Quiz: Are You Ready for a Career Break?
Planning for a career break is a breeze, as it's relatively easy to rent our your flat, get a leave of absence from your job – or quit - and forward your post. But are you really emotionally ready to leave your life behind and embark on something new? Take our quiz and find out...
1 Leaving for a year to work on a conservation project in South America means renting out your flat to keep up the mortgage payments. Do you...
A) Balk at the idea of strangers living in your home, and worry endlessly about what mess they could make in your flat?
B) Make sure you have enough time to interview tenants so you find the right people, then forget about it? Experiences are the most important thing, as is helping make a difference abroad.
C) Get someone in at the last minute and hope they make the rent payments on time? If you are homeless in a year, something will work out...
2 You've never lived in any town but the one you're living in now, and leaving on a six-week cookery course career break to France means you'll be staying somewhere new and unfamiliar, although the surroundings will be luxurious. Do you...
A) Worry about being in a strange environment, and have second thoughts about leaving?
B) Love the idea of being able to finally taste something new and exotic, and look forward to visiting as many different French regions as possible on your days off?
C) Look forward to sumptuous surroundings, and say goodbye to your past?
3 You've worked at the same dead-end boring job for 25 years. Now you're off for a once-in-a-lifetime experience saving turtles in the Galapagos Islands, but there's no guarantee your job will still be waiting for you. Do you...
A) Worry constantly about what you'll do when you get back, even though you hate your job? After all, security is more important than happiness – isn't it?
B) Send off loads of CVs and investigate job opportunities for your return? With your newfound experience, you know you'll get a fantastic new post you'll love.
C) Stomp out and leave the country, with no plans for the future? If your job isn't there, you can always go on the dole for a while.
4 Going away to Mozambique for a year means you'll miss your best friend's wedding, your parents' 50th wedding anniversary and your 30th. Do you...
A) Panic at the thought of missing these important celebrations, and think seriously about cancelling your plans, even thought it'll mean losing a £2,500 programme deposit?
B) Look forward to doing something new, but budget to come back for your parents' 50th?
C) Revel in the idea of being far, far away from it all?
5 You're balking at the idea of leaving your friends behind as you jet off on a career break for six months. Do you...
A) Realise that being without them will make your life too difficult, and decide to stay home?
B) Host a fab going-away party and promise to write to all your friends?
C)Walk out without saying goodbye? If they're your real friends, they'll understand...
6 Leaving on a career break for a year means you will miss some important training at work. Still, your boss is very enthusiastic about your time abroad. Do you...
A) Worry endlessly about what you'll be missing, so much, in fact, that most of your break is taken over by job contemplation?
B) Talk with your boss beforehand about doing the extra training either before you leave or when you come back? What's important is that you do it, not when you do it!
C) Forget about it. If your boss really wanted you to have the training, you wouldn't have been given the permission to go on a career break in the first place.
How'd you do?
Mostly A's: Maybe going away isn't such a good idea. You seem scared by almost everything, and the thought of leaving unfamiliar surroundings could set you off. You should have a serious rethink about doing something new.
Mostly B's: Well done! You're ready to go and know the pros and cons of leaving. With your balanced attitude, you'll have a great time when you're away, and are assured of a great future when you get back.
Mostly C's: While you're raring to go you have no thought of tomorrow. It's important to think of the future and pay attention to the present. If you cut all ties now, who knows what the future will bring?
