It’s that time of year when people start making big decisions; whether to jump straight into the job market after school or university, or take some time out.
I often hear the question “Won’t a gap year set me back?” or I’ll see LinkedIn posts from peers desperately trying to justify what they did on their gap year, as if it was a silly decision that needs justification.
As someone who’s probably taken enough gap years that it no longer qualifies as a ‘gap’ anymore and am writing this from the Maldives, maybe I’m a bit biased
But when I look around at my friends and family thriving in professional careers; those who’ve moved fast, stood out, or built something of their own, it’s not just their grades or CVs that got them there.
It’s their people skills. Their confidence. Their ability to adapt, communicate, and lead.
They built them by living a bit, stepping outside their bubble, learning new skills, seeing the world, and figuring stuff out as they went.
Now, I’m not saying getting wrecked on a beach in Thailand is going to land you your dream job, but neither is blindly following the conveyor belt of uni to internship to burnout. Maybe the key is balance.
With AI on the rise and technical skills evolving fast, what really makes you stand out now… is being more human and more than ever, we need to lean into our humanity. Your human skills won’t be replaced — so why not invest in them now?
Plus, you definitely won’t be seeing an AI bot surf coaching on Polzeath beach anytime soon…
Currently enjoying a balanced ‘Gap Year’ in the Maldives