Gap years abroad: Working

Paid work abroad ranges from jobs to finance your travels (commonly in the hospitality, catering, seasonal and manual sectors) to jobs requiring or developing particular skills or experiences (such as sports coaching, teaching, child care or environmental work). You can find lots of ideas at Anywork Anywhere, Gapwork and similar sites.

Jobs to finance your travels

Here are some examples of the types of work you may be able to apply for if you have limited experience:

• hospitality work, ranging from cleaning and housekeeping to hotel reception jobs;
• catering work, as waiting and bar staff or in the kitchen - check whether there will be any language requirements;
• childcare, au pair and nanny positions - be prepared to be asked for references;
• seasonal and manual jobs, such as fruit picking and farm labouring;
• writing about your journey - if you’re lucky you may be able to sell your story (see the Lonely Planet's Guide to Travel Writing for ideas).

Jobs to develop your career

Some jobs which help to develop your career may not need extensive previous experience. Examples include:

• teaching - subject-based linked to your degree, or teaching english as a foreign language (TEFL);
• sports-related coaching - you may have experience through clubs and societies at your university.

Areas of work which are likely to require a certain level of experience include:

• environmental and conservation work;
• aid/development work;
• social or health research.

For further information, see working abroad.

Teaching English

Teaching English as a foreign language is an excellent way of gaining experience of another country. It provides contact with local people, good social openings and opportunities for learning their language.

Some organisations that employ English language teachers offer the TEFL training required, but you will usually then be restricted to teaching in their institutions. If you wish to travel and teach without being tied to one organisation, investigate the costs and benefits of getting your own TEFL qualification.

For details of what is involved and a list of contacts, see teaching english as a foreign language.

Job applications abroad

When applying for work or voluntary opportunities abroad, find out whether recruitment practices in the country to which you are applying are different from practices in the UK. For advice on recruitment practices abroad, see country specific information, websites such as Going Global, and publications such as The Global Resume and CV Guide.

Work placement during your studies

If you are keen to experience work in Europe as a part of your university course, explore opportunities available under the Erasmus work placement scheme, which is a European Commission initiative. Erasmus work placements must be between three and 12 months in length. To find out more about these opportunities, contact your university Erasmus coordinator.