily budget of $100, all inclusive. It averaged out.
Jan 20, 2008, 11:22 am
#65
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 37
Tahiti
Tell your friend about http://www.aa.com/apps/netSAAver/Vie...omotionContent
Sorry, I can't seem to make the link work correctly. Anyway, it's r/t Tahiti for 30K miles.
Sorry, I can't seem to make the link work correctly. Anyway, it's r/t Tahiti for 30K miles.
Jan 20, 2008, 11:29 am
#66
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 37
Yes, me. After three months of looking, I finally found a job that's essentially clerical no matter the title, and pays less than half what I used to earn. I have worked with five recruiters to date, everybody rewrites my resume, but nothing ever helps. Maybe it's the economy, but I doubt it.
The price I paid, I guess. Still worth it. After all, I saw the world.
Jan 20, 2008, 12:04 pm
#67
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Join Date: Nov 2002
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Silk, you said you are a mom with kids?
Boom. There it is. Sadly this is scary to employers in the USA these days.
Dont tell them that. IN fact tell the hiring managers (and recruiters) NOTHING except that you have experience.
Rewrite the res again. This time--and I'm actually serious about this--LIE! (ie, expand on ways to fill those gaps by bending the truth and inserting real work related stuff but worded in ways that sell you as useful in that area still)
Yup, get a friend who owns a business to give you a written ref and say you were consulting for that person for X months while taking care of a dying relative or something to that affect. The sick/dying relative thing is about one of the only things left you have to use--unless you were in the military and ended up working for a company whos boss supports the Iraq war... Or if you were to volunteer, say, at least a tiny bit of time for one of the political parties and then were able to parlay that into your use of time off, so that you could position yourself to land a job at a company whos boss happens to support that same candidate or party! Yup, THIS totally works, even if we all think it should not matter!
Why? because the system does NOT--I repeat--does NOT care about family, travel, life, fun, extenuating circumstances, etc.
Either you will get a new job or you wont. But once it knows you traveled or stepped out of the grind, it hates you. (companies and recruiters loathe moms with kids who think they can just jump back in say 3 days a week. They dont like moms or families with little kids either--because they know you have to leave early to get the baby, etc. Not saying that's what you are, but that's just something to note. Even older kids pose a problem, because companies think you have to leave to go to sport events or band camp. [um, this tne time, in band camp....]. The times have changed. A single eager looking, not quite fully experienced person is now the one they want! Sad but true, but hey, it sure explains how DUMB companies are when you call into customer service to get things done these days!
Lying (at the level I am talking about) is actually not going to be found out about nor hurt nearly enough as NOT being able to get work just because we have families. You think lying about work history is immoral? Well, what about being forced to neglect one's children and stick em in day care 5 days a week from 7am-6pm 5 days a week in the city clinging to your cell phone stuck in traffic while trying to build a career working for somebody else's dream?
Boom. There it is. Sadly this is scary to employers in the USA these days.
Dont tell them that. IN fact tell the hiring managers (and recruiters) NOTHING except that you have experience.
Rewrite the res again. This time--and I'm actually serious about this--LIE! (ie, expand on ways to fill those gaps by bending the truth and inserting real work related stuff but worded in ways that sell you as useful in that area still)
Yup, get a friend who owns a business to give you a written ref and say you were consulting for that person for X months while taking care of a dying relative or something to that affect. The sick/dying relative thing is about one of the only things left you have to use--unless you were in the military and ended up working for a company whos boss supports the Iraq war... Or if you were to volunteer, say, at least a tiny bit of time for one of the political parties and then were able to parlay that into your use of time off, so that you could position yourself to land a job at a company whos boss happens to support that same candidate or party! Yup, THIS totally works, even if we all think it should not matter!
Why? because the system does NOT--I repeat--does NOT care about family, travel, life, fun, extenuating circumstances, etc.
Either you will get a new job or you wont. But once it knows you traveled or stepped out of the grind, it hates you. (companies and recruiters loathe moms with kids who think they can just jump back in say 3 days a week. They dont like moms or families with little kids either--because they know you have to leave early to get the baby, etc. Not saying that's what you are, but that's just something to note. Even older kids pose a problem, because companies think you have to leave to go to sport events or band camp. [um, this tne time, in band camp....
]. The times have changed. A single eager looking, not quite fully experienced person is now the one they want! Sad but true, but hey, it sure explains how DUMB companies are when you call into customer service to get things done these days! Lying (at the level I am talking about) is actually not going to be found out about nor hurt nearly enough as NOT being able to get work just because we have families. You think lying about work history is immoral? Well, what about being forced to neglect one's children and stick em in day care 5 days a week from 7am-6pm 5 days a week in the city clinging to your cell phone stuck in traffic while trying to build a career working for somebody else's dream?
Jan 20, 2008, 12:14 pm
#68
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Join Date: Nov 2002
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oh I know what I was gonna say...
So Kate Beckensale and Luke Wilson rush out of that hotel and finally get away, and a few weeks later she's like, "Hey, I didnt get my points from charging up that room! Do you think I should call in and ..... about it?"
(I wonder what chain the hotel was a part of)
I have not seen the movie by the way. I am thinking it is part of a chain that totally stinks with regard to redemptions and earnings!
So Kate Beckensale and Luke Wilson rush out of that hotel and finally get away, and a few weeks later she's like, "Hey, I didnt get my points from charging up that room! Do you think I should call in and ..... about it?"
(I wonder what chain the hotel was a part of)
I have not seen the movie by the way. I am thinking it is part of a chain that totally stinks with regard to redemptions and earnings!
Jan 20, 2008, 12:42 pm
#69
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 37
Having said that, I will think your advice is worth a try. Thank you so much.
Jan 20, 2008, 1:15 pm
#70
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
Marathon Man looks like you are a recruiter. do you think it would be possible/reasonable to ask companies (for accounting/finance related jobs) to let you start 2-1/2 months later?
I am hoping to find such a job before i go travelling
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=771285
I am hoping to find such a job before i go travelling
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=771285
Jan 20, 2008, 5:32 pm
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
Oh, such good advice! In fact, I was working on/researching a travel-related project the whole time ("Granny's Great Adventure"), something that still hasn't come to fruition, but I never thought to include it on a resume. Of course, my background is in tech management, and they certainly don't care about travel-related projects, do they? And when you add to that the fact that I'm a grandmother, my prospects look pretty dicey -- my co-workers are all (almost) young enough to be my grandchildren!
Having said that, I will think your advice is worth a try. Thank you so much.
Having said that, I will think your advice is worth a try. Thank you so much.
And, if you have a chance, donate not just money to some cause, but offer to help service or update their web site. Deduct your time as taxable hours and use the work you did for the entity as resume material.
Then help one of those grandchildren with something tech related to say, IT, Web or business (management) related... put THAT on there too! 1,2,3 new "projects" you facilitated during the time away from the regular 9-5s!
As well, the resume could be more functional than chronological... That way, WHEN is not as important as WHAT...
This is borrowed in part from one of my old ones:
Career Summary of Expertise:
Producer & Recruiter - Innovative Project/Program Management & Procurement. I am a project manager, recruiter and interactive producer primarily in marketing and business services. Experiences extracted from my diverse background can be leveraged for value-added results in an entrepreneurial, creative and forward thinking environment that focuses on quality, innovation and a proactive attitude. I have been a leader in print production, graphic design, web and print pre-press, media image development and handling—also possessing strong technical /troubleshooting expertise; I am a networking coordinator with excellent interpersonal skills, account maintenance, client management, on-time multitasking and process enhancement abilities.
You could, if you want, figure out a way to add in something like this: I have held secondary positions or non-conflicting consultancies at times in my work history, yet I dedicate myself to my full-time job with you!
Professional Employment
Project Manager and Consultant
COMPANY NAME/LOCATION/JOB TITLE OR MADE UP ONE THAT LOOKS GOOD ENOUGH/DATE (example: March 2006 – Present)
:: Project Managing all graphic design, storage solutions and video/DVD compiling, cover/product design and fulfillment/release
:: Coordinating projects for business press releases, account direction/maintenance; I am the liaison for 75% of client needs
:: Helped position and maintain a growing business at www.LetsGoLobstering.com by serving as consultant, recruiter and coordinator (btw, that is a decent web site if you have children who want to know all about the Maine lobstering business!)
Marathon Man looks like you are a recruiter. do you think it would be possible/reasonable to ask companies (for accounting/finance related jobs) to let you start 2-1/2 months later?
I am hoping to find such a job before I go travelling
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=771285
I am hoping to find such a job before I go travelling
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=771285
In any case, it's always best to fill GAPS with something that at least holds the same career titles or directions in tune with what the next hiring manager might expect from you. Lateral moves may be ok, but downward ones make them wonder. Again, they dont know nor care (or even think of) normal life, family, travel or anything like that. It's all about money, numbers, up or out, and trying to get bigger and better. Someone who is 'happy to just be in this little nitche and not asking for a lot' may not make it in most sectors of today's competitive corporate world.
now, my advice aint free... send me miles! heheheheh
JK
The idea of all of these JOB tip and RESUME tip posts are to help facilitate the very necessary idea that people CAN AND MUST travel now and then. Why? Well, if you plan correctly, you CAN get a new job afterward, so why not take that trip now and not stay stuck just cuz you think you wont get that job again! That's silly, I mean, why do you work anyway?
And if it's just to get by, then ok, why are you on here yappin with me? Go work more, save money, change jobs and be a ski bum for a while who works as a bar tender (I made a lot of money doing that too) and re think the entire thing fer yerself!
I was a recruiter. It was for a mid-sized marketing and creative services company. I liked a lot of it but did not like a lot of it. One thing I did not like was how bad the client could be to both us and the candidate. Plus you had to mark things up and this sometimes made it hard for people to get jobs. We werent scammers though, but to me, the 'recruiting business' is often laced with that mindset. It is sad, really, and that's partly why I moved on. I was not on the sales side and am really glad about that too.
Jan 20, 2008, 9:50 pm
#72
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DTW
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO
Posts: 1,719
wow 2.5 years on the trot. here i am worried sick about quiting for 2 months:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=771285
hope you have saved enough for 6 months when you come back.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=771285
hope you have saved enough for 6 months when you come back.
The interest from my savings will pay for a little more than half my travelling expenses while I'm gone, so my total loss to net worth isn't expected to exceed 10-12% while I'm out of the workforce. I look at this as enjoying the fruits of my labor while I'm still young and the US Dollar is still worth SOMETHING internationally instead of hoping I'm healthy enough or even alive at 60 to do anything fun. Any of us could get hit by a bus tomorrow or wake up to discover China has dumped US Treasuries and we're all broke. How much would that suck?
Jan 22, 2008, 1:27 am
#73
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Posts: 2,009
I was hoping to get back to this thread sooner, but I was off to DC for the weekend and finally got back. There are a lot of great ideas in this thread. It makes me want to go on the road again.
When I did my trip I was planning on one year and then going back to work. I ended up with 2.5 years off of full time work. The first year was my RTW, the second was a bit of US travel plus going to school. I worked part time during this year. The final six months was helping to build the Kenyan training center refered to in my signature.
In retrospect I might have done things differently, but overall it was incredible no matter what. I think I could have comfortably gone two years before coming back if I had not been on a year long RTW ticket and mentally planning for a year.
When I was in the planning stages I looked at every website I could find referring to RTW. In fact I think that is how I found Flyertalk. I spent time clicking around airtreks.com which gave me some great base routes. I still refer people there when they are looking for cheap international tickets. I also sent for travel literature from every country I considered visiting. Most of their official tourist websites will have a place to order a brochure.
I read several books:
The Practical Nomad
Six Months Off
Work Your Way Around The World
World Stompers (for when you start taking yourself too serious)
Other great newer books are:
Honeymoon With My Brother
Vagabonding
I spend hours on the from with the AA RTW desk and used miles for the plane ticket. It got to the point where AA was using my ticket as a training example and the agent was scheduling times to call me so I could deal with the same one.
The route I settled on ended up being adjusted a few times. I flew to Nairobi the went overland to Cape Town. Flew up to Spain where I started a three month rail pass. I ended up dropping Egypt because I would have been there in Nov 2001. Next I went to India, SE Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the over to South America. I dropped Venezuela because of the 2002 coup attempt. You need to keep up on the news. Right now Kenya isn't as good of an idea.
In both Africa and India I did overland trips with Dragoman. There are lots of companies for this. I had a great experience with Drago. These were nice because I was able to just hop on the truck and be taken to the interesting spots around the countries I visited with them and not have to worry about getting around.
OK, I’m crashing for the night. One last thing, I have *.gpx files that can be opened on Google Earth that show the path I took and roughly where I stayed each night of year one. I am willing to share these.
I’ll write more later.
When I did my trip I was planning on one year and then going back to work. I ended up with 2.5 years off of full time work. The first year was my RTW, the second was a bit of US travel plus going to school. I worked part time during this year. The final six months was helping to build the Kenyan training center refered to in my signature.
In retrospect I might have done things differently, but overall it was incredible no matter what. I think I could have comfortably gone two years before coming back if I had not been on a year long RTW ticket and mentally planning for a year.
When I was in the planning stages I looked at every website I could find referring to RTW. In fact I think that is how I found Flyertalk. I spent time clicking around airtreks.com which gave me some great base routes. I still refer people there when they are looking for cheap international tickets. I also sent for travel literature from every country I considered visiting. Most of their official tourist websites will have a place to order a brochure.
I read several books:
The Practical Nomad
Six Months Off
Work Your Way Around The World
World Stompers (for when you start taking yourself too serious)
Other great newer books are:
Honeymoon With My Brother
Vagabonding
I spend hours on the from with the AA RTW desk and used miles for the plane ticket. It got to the point where AA was using my ticket as a training example and the agent was scheduling times to call me so I could deal with the same one.
The route I settled on ended up being adjusted a few times. I flew to Nairobi the went overland to Cape Town. Flew up to Spain where I started a three month rail pass. I ended up dropping Egypt because I would have been there in Nov 2001. Next I went to India, SE Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the over to South America. I dropped Venezuela because of the 2002 coup attempt. You need to keep up on the news. Right now Kenya isn't as good of an idea.
In both Africa and India I did overland trips with Dragoman. There are lots of companies for this. I had a great experience with Drago. These were nice because I was able to just hop on the truck and be taken to the interesting spots around the countries I visited with them and not have to worry about getting around.
OK, I’m crashing for the night. One last thing, I have *.gpx files that can be opened on Google Earth that show the path I took and roughly where I stayed each night of year one. I am willing to share these.
I’ll write more later.
Jan 22, 2008, 10:39 am
#74
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,716
"Just don't tell the next hiring manager "how sick it was to be on the beach all day, dude," and how it was "totally cool to be free and act young again." This wont land you the job because he's jealous you got to LIVE while he was stuck in a cubicle coming home each night to his fat wife! "
A gap in a resume is perfectly fine as long as you have an explanation. It's not unreasonable for anyone to see the world. Provided that they know that you were backpacking in Europe and not spending time at a lovely hotel with bars for something you shouldn't have been doing it should be fine.
A gap in a resume is perfectly fine as long as you have an explanation. It's not unreasonable for anyone to see the world. Provided that they know that you were backpacking in Europe and not spending time at a lovely hotel with bars for something you shouldn't have been doing it should be fine.
Jan 22, 2008, 3:12 pm
#75
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 12
Because I'm a grown mom with grown kids, I tried to use common sense, especially for hotels. Always in city center, never cheap dumps near bus stations, etc. I tried to spend no more than $50/night for hotels. Admittedly, I had more money than most, but I realized pretty quick that if I made travel conditions too severe (cheap), I'd be miserable and come back home. I gave myself daily budget of $100, all inclusive. It averaged out.
I decided I was willing to come home broke rather than spend the rest of my life wishing I'd stayed long enough to do everything I wanted. In my case, it was the right decision.