The freed breed

Taking a voluntary redundancy package without a new job lined up sounds risky, but for Susan May it was a gamble that paid off. She was an HR manager with BT in the City and her first thought was to find other work. Then she came across Raleigh International and applied to become a project manager for one of their expeditions. Quite an undertaking for someone who'd never before camped or travelled other than on package holidays. 'Once I'd been accepted to go on the Belize expedition I decided to prepare myself with an extended trip to Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The three months I subsequently spent in the jungle with responsibility for a group of 18-25 year olds, while surrounded by spiders, scorpions and huge insects, was the best thing I've ever done.'

Susan says the experience helped develop her confidence enormously: she feels capable of tackling anything and succeeding at it. Now she works for Gilmore House Associates, an HR consultancy, and is convinced her involvement with Raleigh helped her get the job. 'If you're thinking of giving up your job to do something like this, don't worry that it will damage your career, it does the opposite and opens up opportunities. I've gone back to the same sort of work but it has changed my perspective completely. I feel more aware of the world beyond, particularly in relation to environmental issues. It's also given me a huge insight into people from different cultures and social backgrounds.'

Tom Griffiths runs website, www.gapyear.com. It provides inspiration and excellent information for career gapers and students. His advice is simple: ‘There are loads of options out there and if you want to change direction or take a break you're not alone – go for it’. Whatever your situation is, whether you’ve got that wonderlust or just an urge to try something different, the message certainly seems to be: do it, you only live once.

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