Whether we recognise it or not, the majority of us tend to get stuck in the monotonous groove that is better known as 9-5 employment. Our natural affinity for routine often stints our ability to develop and grow, which in turn thwarts job satisfaction and stimulation. According to Business Insider, 80% of employers think people are better suited to a job if they have travelled. So what about taking a sabbatical or a career break and doing something really exciting and different - training as a ski instructor? How might that benefit your future career, I hear you ask? Well, here are four ways in which spending time away in one of the world’s top ski resorts and gaining a qualification in something as unusual as snow sports, is likely to pay dividends in terms of future employability and career enhancement.
1. Increased confidence and communication skills
As a traveller you will inevitably find yourself in unusual and unplanned situations, and the experience you gain in being able to handle unfamiliarity and uncertainty will always stand you well in any career. Having to communicate in a different language and to deal with cultural differences are great ways to increase your personal confidence, and will be quickly recognised as valuable attributes of your character by potential employers. What better way to hone such skills than through a period spent as a ski instructor in a remote part of the world?
2. A Great Talking Point in Interviews
You are never going to land that dream job if you are unable to present yourself at interview as being someone who stands out from the crowd having has done something a bit different. What better way to impress yourself on your next potential boss than to be able to talk about the experiences you have had abroad as a ski instructor and the valuable impacts that this has had on your character and your personal skill-set?
3. Buffing up your CV with a different kind of qualification
Talking the talk is important, but recruitment decisions are invariably made on what you have already done, rather than on what you say you’ll do. Academic qualifications are important, but most applicants will have those, just like you. But having an additional, and very different qualification as well, is bound to improve your CV and put you at a distinct advantage in the short-listing process. Instructor qualifications are likely to be viewed as being especially valuable for anyone applying for careers that involve training and developing others, for example, in childcare, teaching or outdoor education.
Moreover, some ski courses include additional modules in first aid – again something that will be highly valued in any workplace and that could make the difference between succeeding or failing to secure the job.
4. Refreshed and ready to restart
Taking a career break to do something different is almost always going to revitalise you and provide you with fresh energy and enthusiasm for your job. All good employers know this and most will want to be supportive of requests for such time away if they really value their staff and want to retain them. A career break in the snow-capped mountains can be the perfect refresher for a career and you are likely to return to work not only reinvigorated, but with more energy, drive and enthusiasm for life and work. Thus, you will be more employable than ever.
A new career if you want it
For many, a career break ski course fulfils a long term aspiration to experience a winter season abroad. Moreover, it doesn’t necessarily have to be for just one season. The majority of ski (and snowboard) instructor courses culminate in the award of internationally recognised qualifications that, should you so wish, can open up your world to a lifetime on the snow and a completely new career as an instructor.
This is a guest post by We Are Sno - one of the world's leading ski and snowboard course providers. They have instructor courses in Europe, Japan and New Zealand, with special programmes for career breakers like you. Visit the We Are Sno website to find out more.