To think travelling holds you back career wise?

[Happyfeet82]

I’m a 26-year-old who’s been working since university, floating between various jobs with no real structure (mostly fixed-term contracts). Earlier this year, I visited Australia for a month with my partner, and we absolutely loved it. We’re now considering going back a working holiday visa or maybe travelling around Asia etc.

I’ve just been offered a new 7-month contract with the possibility of going permanent. After discussing it with my partner, I realised this could be a great way to save some money, finish the contract, and then head off on an adventure for a year. However, part of me wonders if I’m holding myself back from career progression, saving up for a place, or becoming more financially stable etc.

But part of me also thinks... I have no major commitments right now and when else will I have the chance to take a year off to travel and explore? I’d love to hear thoughts or advice.

I was in your position in my early 20s. I took one fixed term contract with the idea of travelling afterwards, didn’t have quite enough cash so accepted an extension. Mid extension I got an offer from my dream firm (once in a lifetime, taking a chance on me type situation), took it, that converted to a permanent job, which turned into huge career progression, meeting my husband, buying a house and adopting a pair of cats… we are now a long long way off going travelling. However, I massively appreciate the career progression and resulting financial stability and this actually allows is to take some amazing trips each year; luxury, once in a lifetime type opportunities 2-3 times per year. I think I enjoy these more than I would have any kind of working holiday or backpacking in hindsight.

I think it depends on your priorities. I wanted to see the world but I don’t see backpacking as the dream so happy to do it this way. Others see backpacking as the experience itself. I also knew I would be over the moon if the job worked out as I’d been chasing that firm for a few years. If you aren’t so set on the role and think more opportunities would come along later, I’d think I’d go for the travel- you could even get a contract or role in Aus maybe.

I did my travelling before university, which means I graduated age 27. My career shoot off very rapidly after that and I think having experienced different cultures helped with my chosen career path. In my opinion, travelling when young is never wasted

There's no right or wrong answer. At 26 I was still a postgraduate student, living on scholarships and small change down the back of the sofa, doing bits of summer school lecturing and journalism to get by, but having a great time. But I'd already spent a couple of years living in a commune and travelling around the US and been a caretaker on an uninhabited island, both experiences I wouldn't have been without. I only got my first FT permanent job aged 29, almost 30.

Personally I would choose the travel, but you should only consult your own wishes here!

No right answer, friends have loved travelling and had the time of their life. They have no regrets.I worked and saved and got on the property ladder. Due to things that had happened in my life, I craved financial stability more than anything else. Had some lovely holidays though.

Life isn’t a race, would be my first piece of advice. Enjoy it, and a working trip to Australia sounds like a great adventure - and, you can still get a career focused job there.

My only hygiene point to that is, if you want kids then keep that in mind. Both timing but also how senior you will be when you go on mat leave. IMO it’s all a lot easier with a higher income and more seniority and so probably flexibility.

Oh it definitely holds you back. I traveled on and off for years, in between taking various qualifications. I then worked abroad for a bit which certainly did not hold me back. I was probably about a decade behind my peers in buying a house and starting regular pension contributions. Friends 5 years younger than me are several rungs ahead of me at work. But I don’t regret a single minute of it and if I got to relive my life, I’d do it the same way again.

It depends where you want to travel, and what you want to experience. I've managed to travel to quite a few places just using my annual leave smart. Some companies let you buy more time off or take PTO. I really don't feel like I've missed out. There's still a few trips left on my list, but we'll get them done over the next couple of years.

In my profession lots of people work abroad during their training.

I intended to go abroad a couple of times (I even got a prestigious fellowship in Canada at one point) but the next NHS promotion always came along and seemed too good to miss.

i’m now midcareer and i’ve played the “what if” game, It I’d gone abroad I wouldn’t have this job and it’s definitely the best fit team for me and my personality. (I know most of the other uk teams and while they are lovely I prefer our institutional culture/approach).

So in summary I think you have to be able to live with the decision you make.

there are also pension implications too with going abroad. Which never seem like a big deal in your twenties but as I push 50 my pension matters!!

If I have any regrets in life it's that I didn't do more travelling when I was younger. It's very easy to join the "rat race" of job-mortgage-partner-children. It's very hard to leave that path once you are on it to go exploring the world for any length of time - and that's if you have the finances to do so. Go travelling. Jobs can wait.

Agree with other responses that there’s no right answer here, everything is different with life priorities but you also can’t see into the future, what your career will be, where it’ll take you and likewise what will come from travelling instead.

I think having a long term goal is sensible, but also doing what makes you happy. Don’t put off doing something because of other people’s expectations.

often with a career, progression can be from being in the right time, at the right place and you can’t predict this.

I never went travelling, grew up without much money and was encouraged straight from uni into a professional job at 21 as travelling was a risky option. However that job led to meeting my husband, and 14 years later we are living a life I always imagined when I was little, so I don’t for a moment regret not travelling…but I do have a pang crossing out on that part of life

There is no right answer.
Remember, you can't have everything.
If you travel for months you need to be comfortable with never having a deposit to secure a home purchase until you are in your forties.

At some point saving and working needs to be a top priority if you want to purchase a home.

It is best to be able to travel AND make money. To travel with work - taking promotions and remaining flexible where you work will allow you to save if you are strict with your goals.

Girl - travel. You'll have plenty of time to build your career but once the kids come, travelling will be that much harder

From, someone who put of travelling for career and owning a home, and has neither xx

I travelled from 24-30. Had no impact on my career. In fact employers really liked my overseas experience. I landed a very well paid job overseas which enabled me to work, travel and save. When I came back to UK I had the deposit for a house, a great CV and had enjoyed seeing some amazing parts of the world.

Get a job with an international company with travel included! I started my current job, and started travelling for work a few years later (in my mid-forties at that point).
I’m encouraged by my company to take leave at the end of a business trip, funding my hotel myself, but extending the flight back home a few days further than the business trip, so have made use of this to travel all over the world.